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diff --git a/17108.txt b/17108.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f45bd59 --- /dev/null +++ b/17108.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6209 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The House of the Misty Star, by Fannie Caldwell Macaulay + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The House of the Misty Star + A Romance of Youth and Hope and Love in Old Japan + +Author: Fannie Caldwell Macaulay + +Release Date: November 19, 2005 [EBook #17108] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE OF THE MISTY STAR *** + + + + +Produced by David Garcia, Christine D and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + + + + + + The House + of the Misty Star + +[Illustration: She quickly walked across the burning coal] + + + The House + of the Misty Star + + + A ROMANCE OF YOUTH AND + HOPE AND LOVE IN OLD JAPAN + + + By + + Frances Little + (Fannie Caldwell Macaulay) + + Author of "The Lady of the Decoration," etc. + + + [Illustration] + + + New York + The Century Co. + 1915 + + + Copyright, 1915, by + THE CENTURY CO. + + Copyright, 1914, 1915, by + THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY + + _Published, April, 1915_ + + + + + + TO A FAITHFUL FRIEND + NUI SHIOME + OF + TOKIO. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER PAGE + +I ENTER JANE GRAY 3 +II KISHIMOTO SAN CALLS 16 +III ZURA 32 +IV JANE GRAY BRINGS HOME A MAN 55 +V A CALL AND AN INVITATION 70 +VI ZURA WINGATE'S VISIT 85 +VII AN INTERRUPTED DINNER 95 +VIII MR. CHALMERS SEES THE GARDEN AND HEARS THE TRUTH 108 +IX JANE HOPES; KISHIMOTO DESPAIRS 125 +X ZURA GOES TO THE FESTIVAL 138 +XI A BROKEN SHRINE 147 +XII A DREAM COMES TRUE 158 +XIII A THANKSGIVING DINNER 174 +XIV WHAT THE SETTING SUN REVEALED 190 +XV PINKEY CHALMERS CALLS AGAIN 203 +XVI ENTER KOBU, THE DETECTIVE 218 +XVII A VISIT TO THE KENCHO 235 +XVIII A VISITOR FROM AMERICA 243 +XIX "THE END OF THE PERFECT DAY" 260 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +She quickly walked across the burning coal _Frontispiece_ + + PAGE +Through the sinister shadows of Flying Sparrow Street 13 + +Zura Wingate advanced to my lowly seat on the floor, and +listlessly put out one hand to greet me 39 + +The bowing, bending, and indrawing of breath 75 + +Page started forward. A sound stopped him 113 + +"God in Heaven. How can I tell her!" 187 + +"Oh, God! A thief! It's over!" 245 + +Oh! boy, boy, I thought I'd lost you 263 + + + + + The House + of the Misty Star + + [Illustration] + + + + + The House + of the Misty Star + + + + +I + +ENTER JANE GRAY + + +It must have been the name that made me take that little house on the +hilltop. It was mostly view, but the title--supplemented by the very low +rent--suggested the first line of a beautiful poem. + +Nobody knows who began the custom or when, but for unknown years a +night-light had been kept burning in a battered old bronze lantern swung +just over my front door. Through the early morning mists the low white +building itself seemed made of dreams; but the tiny flame, slipping +beyond the low curving eaves, shone far at sea and by its light the +Japanese sailors, coming around the rocky Tongue of Dragons point in +their old junks, steered for home and rest. To them it was a welcome +beacon. They called the place "The House of the Misty Star." + +In it for thirty years I have toiled and taught and dreamed. From it I +have watched the ships of mighty nations pass--some on errands of peace; +some to change the map of the world. Through its casements I have seen +God's glory in the sunsets and the tenderness of His love in the dawns. +The pink hills of the spring and the crimson of the autumn have come and +gone, and through the carved portals that mark the entrance to my home +have drifted the flotsam and jetsam of the world. They have come for +shelter, for food, for curiosity and sometimes because they must, till I +have earned my title clear as step-mother-in-law to half the waifs and +strays of the Orient. + +Once it was a Chinese general, seeking safety from a mob. Then it was a +fierce-looking Russian suspected as a spy and, when searched, found to +be a frightened girl, seeking her sweetheart among the prisoners of war. +The high, the low, the meek, and the impertinent, lost babies, begging +pilgrims and tailless cats--all sooner or later have found their way +through my gates and out again, barely touching the outer edges of my +home life. But things never really began to happen to me, I mean things +that actually counted, until Jane Gray came. After that it looked as if +they were never going to stop. + +You see I'd lived about fifty-eight years of solid monotony, broken only +by the novelty of coming to Japan as a school teacher thirty years +before and, although my soul yearned for the chance to indulge in the +frills of romance, opportunity to do so was about the only thing that +failed to knock at my door. From the time I heard the name of Ursula +Priscilla Jenkins and knew it belonged to me, I can recall but one +beautiful memory of my childhood. It is the face of my mother in its +frame of poke bonnet and pink roses, as she leaned over to kiss me +good-by. I never saw her again, nor my father. Yellow fever laid heavy +tribute upon our southern United States. I was the only one left in the +big house on the plantation, and my old black nurse was the sole +survivor in the servants' quarters. She took me to an orphan asylum in a +straggly little southern town where everything from river banks to +complexions was mud color. + +Bareness and spareness were the rule, and when the tall, bony, woman +manager stood near the yellow-brown partition, it took keen eyes to tell +just where her face left off and the plaster began. She did not believe +in education. But I was born with ideas of my own and a goodly share of +ambition. I learned to read by secretly borrowing from the wharf master +a newspaper or an occasional magazine which sometimes strayed off a +river packet. Then I paid for a four years' course at a neighboring +semi-college by working and by serving the other students. I did +everything--from polishing their shoes to studying their lessons for +them; it earned me many a penny and a varied knowledge of human nature. +But nothing ever happened to me as it did to the other girls. I never +had a holiday; I was never sick; I never went to a circus; and I never +even had a proposal. + +One night I went to church and heard a missionary from Japan speak. My +goodness! how that man could say words! His appeal for workers to go to +the Flowery Kingdom was as convincing as the hump on his nose, as +irresistible as the fire in his eyes. The combination ended in my coming +as a teacher to the eager Nipponese, who were all athirst for English. +Japan I knew was a country all by itself, and not a slice off of China; +that it raised rice, kimonos and heathen. Otherwise it was only a place +on the map. Whatever the new country might hold, at least, I thought, +it would open a door that would lead me far away from the drab world in +which I lived. + +My appointment led me to the little city of Hijiyama, overlooking the +magical Inland Sea. It is swung in the cleft of a mountain like a +clustered jewel tucked in the folds of a giant velvet robe. It is a +place of crumbling castles and lotus-filled moats. Here progress +hesitated before the defiant breath of the ancient gods. For centuries a +city of content, whispers of greater things finally reached the +listening ears of eager youth, fired ambition, demanded