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as though it were a coronet； and placed it between them on his
table。
〃Philip；〃 she stammered； with the tears in her voice and eyes；
〃if you will let meI have come to stay。〃
The table was no longer between them。 He caught her in his arms
and kissed her face and her uncovered head again and again。 From
outside the rain beat drearily and the fog rolled through the
street； but inside before the fire the two young people sat close
together； asking eager questions or sitting in silence； staring
at the flames with wondering； happy eyes。
The Lion and the Unicorn saw them only once again。 It was a
month later when they stopped in front of the shop in a four…
wheeler； with their baggage mixed on top of it； and steamer…
labels pasted over every trunk。
〃And； oh； Prentiss！〃 Carroll called from the cab…window。 〃I came
near forgetting。 I promised to gild the Lion and the Unicorn
if I won out in London。 So have it done； please； and send the
bill to me。 For I've won out all right。〃 And then he shut the
door of the cab； and they drove away forever。
〃Nice gal； that；〃 growled the Lion。 〃I always liked her。 I am
glad they've settled it at last。〃
The Unicorn sighed； sentimentally。 〃The other one's worth two of
her；〃 he said。
ON THE FEVER SHIP
There were four rails around the ship's sides； the three lower
ones of iron and the one on top of wood； and as he looked between
them from the canvas cot he recognized them as the prison…bars
which held him in。 Outside his prison lay a stretch of blinding
blue water which ended in a line of breakers and a yellow coast
with ragged palms。 Beyond that again rose a range of mountain…
peaks； and； stuck upon the loftiest peak of all； a tiny block…
house。 It rested on the brow of the mountain against the naked
sky as impudently as a cracker…box set upon the dome of a great
cathedral。
As the transport rode on her anchor…chains； the iron bars around
her sides rose and sank and divided the landscape with parallel
lines。 From his cot the officer followed this phenomenon with
severe； painstaking interest。 Sometimes the wooden rail swept up
to the very block…house itself； and for a second of time
blotted it from sight。 And again it sank to the level of the
line of breakers； and wiped them out of the picture as though
they were a line of chalk。
The soldier on the cot promised himself that the next swell of
the sea would send the lowest rail climbing to the very top of
the palm…trees or； even higher； to the base of the mountains； and
when it failed to reach even the palm…trees he felt a distinct
sense of ill use； of having been wronged by some one。 There was
no other reason for submitting to this existence； save these
tricks upon the wearisome； glaring landscape； and； now； whoever
it was who was working them did not seem to be making this effort
to entertain him with any heartiness。
It was most cruel。 Indeed； he decided hotly； it was not to be
endured； he would bear it no longer； he would make his escape。
But he knew that this move； which could be conceived in a
moment's desperation； could only be carried to success with great
strategy； secrecy； and careful cunning。 So he fell back upon his
pillow and closed his eyes； as though he were asleep； and
then opening them again； turned cautiously； and spied upon his
keeper。 As usual； his keeper sat at the foot of the cot turning
the pages of a huge paper filled with pictures of the war printed
in daubs of tawdry colors。 His keeper was a hard…faced boy
without human pity or consideration； a very devil of obstinacy
and fiendish cruelty。 To make it worse； the fiend was a person
without a collar； in a suit of soiled khaki； with a curious red
cross bound by a safety…pin to his left arm。 He was intent upon
the paper in his hands； he was holding it between his eyes and
his prisoner。 His vigilance had relaxed； and the moment seemed
propitious。 With a sudden plunge of arms and legs； the prisoner
swept the bed sheet from him； and sprang at the wooden rail and
grasped the iron stanchion beside it。 He had his knee pressed
against the top bar and his bare toes on the iron rail beneath
it。 Below him the blue water waited for him。 It was cool and
dark and gentle and deep。 It would certainly put out the fire in
his bones； he thought； it might even shut out the glare of the
sun which scorched his eyeballs。
But as he balanced for the leap； a swift weakness and nausea
swept over him； a weight seized upon his body and limbs。 He
could not lift the lower foot from the iron rail； and he swayed
