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interrupted； and then there's the confounded music〃 （the music he'd
praised so highly； applauded so loudly last night！）。 〃We shan't be able to
hear each other speak。 Let's have something up here in front of the fire。
It's too late for tea。 I'll order a little supper； shall I？ How does that idea
strike you？〃
〃Do； darling！〃 said Janey。 〃And while you're awaythe children's
letters〃
〃Oh； later on will do！〃 said Hammond。
〃But then we'd get it over；〃 said Janey。 〃And I'd first have time to〃
〃Oh； I needn't go down！〃 explained Hammond。 〃I'll just ring and
give the order。。。you don't want to send me away； do you？〃
Janey shook her head and smiled。
〃But you're thinking of something else。 You're worrying about
something；〃 said Hammond。 〃What is it？ Come and sit herecome and
sit on my knee before the fire。〃
〃I'll just unpin my hat；〃 said Janey； and she went over to the dressing…
table。 〃A…ah！〃 She gave a little cry。
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〃What is it？〃
〃Nothing； darling。 I've just found the children's letters。 That's all
right！ They will keep。 No hurry now！〃 She turned to him； clasping
them。 She tucked them into her frilled blouse。 She cried quickly； gaily：
〃Oh； how typical this dressing…table is of you！〃
〃Why？ What's the matter with it？〃 said Hammond。
〃If it were floating in eternity I should say 'John！'〃 laughed Janey；
staring at the big bottle of hair tonic； the wicker bottle of eau…de… Cologne；
the two hair…brushes； and a dozen new collars tied with pink tape。 〃Is
this all your luggage？〃
〃Hang my luggage！〃 said Hammond； but all the same he liked being
laughed at by Janey。 〃Let's talk。 Let's get down to things。 Tell me〃
and as Janey perched on his knees he leaned back and drew her into the
deep； ugly chair… …〃tell me you're really glad to be back； Janey。〃
〃Yes； darling； I am glad；〃 she said。
But just as when he embraced her he felt she would fly away； so
Hammond never knewnever knew for dead certain that she was as glad
as he was。 How could he know？ Would he ever know？ Would he
always have this craving… …this pang like hunger； somehow； to make Janey
so much part of him that there wasn't any of her to escape？ He wanted to
blot out everybody； everything。 He wished now he'd turned off the light。
That might have brought her nearer。 And now those letters from the
children rustled in her blouse。 He could have chucked them into the fire。
〃Janey；〃 he whispered。
〃Yes； dear？〃 She lay on his breast； but so lightly； so remotely。 Their
breathing rose and fell together。
〃Janey！〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Turn to me；〃 he whispered。 A slow； deep flush flowed into his
forehead。 〃Kiss me； Janey！ You kiss me！〃
It seemed to him there was a tiny pausebut long enough for him to
suffer torturebefore her lips touched his； firmly； lightlykissing them as
she always kissed him； as though the kisshow could he describe it？
confirmed what they were saying； signed the contract。 But that wasn't
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what he wanted； that wasn't at all what he thirsted for。 He felt suddenly；
horrible tired。
〃If you knew；〃 he said； opening his eyes； 〃what it's been likewaiting
to… day。 I thought the boat never would come in。 There we were；
hanging about。 What kept you so long？〃
She made no answer。 She was looking away from him at the fire。
The flames hurriedhurried over the coals； flickered； fell。
〃Not asleep； are you？〃 said Hammond； and he jumped her up and
down。
〃No；〃 she said。 And then： 〃Don't do that； dear。 No； I was thinking。
As a matter of fact；〃 she said； 〃one of the passengers died last nighta
man。 That's what held us up。 We brought him inI mean； he wasn't
buried at sea。 So； of course； the ship's doctor and the shore doctor〃
〃What was it？〃 asked Hammond uneasily。 He hated to hear of death。
He hated this to have happened。 It was； in some queer way； as though he
and Janey had met a funeral on their way to the hotel。
〃Oh； it wasn't anything in the least infectious！〃 said Janey。 She was
speaking scarcely above her breath。 〃It was heart。〃 A pause。 〃Poor
fellow！〃 she said。 〃Quite young。〃 And she watched the fire flicker and
fall。 〃He died in my arms；〃 said Janey。
The blow was so sudden that Hammond thought he would faint。 He
couldn't move； he couldn't breathe。 He felt all his strength flowing
flowing into the big dark chair； and the big dark chair held him fast；
gripped him； forced him to bear it。
〃What？〃 he said dully。 〃What's that you say？〃
〃The end was quite peaceful；〃 said the small voice。 〃He just〃and
Hammond saw her lift her gentle hand〃breathed his life away at the
end。〃 And her hand fell。
〃Whoelse was there？〃 Hammond managed to ask。
〃Nobody。 I was alone with him。〃
Ah； my God； what was she saying！ What was she doing to him！
This would kill him！ And all the while she spoke：
〃I saw the change coming and I sent the steward for the doctor； but the
doctor was too late。 He couldn't have done anything； anyway。〃
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〃Butwhy you； why you？〃 moaned Hammond。
At that Janey turned quickly； quickly searched his face。
〃You don't mind； John； do you？〃 she asked。 〃You don'tIt's nothing
to do with you and me。〃
Somehow or other he managed to shake some sort of smile at her。
Somehow or other he stammered： 〃Nogoon； go on！ I want you to
tell me。〃
〃But； John darling〃
〃Tell me； Janey！〃
〃There's nothing to tell；〃 she said； wondering。 〃He