The Drums of Jeopardy

"I ran away like a yellow dog! I didn't go down there and die with her!"

"You didn't run away to-night when you offered your life for my liberty.

Johnny, you mustn't!"

Under her tender ministrations the sobs began to die away and soon

resolved into little catching gasps. He was weak and spent from his

injuries; otherwise he would not have given way like this, discovered to

her what she had not known before, that in every man, however strong and

valiant he may be, there is a little child.

"It has been burning me up, Kitty."

"I know, I know! It is because you have a soul full of beautiful things,

Johnny. God held you back from dying with Olga because He knew I needed

you."

"You will marry me, knowing that I did this thing?"

Marry him! A door to some blinding radiance opened, and she could not

see for a little while. Marry him! What a miserable wretch she was to

think that he would want her otherwise! Johnny Two-Hawks, fiddling in

front of the Metropolitan Opera House, to fill a poor blind man's cup!

"Yes, Johnny. Now, yesterdays never were. For us there is nothing but

to-morrows. Out there, in the great country--where souls as well as

bodies may stretch themselves--we'll start all over again. You will be

the cowman and I'll be the kitchen wench. As in the beginning, so it

will always be hereafter, I'll cook your bacon and eggs."

She pulled his chair round and pushed it toward a window, dropped beside

it and laid her cheek against his hand.

"Let us look at the stars, Johnny. They know." Kuroki, having arrived

with coffee and sandwiches, paused on the threshold, gazed, wheeled

right about face, and returned to the kitchen.

By and by Kitty looked up into Hawksley's face. He was asleep. She got

up carefully, lightly kissed the top of his head--the old wound--and

crossed to Cutty's door. She must tell dear old Cutty of the wonderful

happiness that was going to be hers. She opened the study door, but did

not enter at once. Asleep on his arms. Why, he hadn't even opened that

Ali Baba's bag! Tired out--done in, as Johnny Two-Hawks called it in his

English fashion. She waited; but as he did not stir she approached with

noiseless step. The light poured full upon his head. How gray he was! A

boundless pity surged over her that this tender, valiant knight should

have missed what first her mother had known--now she herself--requited

love. To have everything in the world without that was to have nothing.

She would not wake him; she would let him sleep until Captain Harrison

came. Lightly she touched the gray head with her lips and stole from the

study.