dizzily and trembled。 He trembled。 He who had raced his men and
beaten them up the hot hill to the trenches of San Juan。 But now
he was a baby in the hands of a giant； who caught him by the
wrist and with an iron arm clasped him around his waist and
pulled him down； and shouted； brutally； 〃Help； some of you'se；
quick； he's at it again。 I can't hold him。〃
More giants grasped him by the arms and by the legs。 One of them
took the hand that clung to the stanchion in both of his； and
pulled back the fingers one by one； saying； 〃Easy now；
Lieutenanteasy。〃
The ragged palms and the sea and block…house were swallowed up in
a black fog； and his body touched the canvas cot again with a
sense of home…coming and relief and rest。 He wondered how he
could have cared to escape from it。 He found it so good to be
back again that for a long time he wept quite happily； until the
fiery pillow was moist and cool。
The world outside of the iron bars was like a scene in a theatre
set for some great event； but the actors were never ready。 He
remembered confusedly a play he had once witnessed before that
same scene。 Indeed； he believed he had played some small part in
it； but he remembered it dimly； and all trace of the men who had
appeared with him in it was gone。 He had reasoned it out that
they were up there behind the range of mountains； because great
heavy wagons and ambulances and cannon were emptied from the
ships at the wharf above and were drawn away in long lines behind
the ragged palms； moving always toward the passes between the
peaks。 At times he was disturbed by the thought that he should
be up and after them； that some tradition of duty made his
presence with them imperative。 There was much to be done back of
the mountains。 Some event of momentous import was being carried
forward there； in which he held a part； but the doubt soon passed
from him； and he was content to lie and watch the iron bars
rising and falling between the block…house and the white
surf。
If they had been only humanely kind； his lot would have been
bearable； but they starved him and held him down when he wished
to rise； and they would not put out the fire in the pillow； which
they might easily have done by the simple expedient of throwing
it over the ship's side into the sea。 He himself had done this
twice； but the keeper had immediately brought a fresh pillow
already heated for the torture and forced it under his head。
His pleasures were very simple； and so few that he could not
understand why they robbed him of them so jealously。 One was to
watch a green cluster of bananas that hung above him from the
awning twirling on a string。 He could count as many of them as
five before the bunch turned and swung lazily back again； when he
could count as high as twelve； sometimes when the ship rolled
heavily he could count to twenty。 It was a most fascinating
game； and contented him for many hours。 But when they found this
out they sent for the cook to come and cut them down； and the
cook carried them away to his galley。
Then； one day； a man came out from the shore； swimming through
the blue water with great splashes。 He was a most charming man；
who spluttered and dove and twisted and lay on his back and
kicked his legs in an excess of content and delight。 It was a
real pleasure to watch him； not for days had anything so amusing
appeared on the other side of the prison…bars。 But as soon as
the keeper saw that the man in the water was amusing his
prisoner； he leaned over the ship's side and shouted； 〃Sa…ay；
you； don't you know there's sharks in there？〃
And the swimming man said； 〃The hll there is！〃 and raced back
to the shore like a porpoise with great lashing of the water； and
ran up the beach half…way to the palms before he was satisfied to
stop。 Then the prisoner wept again。 It was so disappointing。
Life was robbed of everything now。 He remembered that in a
previous existence soldiers who cried were laughed at and mocked。
But that was so far away and it was such an absurd superstition
that he had no patience with it。 For what could be more
comforting to a man when he is treated cruelly than to cry。
It was so obvious an exercise； and when one is so feeble that one
cannot vault a four…railed barrier it is something to feel that
at least one is strong enough to cry。
He escaped occasionally； traversing space with marvellous
rapidity and to great distances； but never to any successful
purpose； and his flight inevitably ended in ignominious recapture
and a sudden awakening in bed。 At these moments the familiar and
hated palm