things foreign, +especially the English language, and I came in on this great wave. + +I found near contentment and sober joy in my work and my beautiful old +garden. But deep down in my heart I was waiting, ever waiting, for +something to happen--something big, stirring, and tremendous, something +romantic and poetical; but it never did. Year after year I wore the +groove of my life deeper, but never slipped out of it, and one day was +so like another it was hard to believe that even a night separated them. + +Then without the slightest warning the change came. One day in my mail I +found a letter from a student which read as follows: + + O! Most Respected Teacher. + + How it was our great pleasure to write your noble personage. + When I triumphed to my native home after speaking last lesson + before your honorable face, my knowledge was informed by + rumors of gossip that in most hateful place in city of + Hijiyama was American lady. She wear name of Miss Jaygray. Who + have affliction of kind heart and very bad health. Also she + have white hair and no medicine. Street she live in have also + Japanese gentlemans what kill and steal and even lie. Very bad + for lady who have nice thought for gentlemans, and speak many + words about Christians God. Now not one word can she speak. + Her sicker too great. Your great country say "Unions is strong + and we stand together till divided by falling out." Please + union with lady countryman and also divide. She very tired. I + think little hungry too. + + Yours verily + TAKATA. + + (Some little more.) Go down House of Flying-Sparrow Street and + discover Tube-Rose Lane. There maybe you see policeman. He + whistle his two partner. Hand in hand they show you bad + gentlemens street where lives sick ladys mansion. + +I hastened at once to the succor of my sick countrywoman. The way led +through streets obscure and ill-kept, the inhabitants covertly seeking +shelter as the policemen and I approached. It was a section I knew to +be the rendezvous of outcasts of this and neighboring cities. It was a +place where the bravest officer never went alone. For making a last +stand for the right to their pitiful sordid lives, the criminals herded +together in one desperate band when danger threatened any of the +brotherhood. The very stillness of the streets bespoke hidden iniquity. +Every house presented a closed front. Surely, I thought, ignorance of +conditions could be the only excuse for any woman of any creed choosing +to live in such surroundings as these. + +In the cleanest of the hovels I found Miss Gray, her middle-aged figure +shrunken to the proportions of a child. There was no difficulty in +finding the cause of her illness. She was half-starved. Her reason for +being in that section was as senseless as it was mistaken, except to one +whose heart had been fired by a passion for saving souls. After being +revived by a stimulant from my emergency kit, she told me her name, +which I already knew, that she was an American and her calling that of a +missionary. I thought I knew every type of the profession and I was +proud to call many of them my friends, but Miss Gray was an original +model, peculiar in quality and indefinite in pattern. + +"Does your Mission Board give you permission to live in a place or +fashion like this?" I asked sternly. + +"Haven't any Board," she answered weakly. "I'm an Independent." + +"Independent what?" I demanded. + +"Independent Daughter of Hope." + +Her appearance was a libel on any variety of independence and a joke on +hope, but I waited for the rest of the story. + +She said that the Order to which she belonged was not large. She was one +of a small band of women bound by a solemn oath to go where they could +and seek to help and uplift fallen humanity by living the life of the +native poor. She had chosen Japan because it was "so pretty and +poetical." She had worked her way across the Pacific as stewardess on a +large steamer, and had landed in Hijiyama a few months before with +enough cash to keep a canary bird in delicate health for a month. Her +enthusiasm was high, her zeal blazed. If only her faith were strong +enough to stand the test, her need for food and clothing would be +supplied from somewhere. "Now," she moaned, "something has happened. +Maybe my want of absolute trust brought me to it. I'm sick and hungry +and I've failed. Oh! I wanted to help these sweet people; I wanted to +save their dear souls." + +I was skeptical as to this special brand of philanthropy, but I was +touched by the grief of her disappointed hopes. I knew the particular +sting. At the same time my hand twitched to shake her for going into +this thing in so impractical a way. Teaching and preaching in a foreign +land may include romance, but I've yet to hear where the most +enthusiastic or fanatical found nourishment or inspiration on a diet of +visions pure and simple. While there must be something worth while in a +woman who could starve for her belief, yet in the eyes of the one before +me was the look of a trusting child who would never know the practical +side of life any more than she would believe in its ugliness. It was not +faith she needed. It was a guardian. + +"Maybe I had better die," she wailed. "Dead missionaries are far too few +to prove the glory of the cause." + +I suggested that live ones could glorify far more than dead ones, and +told her that I was going to take her home with me and put strength into +her body and a little judgment into her head, if I could. + +She broke out again. "Oh, I cannot go! I must stay here! If work is +denied me, maybe it is my part to starve and prove my faith by selling +my soul for the highest price." + +Although I was to learn that this was a favorite expression of Miss +Gray's, the meaning of which she never made quite clear to me, that day +it sounded like the melancholy mutterings of hunger. For scattering +vapors of pessimism, and stirring up symptoms of hope, I'd pin my faith +to a bowl of thick hot soup before I would a book full of sermons. + +Without further argument I called to some coolies to come with a "kago," +a kind of lie-down-sit-up basket swung from a pole, and in it we laid +the weak, protesting woman. + +The men lifted it to their shoulders and the little procession, guarded +fore and aft by a policeman, moved through the sinister shadows of +Flying Sparrow street to the clearer heights of "The House of the Misty +Star." + +Long training had strengthened, and association had verified my +unshakable belief that the most essential quality of the very high +calling of a missionary, is an unlimited supply of consecrated +commonsense. So far, not a vestige of it had I discovered in the devotee +I was taking to my home, but Jane Gray was as full of surprises as +she was of sentiment. + +[Illustration: Through the sinister shadows of Flying Sparrow Street] + +She not only stayed in my house, but with her coming the spell of +changeless days was broken. It was as if her thin hand held the charm by +which my door of opportunity was flung wide, and through it I saw my +garden of dreams bursting into flower. + + + + +II + +KISHIMOTO SAN CALLS + + +I had always been dead set against taking a companion permanently into +my home. For one reason I heeded the warning of the man who made the +Japanese language. To denote "peace" he drew a picture of a roof with a +woman under it. Evidently being a gentleman of experience, he expressed +the word "trouble" by adding another person of the same sex to the +picture without changing the size of the roof. + +Then, too, there was my cash account