n....
Luzon and pack-train memories were dim in his mind. He did not forget
that he had won his first name in that field, but he did forget for a
time the wonderful night-talks. A multitude of impressions since, had
disordered these delicate and formative hours. Only now, in his
slow-rousing heart he felt a restlessness, a breath of certain lost
delights.
It was a sappy May day. The spring had been late--held long in wet and
frosty fingers--and here was the first flood of moist warmth to stir
the Northern year into creation. Cairns was better after a brisk walk.
Housed for long, unprofitable hours, everything had looked slaty at
first.
"Where are you staying, Andrew?"
"_Marigold_."
"Why do you live 'way down there? That's a part of town for business
hours only. The heart of things has been derricked up here."
"I'm very sure of a welcome there," Bedient explained. "My old friend
Captain Carreras had Room 50, from time to time for so many years, that
I fell into it with his other properties. Besides, all the pirates,
island kings and prosperous world-tramps call at the _Marigold._ And
then, they say--the best dinner----"
"That's a tradition of the Forty-niners----"
"I have no particular reason for staying down there, even if I keep the
room. I'll do that for the Captain's sake.... I'm not averse to
breezing around up-town."
"Ah----" came softly from Cairns.
"I'd like to know some _folks_," Bedient admitted.
Cairns was smiling at him. "You'll have to have a card at my clubs.
There's _Teuton's, Swan's_ and the _Smilax_ down Gramercy way....
Perhaps we'd better stop in at the _Swan's_ for a bite to eat. The idea
is, you can try them all, Andrew, and put up at the one you fit into
best----"
"Exactly," breathed Bedient.
"You won't like the _Smilax_ overmuch," Cairns ventured, "but you may
pass a forenoon there, while I'm at work. Stately old place, with many
paintings and virgin silence. The women artists are going there more
and more----"
"I like paintings," said Bedient.
They walked across _Times Square_ and toward the Avenue, through
Forty-second. Cairns waited for the quiet to ask:
"Andrew, you haven't found Her yet--The Woman?"
"No. Have you?"
"Did--I used to have one, too?"
"Yes."
"Andrew, do you think She's in New York?" Cairns asked.
"It's rather queer about that," Bedient answered. "I was watching a
rain-storm from the porch of the _hacienda_ seven or eight days ago,
w
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