ane Ames has been talking to me that way lately," said Pen, her eyes
full of tears. "But you nor she never really had your dreams destroyed
as I have." She paused and went on as if half to herself: "And yet
nothing has come into my life so revivifying and wholesome as Oscar and
Jane's finding each other after all these years. Perhaps there is
something in marriage I don't know. Jane says there is. But--Oh, I am so
tired!"

Jim moved round to Uncle Denny's side. "It's good of Uncle Denny to
plead for me, isn't it, Penny? But you are in no state now to listen to
him or me, either. Go back to mother, and don't work, but play. You've
forgotten how to play. I remember that long ago when Uncle Denny wanted
mother to marry him he told her that marrying him would give me my
chance to play, that I couldn't come to my full strength without play.
Grown-ups need play, too, little Pen. Go back for a while and rest and
take up your tennis again and go to Coney Island with mother. Go and
play, Penny. And some day I'll come back and play with you."

Pen gave a little sigh. Suddenly her tense nerves relaxed and she
settled back in her chair with a little color in her cheeks.

Uncle Denny cleared his throat. "Tell Mrs. Flynn to fetch her some tea
and toast, me boy. Then she must go to bed for a few hours."

The automobile, with Henderson at the wheel, was at the door before
dawn. Jim had sent poor Sara on before midnight. Uncle Denny put Pen
and Jim into the tonneau, then climbed up beside Henderson and the
machine shot swiftly out on the great road.

Pen did not speak for some time and Jim did not disturb her. She looked
back at the Elephant as long as she could discern the great meditative
form in the starlight. Then, after they had gotten into the hills and
were winging like night birds up the mountain road, Jim felt a cold
little hand slip into his lean, warm paw.

Jim's heart gave a thud. He leaned forward to look into Pen's face. It
was dim in the starlight, but he saw that she smiled slightly. Jim
leaned back, feeling as if he could overturn worlds with this thrill in
his veins.

The great road curled like a hair among the dim black mountain tops. The
machine flew lightly. Uncle Denny and Henderson talked quietly, and at
last, under cover of their speech and the whirr of the engine, Pen began
to talk softly to Jim.

"I am hoping that in the years to come I can remember Sara as a college
boy, so full of life and ambition!