to settle with. Ever since I'd been +drawing a salary from the National Education Board of Missions, I felt +like apologizing to the few feeble figures that stared accusingly at me +from my small ledger, for the demands I made upon them for charity, for +sickness, and for entertainment of all who knocked at my door. + +My classes were always crowded, but there were times when the purses of +my students were more lean than their bodies. Frequently such an one +looked at me and said, "Moneys have all flewed away from my pockets. +Only have vast consuming fire for learning." It being against my +principle to see anybody consumed while I had a rin, there was nothing +to do but make up to the Board what I had failed to collect. + +These circumstances caused me to hesitate risking the peace of my +household, or putting one more responsibility on my purse. + +Then sweet potatoes decided me. It was a matter of history that famine, +neither wide-spread nor local, ever gained a foothold where "Satsuma +Emo" flourished. This year they were fatter and cheaper than ever +before. I knew dozens of ways to fix them, natural and disguised; so I +bought an extra supply and made up my mind to keep Jane Gray. + +The little missionary thrived in her new environment as would a drooping +plant freshly potted. As she grew stronger, she hinted at trying once +again to live in her old quarters, that she might fast and work and pray +for her sinners. I promptly suppressed any plans in that direction. + +After all, I had been a lonelier woman than I realized, and Jane was +like a kitten with a bell around its neck--one grows used to its +playing about the house and misses it when gone. She also resembled a +fixed star in her belief that she had been divinely appointed to carry a +message of hope to the vilest of earth, and I felt that the same power +had charged me with the responsibility of impressing her with a measure +of commonsense. + +So we compromised for a while at least. She would stay with me, and I +would not interfere with her work in the crime section, nor give way to +remarks on the subject. + +I was sure the conditions in the Quarter would prove impossible, but as +some people cannot be convinced unless permitted to draw their own +diagram of failure, it was best for her to try when she was able to make +the effort. + +The making of an extra room in a Japanese house is only a matter of +shifting a paper screen or so into a ready-made groove. It took me some +time to decide whether I should screen off Jane in the corner that +commanded a full view of the wonderful sea, or at the end where by +sliding open the paper doors she could step at once into the fairy land +of my garden. + +Jane decided it herself. I discovered her stretched in an old +wheel-chair before the open doors, looking into the sun-flooded +greenery of the garden, and heard her softly repeating, + + "Fair as plumes of dreams + In a land + Where only dreams come true, + And flutes of memory waken + Longings forgotten." + +Any one who felt that way about my garden had a right to live close to +it. + +In half an hour Jane was established. My enthusiasm waned a bit the next +day when I found all the pigeons in the neighborhood fluttering about +the open door, fearlessly perching on the invalid's lap and shoulders +while she fed them high-priced rice and dainty bits of dearly-bought +chicken. + +I dispersed the pigeons with a flap of my apron and with forced mildness +protested. "I'm obliged to ask you to be less generous. The price of +rice is higher than those pigeons can fly and, as for chicken, it's +about ten sen a feather. There's abundant food for you; but we cannot +afford to feed all the fowls of the air." + +"Oh! dear Miss Jenkins, I couldn't drive them away. The cunning things! +Every coo they uttered sounded like a love word." + +I hoped it was the patient's physical weakness, and not a part of her +nature. + +I could not possibly survive a steady diet of emotion so tender that it +bubbled over at the flutter of a pigeon's wing. + +I'd brought it on myself, however, and I was determined to share my home +and my life with Jane Gray. Sentimental and visionary as she was, with +the funny little twist in her tongue, the poor excuse of a body seemed +the last place power of any kind would choose for a habitation. I was +not disposed to attribute the supernatural to my companion, but from the +day of her arrival unusual events popped up to speak for themselves. + +A nearby volcano, asleep for half a century, blew off its cap, covering +land and sea with ashes and fiery lava. All my pink roses bloomed weeks +earlier than they had any business to, and for the first time in years +my old gardener got drunk. Between dashes of cold water on his head he +tearfully wailed my unexpressed sentiments, in part: + +"Too many damfooly things happen all same time. Evil spirit get loose. +Sake help me fight. Me nice boy. Me ve'y good boy but I no like foreign +devil what is." + +Then one day, about a month after my family had been enlarged, I had +just wheeled my newly acquired responsibility out in the garden to sun +when Kishimoto San called. He often came for consultation. While his +chief interest in life was to keep Hijiyama strictly Japanese and +rigidly Buddhist, he was also superintendent of schools for his district +and educational matters gave us a common interest. However, the late +afternoon was an unusual hour for him to appear and one glance at his +face showed trouble of a personal nature had drawn heavy lines in his +mask of calmness. I had known Kishimoto San for twenty years. Part of +him I could read like a primer; the other part was a sealed volume to +which I doubt if even Buddha had the key. Sometimes when he was calling +I wished Gabriel would appear in my doorway and announce the end of the +world to see, if without omitting a syllable, Kishimoto would keep on to +the end of the last phrase in the greeting prescribed for the occasion. + +The ceremony off his mind, he sat silent, unresponsive to the openings I +tried to make for a beginning. Not till I had exhausted small talk of +current events and asked after his family in particular instead of his +ancestors in general, did his tongue loosen. + +Then the floodgates of his pent-up emotion opened and forth poured a +torrent of anger, disappointment, and outraged pride. I had never before +seen a man so shaken, but then I hadn't seen many, much less one with +the red blood of Daimyos in his veins. He was a man whose soul dwelt in +the innermost place of a citadel built of ancient beliefs and +traditions. + +Out of the unchecked flood of denunciation, I learned that he held +Christianity responsible for his woes. I, as a believer and an American, +must hear what he thought; as his friend I must advise him if I could. + +In the twenty years that I had known the school superintendent, he had +always been reserved regarding his personal and family life. To me his +home was a vague, blurred background in which possible members of his +family moved. He surprised me this day by referring in detail to the +bitter grief which had come to him in years gone by through his only +child. + +I had heard the story outside, but not even remotely had Kishimoto San +ever before hinted that he possessed a child. I knew his need for help +must be imperative, that the wound was torn afresh, else he was too good +a Buddhist to make "heavy the ears of a friend" with a recital of his +own sorrows. + +He said he had been most ambitious for his daughter. Years ago he had +sent her to Yokohama to study English