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would have just said what time they DID want it； and that would have been all
there was to it； but here's what Bibbs says； and I heard him with my own ears。
'What time do I want the car？' he says。 'Well； now； that dependsthat
depends；' he says。 He talks slow like that； you know。 'I'll tell you what
time I want the car； George；' he says； 'if you'll tell ME what you think of
this statue！' That's exactly his words！ Asked the darky what he thought of
that Arab Edith and mother bought for the hall！〃
Mary pondered upon this。 〃He might have been in fun； perhaps；〃 she suggested。
〃Askin' a darky what he thought of a piece of statuaryof a work of art！
Where on earth would be the fun of that？ No； you're just kind…heartedand
that's the way you OUGHT to be； of course〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Sheridan！〃 she laughed。
〃See here！〃 he cried。 〃Isn't there any way for us to get over this Mister and
Miss thing？ A month's got thirty…one days in it； I've managed to be with you
a part of pretty near all the thirty…one； and I think you know how I feel by
this time〃
She looked panic…stricken immediately。 〃Oh； no；〃 she protested； quickly。 〃No；
I don't； and〃
〃Yes； you do；〃 he said； and his voice shook a little。 〃You couldn't help
knowing。〃
〃But I do！〃 she denied； hurriedly。 〃I do help knowing。 I meanOh； wait！〃
〃What for？ You do know how I feel； and youwell； you've certainly WANTED me
to feel that wayor else pretended〃
〃Now； now！〃 she lamented。 〃You're spoiling such a cheerful afternoon！〃
〃'Spoilin' it！'〃 He slowed down the car and turned his face to her squarely。
〃See here； Miss Vertrees； haven't you〃
〃Stop！ Stop the car a minute。〃 And when he had complied she faced him as
squarely as he evidently desired her to face him。 〃Listen。 I don't want you
to go on； to…day。〃
〃Why not？〃 he asked； sharply。
〃I don't know。〃
〃You mean it's just a whim？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she repeated。 Her voice was low and troubled and honest； and
she kept her clear eyes upon his。
〃Will you tell me something？〃
〃Almost anything。〃
〃Have you ever told any man you loved him？〃
And at that； though she laughed； she looked a little contemptuous。 〃No；〃 she
said。 〃And I don't think I ever shall tell any man thator ever know what it
means。 I'm in earnest； Mr。 Sheridan。〃
〃Then youyou've just been flirting with me！〃 Poor Jim looked both furious
and crestfallen。
〃Not on bit！〃 she cried。 〃Not one word！ Not one syllable！ I've meant every
single thing！〃
〃I don't〃
〃Of course you don't！〃 she said。 〃Now； Mr。 Sheridan； I want you to start the
car。 Now！ Thank you。 Slowly； till I finish what I have to say。 I have not
flirted with you。 I have deliberately courted you。 One thing more； and then
I want you to take me straight home； talking about the weather all the way。 I
said that I do not believe I shall ever 'care' for any man； and that is true。
I doubt the existence of the kind of 'caring' we hear about in poems and plays
and novels。 I think it must be just a kind of emotional TALK most of it。
At all events； I don't feel it。 Now； we can go faster； please。〃
〃Just where does that let me out？〃 he demanded。 〃How does that excuse you
for〃
〃It isn't an excuse；〃 she said； gently； and gave him one final look； wholly
desolate。 〃I haven't said I should never marry。〃
〃What？〃 Jim gasped。
She inclined her head in a broken sort of acquiescence； very humble；
unfathomably sorrowful。
〃I promise nothing；〃 she said； faintly。
〃You needn't！〃 shouted Jim； radiant and exultant。 〃You needn't！ By George！
I know you're square； that's enough for me！ You wait and promise whenever
you're ready！〃
〃Don't forget what I asked；〃 she begged him。
〃Talk about the weather？ I will！ God bless the old weather！〃 cried the
happy Jim。
Through the open country Bibbs was borne flying between brown fields and
sun…flecked groves of gray trees； to breathe the rushing； clean air beneath a
glorious skythat sky so despised in the city； and so maltreated there； that
from early October to mid…May it was impossible for men to remember that blue
is the rightful color overhead。
Upon each of Bibbs's cheeks there was a hint of something almost resembling a
pinkishness； not actual color； but undeniably its phantom。 How largely this
apparition may have been the work of the wind upon his face it is difficult
to calculate； for beyond a doubt it was partly the result of a lady's bowing
to him upon no more formal introduction than the circumstance of his having
caught her looking into his window a month before。 She had bowed definitely；
she had bowed charmingly。 And it seemed to Bibbs that she must have meant to
convey her forgiveness。
There had been something in her recognition of him unfamiliar to his
experience； and he rode the warmer for it。 Nor did he lack the impression
that he would long remember her as he had just seen her： her veil
tumultuously blowing back； her face glowing in the windand that look of gay
friendliness tossed to him like a fresh rose in carnival。
By and by； upon a rising ground； the driver halted the car； then backed and
tacked； and sent it forward again with its nose to the south and the smoke。
Far before him Bibbs saw the great smudge upon the horizon； that nest of
cloud in which the city strove and panted like an engine shrouded in its own
steam。 But to Bibbs； who had now to go to the very heart of it； for a
commanded interview with his father； the distant cloud was like an implacable
genius issuing thunderously in smoke from his enchanted bottle； and
irresistibly drawing Bibbs nearer and nearer。
They passed from the farm lands； and came； in the amber light of November
late afternoon； to the farthermost outskirts of the city； and here the sky
shimmered upon the verge of change from blue to gray； the smoke did not
visibly permeate the air； but it was there； nevertheless impalpable； thin；
no more than the dust of smoke。 And then； as the car drove on； the chimneys
and stacks of factories came swimming up into view like miles of steamers
advancing abreast； every funnel with its vast plume； savage and black；
sweeping to the horizon； dripping wealth and dirt and suffocation over league
on league already rich and vile with grime。
The sky had become only a dingy thickening of the soiled air； and a roar and
clangor of metals beat deafeningly on Bibbs's ears。 And now the car passed
two great blocks of long brick buildings； hideous in all ways possible to
make them hideous； doorways showing dark one moment and lurid the next with
the leap of some virulent interior flame； revealing blackened giants； half
naked； in passionate action； struggling with formless things in the hot
illumination。 And big as these shops were； they were growing bigger；
spreading over a third block； where two new structures were mushroom