And so at last I went through the familiar door into an unfamiliar room,
with basins and towels and bottles around, and a screen made of Jim's
largest canvases. And someone on the improvised bed turned and looked
at me. He did not speak, and I sat down beside him. After a while he put
his hand over mine as it lay on the bed.
"You are much better to me than I deserve," he said softly. And because
his eyes were disconcerting, I put an ice cloth over them.
"Much better than you deserve," I said, and patted the ice cloth to
place gently. He fumbled around until he found my hand again, and we
were quiet for a long time. I think he dozed, for he roused suddenly and
pulled the cloth from his eyes.
"The--the day is all confused," he said, turning to look at me,
"but--one thing seems to stand out from everything else. Perhaps it
was delirium, but I seemed to see that door over there open, and you,
outside, with--with Max. His arms were around you."
"It was delirium," I said softly. It was my final lie in that house of
mendacity.
He drew a satisfied breath, and lifting my hand, held it to his lips and
kissed it.
"I can hardly believe it is you," he said. "I have to hold firmly to
your hand or you will disappear. Can't you move your chair closer? You
are miles away." So I did it, for he was not to be excited.
After a little-"It's awfully good of you to do this. I have been desperately sorry,
Kit, about the other night. It was a ruffianly thing to do--to kiss you,
when I thought--"
"You are to keep very still," I reminded him. He kissed my hand again,
but he persisted.
"I was mad--crazy." I tried to give him some medicine, but he pushed the
spoon aside. "You will have to listen," he said. "I am in the depths of
self-disgust. I--I can't think of anything else. You see, you seemed
so convinced that I was the blackguard that somehow nothing seemed to
matter."
"I have forgotten it all," I declared generously, "and I would be quite
willing to be friends, only, you remember you said--"
"Friends!" his voice was suddenly reckless, and he raised on his elbow.
"Friends! Who wants to be friends? Kit, I was almost delirious that
night. The instant I held you in my arms--It was all over. I loved you
the first time I saw you. I--I suppose I'm a fool to talk like this."
And, of course, just then Dallas had to open the door and step into the
room. He was covered with dirt and he had a hatchet in his hand.