and music. While there the girl +lived with his sister who had absorbed many new ideas regarding liberty +for women. Once he was absent from Japan and without his knowledge the +girl married an American artist, Harold Wingate by name, and went with +him to his country to live. + +Kishimoto San had not seen her since her marriage until lately. He had +honorably prayed that he never would. Some weeks before she had returned +to Hijiyama practically penniless, which was bad, and a widow, which +made it very difficult to marry her off again; but worse still was the +half-breed child she had brought with her, a daughter of about +seventeen. This girl, whose name was Zura, I soon found was the sore +spot in Kishimoto San's grievance, the center around which his storm of +trouble brewed. + +It was like pouring oil on flames when I asked particularly about the +girl. + +Though he could speak English that was quite understandable, he broke +loose in Japanese hardly translatable. "She is a wild, untamed +barbarian. She has neither manners nor modesty, and not only dares +openly to scorn the customs of my country and religion, but defies my +commands, my authority." + +Knowing him as I did, I thought it must indeed be a free, wild spirit to +meet the blow of Kishimoto San's will and not be crushed by the impact. +My interest in the girl increased in proportion to his vehemence. I +ventured to ask for details. They came in a torrent. + +"It is not our custom for young girls to go on the street unattended. I +forbade her going. Deaf to my orders, she strays about the streets alone +and dares to sail her own sampan. She handles it as deftly as a common +fisherman. She goes to out-of-the-way places and there remains till it +suits her impudence to return to my house. In the hours of the night she +disturbs my meditations by sobbing for her home and her father. She +romps on the highways with street children, who follow her as they would +a performing monkey." + +"But surely," I mildly interposed, "it is no great breach of custom to +play with children. Your granddaughter is doubtless lonely and it may +give her pleasure." + +The face of my visitor stiffened. + +"Pleasure!" he repeated. "Does she not know that a woman's only pleasure +is obedience? Is there not enough of my blood in her to make her bow to +the law? Twice she has told me to attend to my own affairs! Told me! Her +ancestor! Her Master!" This last word he always pronounced with a +capital M. + +Kishimoto San was not cruel. Unlike many of his countrymen, who are +educated by modern methods as regarding laws governing women, he was +still an old-time Oriental in the raw. + +It was at this uncomfortable moment that the little maid brought in tea. +I instructed her to serve it on the balcony which overlooked sea and +mountain. The appealing beauty of the scene always soothed me as a +lullaby would a restless child. I hoped as much for my disturbed +visitor. I gave him his second cup of tea, and asked him whether the +mother could not control her daughter. It set him going. + +"Her mother!" he scoffed. "Madam, if her mother had been blest with the +backbone of a jellyfish she would never have married a man whose people +were not her people, whose customs are as far removed from hers as the +East is from the West. My daughter was young. Had she married one of +her own country, all would have been well. Her will would have been +directed by her mother-in-law. She was trained to obedience. See what +the teachings of your country do to our women! In a letter she wrote +telling me she had gone, she thanked me for teaching her the laws of +submission. It helped her to bow to the commands of this man when he +bade her marry him, and she loved him! Love! as if that had anything to +do with marriage. Now comes the result of this accursed union--a +troublesome girl who is neither one thing nor the other, who laughs at +the customs of my country and upsets the peace of my house, who boldly +declares she is an American. She need not herald it. In dress and +manners she wears the marks of her training." + +I offered no comment, but every moment served to deepen my interest in +this girl who could defy a will which had ruled a whole island for half +a century. + +My silence seemed to irritate him. He turned fiercely upon me. + +"Tell me, what kind of girls does America produce? What is your boasted +freedom for women but license? Is their place never taught them? Have +they no understanding of the one great law for women?" + +I had been absent from my country many long years, and while neither the +best nor the worst had come my way, America was my country, her people +my people, and they stood to me for all that was great and honorable and +righteous. The implication of Kishimoto's question annoyed me all the +more, because I knew him to be a keen observer and not hasty in his +conclusions. + +"Softly, Kishimoto San. You answered your own question a few moments +ago. The customs of the two countries are as wide apart as the East is +from the West. Tastes differ in manners as well as religion. If there +are things in America that do not please you, so there are many laws in +Japan that are repugnant to Americans. You are unjust to hold my country +responsible for your woes." + +"But I do hold it responsible. My granddaughter comes of its teaching. I +meditate what kind of religion it is that permits a girl to question her +elder's authority and to defy the greatest of laws, filial piety. What +manner of a country is it where custom grants liberty to a girl that she +may roam the streets and sit in a public garden alone with a man!" + +This last was indeed serious. In my day and in my town it could be done +if the girl were so fortunate as to have something that stood for a male +cousin. But neither then nor now was it permissible in a land of +man-made laws for men. Unless it was between husband and wife, private +conversation, or a promenade just for two branded the participants as +bold, possibly evil. + +I asked for further details. Kishimoto San said the young man was a +minor officer on the steamer by which his granddaughter and her mother +had crossed the Pacific. He thought he was an American. Whenever the +ship coaled in a nearby port, the young chap communicated with the girl +and together they walked and talked. + +The plain facts after all sounded harmless and innocent. What more +natural than for a lonely girl to seek for pastime the company of a +youth of her own kind? But it could not be--not in Japan; though as +innocent as two baby kittens playing on the green, it would bring shame +upon the girl and the family, which no deed of heroism would ever erase +from local history. Something must be done; I asked Kishimoto San how I +could be of assistance. + +"I have been consulting with myself," he replied in English. "Would you +grant me permission to send her to you daily as a student? Besides her +strange ways, she talks in strange English. I cannot find the same in +any conversation book. Her whole being has need of reconstruction." + +I was not in the reconstructing business, but a young girl in the house +meant youth and diversion and a private pupil meant extra pay. What a +little extra money wouldn't do in my house wasn't worth adding up. In +thought I repaired the roof and bought new legs for the kitchen stove. + +My visitor, mistaking my silence for hesitation, suggested, "First come +and see her. Analyze her conduct and grant me decision whether she is a +natural, free-born American citizen, as she boasts, or if the gods have +cursed her with a bold