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says； 'when a man's given a start。 If nobody gives him a start； why； course
he's got to have luck AND the right kind o' brains。 The only miracle about
Bibbs；' he says； 'is where he got the OTHER kind o' brainsthe brains you
made him quit usin' and throw away。'〃
〃But what'd he say about his health？〃 Mrs。 Sheridan demanded； impatiently； as
George placed a cup of coffee before her husband。 Sheridan helped himself to
cream and sugar； and began to sip the coffee。
〃I'm comin' to that；〃 he returned； placidly。 〃See how easy I manage this cup
with my left hand； mamma？〃
〃You been doin' that all winter。 What did〃
〃It's wonderful；〃 he interrupted； admiringly； 〃what a fellow can do with his
left hand。 I can sign my name with mine now； well's I ever could with my
right。 It came a little hard at first； but now； honest； I believe I RATHER
sign with my left。 That's all I ever have to write； anywayjust the
signature。 Rest's all dictatin'。〃 He blew across the top of the cup
unctuously。 〃Good coffee； mamma！ Well； about Bibbs。 Ole Gurney says he
believes if Bibbs could somehow get back to the state o' mind he was in about
the machine…shopthat is； if he could some way get to feelin' about business
the way he felt about the shopnot the poetry and writin' part； but〃 He
paused； supplementing his remarks with a motion of his head toward the old
house next door。 〃He says Bibbs is older and harder 'n what he was when he
broke down that time； and besides； he ain't the kind o' dreamy way he was
thenand I should say he AIN'T！ I'd like 'em to show ME anybody his age
that's any wider awake！ But he says Bibbs's health never need bother us again
if〃
Mrs。 Sheridan shook her head。 〃I don't see any help THAT way。 You know
yourself she wouldn't have Jim。〃
〃Who's talkin' about her havin' anybody？ But； my Lord！ she might let him LOOK
at her！ She needn't 'a' got so mad； just because he asked her； that she won't
let him come in the house any more。 He's a mighty funny boy； and some ways I
reckon he's pretty near as hard to understand as the Bible； but Gurney kind o'
got me in the way o' thinkin' that if she'd let him come back and set around
with her an evening or two sometimesnot reg'lar； I don't meanwhyWell； I
just thought I'd see what YOU'D think of it。 There ain't any way to talk
about it to Bibbs himselfI don't suppose he'd let you； anyhowbut I thought
maybe you could kind o' slip over there some day； and sort o' fix up to have a
little talk with her； and kind o' hint around till you see how the land lays；
and ask her 〃
〃ME！〃 Mrs。 Sheridan looked both helpless and frightened。 〃No。〃 She shook
her head decidedly。 〃It wouldn't do any good。〃
〃You won't try it？〃
〃I won't risk her turnin' me out o' the house。 Some way； that's what I
believe she did to Sibyl； from what Roscoe said once。 No； I CAN'Tand；
what's more； it 'd only make things worse。 If people find out you're runnin'
after 'em they think you're cheap； and then they won't do as much for you as
if you let 'em alone。 I don't believe it's any use； and I couldn't do it if
it was。〃
He sighed with resignation。 〃All right； mamma。 That's all。〃 Then； in a
livelier tone； he said： 〃Ole Gurney took the bandages off my hand this
morning。 All healed up。 Says I don't need 'em any more。〃
〃Why； that's splendid； papa！〃 she cried； beaming。 〃I was afraidLet's see。〃
She came toward him； but he rose； still keeping his hand in his pocket。 〃Wait
a minute；〃 he said； smiling。 〃Now it may give you just a teeny bit of a
shock； but the fact iswell； you remember that Sunday when Sibyl came over
here and made all that fuss about nothin'it was the day after I got tired o'
that statue when Edith's telegram came〃
〃Let me see your hand！〃 she cried。
〃Now wait！〃 he said； laughing and pushing her away with his left hand。 〃The
truth is； mamma； that I kind o' slipped out on you that morning； when you
wasn't lookin'； and went down to ole Gurney's officehe'd told me to； you
seeand； well； it doesn't AMOUNT to anything。〃 And he held out； for her
inspection； the mutilated hand。 〃You see； these days when it's all dictatin'；
anyhow； nobody 'd mind just a couple o'〃
He had to jump for hershe went over backward。 For the second time in her
life Mrs。 Sheridan fainted。
It was a full hour later when he left her lying upon a couch in her own room；
still lamenting intermittently； though he assured her with heat that the
〃fuss〃 she was making irked him far more than his physical loss。 He permitted
her to think that he meant to return directly to his office； but when he came
out to the open air he told the chauffeur in attendance to await him in front
of Mr。 Vertrees's house； whither he himself proceeded on foot。
Mr。 Vertrees had taken the sale of half of his worthless stock as manna in the
wilderness； it came from heavenby what agency he did not particularly
question。 The broker informed him that 〃parties were interested in getting
hold of the stock；〃 and that later there might be a possible increase in the
value of the large amount retained by his client。 It might go 〃quite a ways
up〃 within a year or so； he said； and he advised 〃sitting tight〃 with it。 Mr。
Vertrees went home and prayed。
He rose from his knees feeling that he was surely coming into his own again。
It was more than a mere gasp of temporary relief with him； and his wife shared
his optimism； but Mary would not let him buy back her piano； and as for
fursspring was on the way； she said。 But they paid the butcher； the baker；
and the candlestick…maker； and hired a cook once more。 It was this servitress
who opened the door for Sheridan and presently assured him that Miss Vertrees
would 〃be down。〃
He was not the man to conceal admiration when he felt it； and he flushed and
beamed as Mary made her appearance； almost upon the heels of the cook。 She had
a look of apprehension for the first fraction of a second； but it vanished at
the sight of him； and its place was taken in her eyes by a soft brilliance；
while color rushed in her cheeks。
〃Don't be surprised；〃 he said。 〃Truth is； in a way it's sort of on business I
looked in here。 It 'll only take a minute； I expect。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Mary。 〃I hoped you'd come because we're neighbors。〃
He chuckled。 〃Neighbors！ Sometimes people don't see so much o' their
neighbors as they used to。 That is； I hear solately。〃
〃You'll stay long enough to sit down； won't you？〃
〃I guess I could manage that much。〃 And they sat down； facing each other and
not far apart。
〃Of course； it couldn't be called business； exactly；〃 he said； more gravely。
〃Not at all； I expect。 But there's something o' yours it seemed to me I ought
to give you； and I just thought it was better to bring it myself and explain
how I happened to have it。 It's thisthis letter you wrote my boy。〃 He
extended the letter to her solomnly； in his left hand； and she took