The Readjustment

came the resonant voice of Ber

hed. "Are you comin

I indite these few lines-little Katie. Mark Heath is reporting great doings in Chinatown t

lda never

hour. We're dining with the Masters, who have inconsid

hing

e sounds s

'm in a mood

along in a quar

waiting at th

ting by the front gate. She looked down on the pattern of light and heavy shadow that was the city, and a curious mood of exultation came over her. Light foreshadowi

finite spaces she could not contemplate without fear, united 156 themselves in some mysterious bond with the little human things below; the sight of them brought the same wave of rapture. Too mighty long to be endured, the wave broke into ripples of happy contemplation. Sounding lines of forgotten poems ran through her mind, movements of old symphonies, memories of her vicarious raptures before the altar in the convent, gli

all. Kate, revealed in the light of their gate-lamp, walked between the two men, who 157 were bending toward her; now they were all laughing together. She was radiant, this firm-fleshed, golden flower of the West. Eleanor dipped from her clouds of glory to notice th

ing her over. "Well, who

running out at every pore. I'm sure there's going to be a party to-night, and I'm sure it's got up for my benefit. I'm going to play so hard-so hard that they'll put me to bed crying! Mr. Heath, bring on your Chinese and let them gambol and frisk. It's my birthday. This isn't the da

come in?" en

est little playmate, to whom

for us. I will now announce to the Little Girl who is Having a Party the

Street," chimed in Kate. "And the Quarte

when Eleanor was present; quite as naturally, she herself took that place when Eleanor was away. Bertram ca

ok-hanged 159 if I can just tell

on the street-the little, golden babies. Why haven't they a legend about those babies? Mr. Heath, do you know Chinese

veloped so suddenly, seemed quite to dim the radiance of his own personality. He fell into a quiet which lasted far into the evening. She, on her side, moved like o

an tenement. Eleanor, dancing around the cor

I'm ten years old going onto eleven, and I never yet saw a real ogre. Come on-w

wine-house, peeped over a board

across to an old stone wall which held its half-acre of earth suspended over the hill-fall. Mark skipped with her;

e you see him! Good, Kind ogre, you don't

ssy set of teeth?" rejoined Mark Heath. "Be good,

eautiful 161 to eat!" Eleanor was danc

l in with Mark Heath, and as

what's got

ld rather say she'd got

Kate, drawing ou

ep blues, reds and golds that glimmered in the gas-lights. Banded combs in jade and gold held their smooth, glossy black hair; their slender hands, peeping from their sleeves, shone with rings. The fo

d in his knowledge of "the inside,"

his daughter of his for wife to a merchant in Portland. She had her own ideas-she eloped with the second tragedian from the theatre over there. Hom Kip put detectives on t

wn, I order that he shall do not

achinery in motion that will free the be

bro

ne of those dull persons who alw

therwise. The actor has probably abandoned his art, which gives him undesirable publicity. And some day, if

about the corner into Dupont, her little handke

him? Faithful Grand Vizier, don't tell me sad fact

ake much difference to father-or to

t one might hold in his palm, blazed everywhere, making strange combinations, incredible shades, in the flaring Chinese signs, the bright dresses of the women. The sidewalks quivered with life-soberly dressed coolies, making green back

it all in; then she add

aluable publication, that their dem

carrying a tray of pink paper shoes like valentines. "That's the symbol of this festival-the goddess lost her shoe before she died. How mu

ink trifle to the

related thoughts and fancies which were coursing in such swarms through her mind, that Bertram Ch

ecome me?"

ing beco

ything about my s

n that five-toned scale Whose combinations suggest always the mystery of the East. About that corner swept the procession of the Good Lady, priests befo

-bed on a landslide

out his left cuff and took

ory-anything more up y

hinking up clever things to say," Ka

rice and sweetmeats, a slice of roast pig, a Chinese lily. As the banners approached, certain devout coolies found room on the sidewalk to prostrate themselves. Eleanor, absor

Chink grovel," spoke the

urn on him, he was add

hinese, if he understood, paid no more attention than he paid to the lamp post i

g, Eleanor became somewhat lik

us ceremony, isn't it-a

lot to do with this religion. Maybe that fellow on the pavement was praying that he'd have a chance to murder his dearest enemy, and maybe he was applying for luck in a lottery. Empress of Chinatown, up yon frazzled flight of stairs lurks the New York Daytime Lottery. T

inclination to g

displayed amid the cone-sticks and New Years nuts of a sweetmeat stand, was bright blue. Mark hu

yer store, emporium for red candles, "devil-go-ways," punks, votive tassels, and all other Chinese devices to win favor of the gods and surcease from demons; they explored the cavernous underground dwellings beneath the Jackson Street Theatre; they climbed a narrow, reeking passage to marvel at the revel of color and riot of strange scent which was the big joss house. Bertra

ng of them, like a necklace, across 169 her bodice. Yet had the illumination gone a little out

use stairs she lagged behind;

aw you so bright and chipper as we were a

ce, "are the actors allowed in the joss hous

ve punks to the great high god, Kat

e to sit down?" she a

e? Tea store below, fantan next floor, restaurant top side all the way t

Chinese garlic; through the cloud they could see cooks working mightily over their brass pots. Every compartment of the big dining hall upstairs held its prepared table; waiters in new-starched white coats were setting forth a thousand toy devices in porcelain. Though the Chinese feasting had not yet commenced, it was

ile!" said Bertram

owed that he caught this in all its force. But he went gravely on, setting ou

e, crops is ripe!

first word came short, sharp and pe

ate, an outside party to this passage, smile

gs on that screen-come

or stood alone with t

m. Eleanor glanced at Kate, who stood

alcony?" She stepped thro

the city at their feet, neith

I suppose?" began B

ecessa

ght his hand down on

a damn-that's the trouble wit

tle away from him

anyone is

n Tulare-" His voice fell away as though he recogniz

am sorry I said what I did. It was an impulse. We

d by a new emotion. When he spoke, his voice was low and rather

down! That's the trouble with you.

ut he was going on, t

e ever I saw you. You've kept away ever since. You don't think I'm as good as you-and I'm not. But it's aggravating-it's damned aggravat

ight you have to say

he moment, heard his inevitable reply before he opened his mouth to the swift-flashin

ever since I saw you down at the Judge's ranch, only I didn't know

toward her. That outer self of Eleanor's, reigning as always over her conscious self, commenting, criticising, seeing-that oute

she cried, "p

, the adult counterpart to a

, "and now I've laid myself

noticed the shift to his familiar name-"I'm afrai

considering a whol

u have," he resp

you in me. And oh, there have been moments when I thought I could." She stopped as though appalled by

s as though she felt the physical tingle of bay l

windows came the cheery

ed, ladies a

esently!" called Bertr

t keep me hanging by the t

strong emotion touched her voice-"Don't think I am coquetting with you-don't believe that it i

sweet inscrutability, they faced the quick, perceiving glance of Kate

herself on the

before we go," she cried. "I never

, "it all depends