spirit. She is of your country, your religion, if +any, and perhaps you can understand her. I fail to comprehend." + +He folded his arms for emphasis. The gleam of the western sun caught the +sheen of his silk kimono and covered him with a glow. From under bent +brows he gazed at the scene before him. + +Earth and sky and sea breathed beauty. The evening song of the birds was +of love. The spirit of the fading day whispered peace, but unheeding he +sat in troubled silence. Then from the street far below came the shout +of a boy at play. It was a voice full of the gladness of youth. In it +was a challenge of daring and courage. Loudly he called to his troop of +play soldiers to charge splendidly, to fight with the glorious _Yamato +Damashi_ (spirit of Japan). + +Kishimoto San heard and with a quick movement raised his head as though +he had felt a blow. "Ah," he murmured to himself, "if it had only been a +boy!" + +There was the secret wound that was ever sore and bleeding. There was no +son to perpetuate the name. His most vital hope was dead, his greatest +desire crushed, and by a creature out of the West, who not only stole +his daughter but fathered this girl whom no true Japanese would want as +a wife. To a man of Kishimoto San's traditions the hurt was deep and +cruel. + +I well understood his sorrow and disappointment. Pity put all my +annoyance to flight. I promised to go to his house and see if I could +help in any way. I did not tell him that I was about as familiar with +young girls from my home land as I was with young eagles, for the +undaunted spirit of that child had aroused all my love of adventure; +and I wanted to see her. Then, too, I was haunted by the picture of a +lonely girl in a strange land, crying out in the night for her dead +father. + +I was trembling with new emotion that evening when I brought my invalid +in from the garden, and tucked her into bed. + +Kishimoto San had not only offered me a tremendous experience, but all +unwittingly he made it easily possible for me to defy the tradition of +his picture language, and risk Jane Gray as a permanent fireside +companion. + + + + +III + +ZURA + + +Just below "The House of the Misty Star," in an old temple, a priest +played a merry tattoo on a mighty gong early every morning. First one +stroke and a pause, then two strokes and a pause, followed by so many +strokes without pause that the sounds merged into one deep mellow tone +reaching from temple to distant hills. It was, so to speak, the rising +bell for the deities in that district and announced to them the +beginning of their day of business. + +In years gone by the echo of the music had stirred me only to a drowsy +thankfulness that I was no goddess, happy as I turned for a longer +sleep. The morning after Kishimoto San's visit, long before any sound +disturbed the sleeping gods, from my window I watched the Great Dipper +drop behind the crookedest old pine in the garden and heard the story of +the night-wind as it whispered its secret to the leaves. + +Usually my patience was short with people who went mooning around the +house at all hours of the night when they should have been sleeping. +Somehow though, things seemed changed and changing. Coming events were +not casting shadows before them in my home, but thrills. Formerly I had +not even a passing acquaintance with thrills. Now, half a century +behind-time, they were beginning to burst in upon me all at once, as +would a troop of merry friends bent on giving me a surprise party, and +the things they seemed to promise kept me awake half the night. My +restlessness must have penetrated the thin partition of my Japanese +house, for when I went out to breakfast there sat Jane Gray, very small +and pale, but as bright-eyed and perky as a sparrow. It was her first +appearance at the morning meal. + +Before I could ask why she had not rested as usual, she put a question +to me. "Well, what is it?" + +"What's what?" I returned. + +"Why," she exclaimed, "you have been up most of the night. I wanted to +ask if you were ill, but I was counting sheep jumping over the fence, +and it made me so sleepy I mixed you up with them. I hope it isn't the +precious cod-liver babies that are keeping you awake." + +It was at Jane's suggestion that we had eliminated meat from our menu +and established a kind of liquid food station for the ill-nourished +offspring of the quarry women near us. + +I assured Miss Gray that babies had been far from my thoughts. Then I +told her of my interview with Kishimoto San; of how Zura Wingate had +come to her grandfather's house; of her rebellion against things that +were; and that she was to come to me for private study. Had I not been +so excited over the elements of romance in my story, I would have +omitted telling Jane of the incident of the girl and the youth in the +park, for it had a wonderful effect on her. + +Jane's sentiment was like a full molasses pitcher that continues to drip +in spite of all the lickings you give it. At once I saw I was in for an +overflow. It was the only part of the story she took in, and as she +listened, passed into some kind of a spell. She cuddled down into her +chair and shut her eyes like a child in the ecstasies of a fairy story. +She barely breathed enough to say, "The darlings! and in that lovely old +park! I hope it was moonlight. Do you suppose they sat under the +wistaria?" + +Not for a copper mine would I have hinted that through the night there +had come before my mind a picture very like that. Such a picture in the +Orient could only be labeled tragedy; the more quickly it was blotted +out from mind and reality the better for all concerned. I spoke +positively to my companion. + +"Look here, Jane Gray, if it wasn't for breaking a commandment I would +call you foolish with one syllable. Don't you know that in this country +a young man and woman walking and talking together cannot be permitted? +Neither love nor romance is free or permissible, but they are governed +by laws which, if transgressed, will break heart and spirit." + +"So I have heard," cooed Miss Gray, unimpressed by my statements. +"Wouldn't it be sweet, though, for you and me to go about teaching these +dear Japanese people that young love will have its freedom and make a +custom of its own?" + +"Yes, indeed! Wouldn't it be a sweet spectacle to see two middle-aged +women, one fat and one lean, stumping the country on a campaign for +young love--subjects in which we are versed only by hearsay and a stray +novel or so!" I said all this and a little more. + +Jane went on unheeding, "That's it. We must preach love and live it +till we have made convicts of every inhabitant." + +Of course she meant "converts," but the kinks in Miss Gray's tongue were +as startling as the peculiar twists in her religion. + +Upon her asking for more particulars I repeated what Kishimoto San had +told me. The girl's father was an artist by profession and, as nearly as +I could judge, a rover by habit. Of late the family had lived in a +western city. I was not familiar with the name Kishimoto San gave; he +called it "Shaal." + +"Oh," cried my companion, "I know. I lived there once. It's Seattle." + +Occasionally there shot through Jane's mind a real thought, as luminous +as a shaft of light through a jar of honey. I would have never guessed +the name of that city. + +"Then what else happened?" she continued, as eagerly as a young girl +hearing a love story. + +I told her it had not happened yet, and before it did I was going to +call at the house and see the girl as I had promised and settle upon the +hour she was to come for daily lessons. Meantime Jane was to take her +nap, her milk, and her tonic without my standing over her. In her +devotion to her profession she was apt to forget the small details of +eating and resting. + +My craving for things to happen was being fed as fast as a rapid-firing +gun in full action. I found waiting very irksome but there was a cooking +class, a mother's meeting, two sets of composition papers to be +corrected and various household duties that stubbornly refused to adjust +themselves to my limited time. + +At last, however, I was free to go and delayed not a minute in starting +on my visit. + + * * * * * + +Kishimoto's home was lower down in the city than mine and very near the +sea. The house was ancient and honorable. Its air of antiquity was +undisturbed by the great changes which had swept the land in the ages it +had stood. The masters had changed from father to son, but the house was +as it had been in the beginning, and with it lived unbroken and +unshifting, the traditions and beliefs of its founders. + +It was only a matter of a few minutes after passing the lodge gates +until I was ushered into the general living-room and the center of the +family life. + +The master being absent, the ceremony of welcoming to his house a +strange guest was performed by his wife. + +One could see at a glance that she belonged to the old order of things +when the seed of a woman's soul seldom had a chance to sprout. She +performed her duties with the precision of a clock, with the soft alarm +wound to strike at a certain hour, then to be set aside to tick +unobtrusively on till needed again. + +The seat of honor in a Japanese home is a small alcove designated as +"the Tokonoma." In this ancient house simple decorations of a priceless +scroll and a flowering plum graced the recess. Before it on a cushion of +rich brocade I was asked to be seated. + +Etiquette demanded that I hesitate and apologize for my unworthiness as +I bowed low and long. + +Custom insisted that my hostess urge my acceptance as she abased herself +by touching her forehead to her hands folded upon the floor. + +Of course it ended by my occupying the cushion, and I was glad for the +interruption of tea and cake. + +[Illustration: Zura Wingate advanced to my lowly seat on the floor, and +listlessly put out one hand to greet me] + +Then equal in length and formality followed the ceremony of being +introduced to Kishimoto San's mother and widowed daughter, Mrs. Wingate. +The mother, old and withered, was made strong by her power as +mother-in-law and her faith in her country and her gods. The daughter +was weak and negative by reason of no particular faith and no definite +gods. The system by which she had been trained did not include +self-reliance nor foster individuality. Under it many of the country's +daughters grow to beautiful womanhood because of their gift of living +their own inner lives entirely apart, while submitting to the external +one imposed by custom. + +By the same system other women are made the playthings of circumstance +and the soul is ever like a frosted flower bud. + +Years ago a man, attracted by the soft girlishness and touched by the +adoring deference to his sex, bade this girl marry him without the +authority of her father. Nothing had been developed in her to resist +outside conditions. It was an unanswered query, whether it was because +of ignorance or courage, she braved displeasure, and followed the +strange man to a strange country. Sometimes the weakness of Japanese +women is their greatest strength. This woman knew how to obey. In her +way she had learned to love, but her limited capacity for affection was +consumed by wifehood. Having married and borne a child to the man who +required nothing of her, duty in life so far as she saw it was +canceled. Further effort on her part was unnecessary until the time for +her to assert her power as mother-in-law. + +Even the contemplation of that happy state failed to enthuse. Languid +and a bit sad, her hold on life was gone. The blight had come. On her +frail beauty was stamped the sign of the white plague. She greeted me in +very broken English, then left the chief duty of entertaining to the +mother. The stilted conversation was after the prescribed form and my +eagerness to see Zura, whom custom forbade my asking for, was, I dare +say, ill concealed. + +When I first entered, the farther parts of the large room were veiled in +the shadow of the late afternoon. But when Mrs. Kishimoto called, "Zura, +come!" a stream of sunlight, as though waiting for the proper time, +danced into one corner and rested on the figure of a young girl, sitting +awkwardly on her feet, reading. + +Her response to her grandmother's command was none too eager; but as she +came forward the brilliant light revealed in coloring of hair and dress +as many shades of brown as could be found in a pile of autumn leaves. In +the round eyes, deep set in a face sprinkled with freckles, in the +impertinent tilt of the nose, there was no trace of the Orient; but the +high arch of the dark brows betrayed her Japanese origin. + +The girl's costume was more remarkable than the girl herself; it was +like a velvet pillow slip with neither beginning nor end. It was low in +the neck and had no sleeves worth mentioning. How she got into it or out +of it was a problem that distracted me half the night, when I was trying +to plan for her soul's salvation. I could not hide my amazement at her +appearance. She as closely resembled my idea of an American girl as a +cartoon does a miniature; but I had seen so very few girls of my country +since my coming to Japan. I remembered hearing Jane say that the styles +now change there every two or three years. My new skirt, I've had only +five years, has seven pleats and as many more gores. + +Zura Wingate advanced to my lowly seat on the floor and listlessly put +out one hand to greet me. The other she held behind her. It had been +years since I had shaken hands with any one. I was ill at ease, and made +more so by realizing that I did not know what to say to this +self-contained child of my own beloved land. I made a brilliant start, +however. "Howdy. Do you like Japan?" + +The answer came with the sudden energy of a popgun: "No." Then she sat +down close to a hibachi, her back against the wall. + +I went on, determined to be friendly. "I am sure you will find much of +interest here. All the beauties of Japan are not on the surface. The +loveliness of the scenery and the picturesqueness of the people will +appeal to you." + +The phrase was about as new as "Mary had a little lamb," but it was all +I could think to say. My conversational powers seemed off duty. + +The girl scented my confusion and a half-smile crept around her lips. + +"Country's all right," she answered. "But the natives are like punk +imitations of a vaudeville poster; they're the extension of the limit." + +Her words, although English, were as incomprehensible to me as if I had +never heard the language, but her scorn was unmistakable. As if to +emphasize it, the hand she had persistently held behind her was thrust +forward toward the burning coals in the hibachi. Her fingers held a half +burnt cigarette. This she lighted, and without embarrassment or +enjoyment began to smoke. + +An American girl smoking! I was shocked, but I held tight. + +"Do you smoke much?" I asked, for the want of something better to say. + +"Never smoked before. But my august, heaven-born grandfather, who to my +mind is descended direct from the devil, wishes me to adopt the customs +of his country. Thought I'd start with this." + +"But," I reminded her, "it is not the custom in this country for young +girls to smoke." + +"Oh, isn't it?"--indifferently--"it doesn't matter. Had to begin on +something or--die." + +The spasm of pain which swept the girl's face stirred within me a memory +long forgotten. + +Once, when my own starved youth had wearied and clamored anew for an +outlet, I had determined on a reckless adventure. From corn-shucks and +dried grass I made a cigar which I tried to smoke. It gave me the most +miserable penitent hour I have ever known. The picture of the child of +long ago hiding in the corn crib until recovery was possible caused me +now to shake with laughter. + +The fire in Zura's eyes began to burn. "Think it's funny? I don't. Have +one." She flung a package of cigarettes in my lap. + +Ignoring the impertinence of her speech and act I hastened to explain +the cause of my amusement. I told her of my desolate childhood, of the +quiet village in which my uneventful girlhood was passed, where the +most exciting thing that ever happened was a funeral about once in four +years. + +When I finished she showed the first signs of friendliness as she +exclaimed, "Heavens! Didn't you have any 'movies,' any chums, any boys +to treat you now and then to a sundae?" + +Kishimoto San certainly stated a fact. Her English was strange. I was +sure the words were not in my dictionary. But I would not appear stupid +before this child who had no business to know more than I did. So I +looked a little stern and said that my Sundays never seemed a treat; +they were no different from week-days. If the other things she talked +about were in a circus, I had never been to one to hear them. + +At this such a peal of laughter went up from the girl as I dare say at +no time had ever played about the ancient beams. The maid, just entering +with hot tea, stood as if stunned. The old grandmother sat like a statue +of age with hand uplifted, protesting against any expression of youth +and its joys. + +Mrs. Wingate pushed aside the paper doors, gently chiding, "Zura, yo' +naughty ve'y bad." + +But the reproof was as meaningless as the babbling of a baby. Neither +disapproval nor black looks availed; unchecked the merriment went on +until exhausted by its own violence. I knew she was laughing at me, but +what mattered? To her I was a comical old figure in a strange museum. To +me she stood for all I had lost of girlhood rights and I wanted her for +my friend. Her laughter went through me like a draft of wine. The echo +swept a long silent chord, and the tune it played was the jig-time of +youth. + +When Zura caught her breath and explained the meaning of her words, it +disclosed to me a phase of life of which I had never dreamed. Pictures +that moved and talked while you looked, public halls for dancing, and +boys meeting young girls alone after dark to "treat" them! The child +spoke of it all easily and as a matter of course. I knew more than I +wanted of the dark side of Oriental life, but I had been so long +accustomed to idealizing my own country and all its ways that her talk +was to me like an unkind story about a dear friend. + +But happy to find a listener who was interested in things familiar to +her--Zura chattered away, of her friends and her pleasures, and though +many of her words were in an unknown tongue, the picture she +unconsciously drew of herself was as clear as transparency. It was an +unguided, undisciplined life, big with possibilities for love or hate +that even now was wavering in the balance for good or bad. + +Once again the afternoon sun fell upon the girl. It touched her face, +tender of contour and coloring. It found her hair and made of it a crown +of bronze and gold. For a moment it lingered, then climbing, lighted up +a yellow parchment hanging on the wall just above. + +Through its aged dim characters I read an edict issued in the days of +long ago, banishing from the land of fair Nippon all Christians and +Christianity. It threatened with relentless torture any attempt to +promulgate the faith, and contained an order for all citizens to appear +in the public place on a certain day for adherents of the new religion +to recant, by stamping on the Cross. + +As the girl talked on, she revealed a life strangely inconsistent in a +land which to me stood for all that was highest and most beautiful. A +curious thought came to me. I wondered if the man who framed that edict +had a vision of what foreign teachings might bring in its trail? +Possibly some presentiment haunted him of the great danger that would +come to his people through contact with a country leagues removed in +customs and beliefs. Neither crucifixion nor torture had availed to keep +out the new religion. With it came wisdom and great reforms. +Misinterpretation too, had followed. Old laws were shattered, and this +girl, Zura Wingate was a product of a new order of things, the result of +broken traditions, a daughter of two countries, a representative of +neither. + +Zura's conversation was mainly of her amusements and diversions. + +"But how did you manage so many pleasures while you were attending +school?" I inquired. + +"School?" she echoed. "Oh! that never bothered me. I had a system at +school; it worked fine. The days I felt like going, I crammed hard and +broke the average record. I also accumulated a beautiful headache. This +earned me a holiday and an excursion for my health." + +It was hard for me to understand a girl who deliberately planned to miss +school, but I was taking a whole course in one afternoon. Carefully I +approached the object of my visit. "Well, of course you desire to +further pursue your studies in English, even though your home is to be +in Japan. I came this afternoon to ask--do you not think it would be +pleasant if you came to my house every day for a little study--just to +keep in practice?" + +The girl's lips framed a red circle as she drew out a long "Oh-h-h! I +see! The mighty honorable Boss has been laying plans, has he? Well, I +think it would be perfectly grand--N-I-T--which in plain American spells +'I will not do it.'" + +Imagine a young girl telling one of her elders right to her face, she +would not do it. I never heard of such a thing. For a moment I was torn +between a desire to administer a stern reproof and leave her, and a +great yearning to stand by and with love and sympathy to try to soften +the only fate which could be in store for such as she. + +We took each other's measure and she, pretty and saucy as a gay young +robin, went on fearlessly: + +"I'm an American to the backbone; I'm not going to be Japanese, or any +kin to them. As long as I have to stay I'm going to pursue the heavenly +scenery around here and put it on paper. Between pictures I'm going to +have a good time--all I want to. Thank you for your invitation, but I +have other engagements." + +A wilful girl in a Japanese home! My disapproval fled. Soon enough life +would administer reproof and stretch out a rough hand to stay her +eagerness. I need add nothing. + +A little depressed at losing her as a pupil and knowing that her +defiance could only bring sorrow, I asked her gently, "Do you love good +times?" + +"Do I? Well, just wait till I get started. See if the slant eyes of the +inhabitants will not have another angle before I get through. They need +a few lessons on the rights of girls." + +Neither Zura's home nor her parents seemed to have any part in her life. +She told of a prank played at midnight one Hallowe'en. + +"But," I asked, "did your mother permit you to be out at such an hour?" + +"My mother!" she repeated with a light laugh. "My mother is nothing but +a baby. She neither cared nor knew where I was or what I did." + +"What about your father?" I ventured. "I understand you and he were +great friends." + +If I had struck the girl, the effect could not have been more certain. +She arose quickly, her face aquiver with pain; she threw her hands +forward as if in appeal to some unseen figure; then she moaned, "Oh! +Daddy!" and she was gone. + +Like the stupid old meddler I was, I tore the wound afresh. I exposed +the bruised place in the girl's life, but my blunder brought to light +unsuspected depths. + +It was all so sudden that I was speechless and stared blankly at the +mother, who looked helpless and bewildered. The two grandmothers had +taken no part nor interest in the scene. Their faces expressed nothing. +To them the girl was as incomprehensible as any jungle savage. To me she +was like some wild, free bird, caught in a net, old, but very strong, +for its meshes were made from a relentless law. + +I made my adieu with what grace I could and left. + + * * * * * + +On my way home I met Kishimoto San. Omitting details, I told him Zura +declined to come to my house for lessons. + +"So! My granddaughter announced she will not? I shall give her a command +to obey." + +I suggested that the girl needed time for adjustment and that he needed +much patience. + +"Patience! With a girl?" he replied. "Ah. madam, you utter great demands +of my dignity! It is like requesting me to smile sweetly when grasping +the fruit of a chestnut tree which wears a prickly overcoat. But I thank +your great kindness for honoring my house and my family. _Sayonara_." + +Deep thought held me fast as I passed through the cheerful, busy streets +and up the long flight of steps that led from the highway to my home. I +was too occupied mentally to pay much attention to Jane's unnumbered +questions regarding my visit. Anyhow, my association with Jane had led +me to discover she could talk for a very long while, and never get +anywhere, not even to an end. + +That night she talked herself to sleep about girls and poetry and beaux, +which as far as I could see had nothing to do with the matter. + +Had Jane been a mind reader, long ere the night had gone, she could have +found strange things in my brain. + +Hours afterwards I sat on my balcony that overhung the soft lapping +waters below, still deeply thinking. Often at the end of the day's toil +I sought this retreat and refreshed my soul in the incomparable beauty +of the view. + +In that hour the tender spirit of night folded me about. Out of the +mystery of the vast blue I heard faintly a new message, potent with +promise, charged with possibilities. The earth was wrapped in a robe of +gray, made of mist and illusion, and its every sound was hushed by the +lullaby of the night-wind. Dim, silent mountains clustered about the +silver waters, as great watchmen guarding a precious jewel. + +Toward me across the moon-misted sea came a procession of ghostly +sails. Every ship seemed to bear troops of white-robed maidens and, as +they floated past, they gaily waved their hands to me, calling for +comradeship and understanding, a wide-open heart, freedom to love. + + + + +IV + +JANE GRAY BRINGS HOME A MAN + + +During the weeks following my visit I had good reason to believe that +Kishimoto San's power to command was not in working order. Zura failed +to put in an appearance for her lessons, nor did any message come from +the ancient house by the sea to explain the delay. + +I could only guess how things stood between the grandfather and the +alien child. + +Every minute of my day was filled with classes, demands and sick babies, +but between duties and when Jane was elsewhere I snatched time to +inspect eagerly every visitor who clicked a sandal or shoe-heel on the +rough stones of my crooked front path. I kept up the vigil for my +desired pupil until I heard one of my adoring housemaids confide to the +other that she had "the great grief to relate Jenkins Sensie was getting +little illness in her head. She condescended to respond to the honorable +knock at her door--and she a great teacher lady!" + +After this I transferred my observations to the crescent-shaped window +at one end of my study. This ornamental opening in the wall commanded a +full view of the main highway of Hijiyama. Through it I could look down +far below upon the street life which was a panorama quietly intense, but +gay and hopeful. The moving throng resembled a great bouquet swayed by a +friendly breeze, so bright in coloring with the flower-sellers, +white-garbed jinricksha men, vegetable vendors, and troops of butterfly +children that any tone of softer hue attracted immediate attention. + +This led me to a discovery one day when I caught sight of a dark-brown +velvet dress, and I knew that my promised pupil was inside it. Her +shining hair made me sure, and I guessed that the young man with whom +she walked was the ship's officer. The sight troubled me; but +interference except by invitation was not my part. I could do nothing +but wait. + +However, so unusual a creature as Zura Wingate could neither escape +notice nor outspoken comment in a conservative, etiquette-bound old town +like Hijiyama. Through my pupils, most of them boys and eager to +practise their English, I heard of many startling things she did. They +talked of her fearlessness; with what skill she could trim a sail; how +she had raced with the crack oarsman of the Naval College; and how the +aforesaid cadet was now in disgrace because he had condescended to +compete with a girl. Much of the talk was of the girl's wonderful talent +in putting on paper Japanese women and babies in a way so true that +Chinda, a withered old man in whom the love of art was the only sign of +life, said, "Except for her foreign blood the child would be a gift of +the gods." I had dwelt too long in the Orient, though, to hear with much +peace of mind the girl's name so freely used and I discouraged the talk. + +Even if I had thought it best to do so, there was no chance for a +repetition of my visit to Kishimoto San's house. The demands upon my +time and my resources were heavier than ever before. The winter had been +bitterly cold. As the thermometer went down and somebody cornered the +supply of sweet potatoes, the price of rice soared till there seemed +nothing left to sustain the working people except the scent of the early +plum flowers that flourished in the poorer districts. Sheltered by a +great mountain from the keen winds, they thrust their pink blossoms +through the covering of snow and cheered the beauty-loving people to +much silent endurance. The plum tree was almost an object of worship in +this part of the Empire. It stood for bravery and loyalty in the face of +disaster, but as one tottering old woman put it, as she went down on her +knees begging food for her grandbabies, "The Ume Ke makes me suffer +great shame for my weakness. It gives joy to weary eyes, courage to +fainting heart, but no food for babies." In the outlying districts many +children on their way to school fainted for want of food; hospitals were +full of the half-starved; police stations were crowded with the +desperate; and temples were packed with petitioners beseeching the gods. + +It was near the holidays. My pupil teachers and helpers worked extra +hours and pinched from their scant savings that those they could reach +might not have a hungry Christmas. They put together the price of their +gifts to each other and bought rice. In gay little groups they went from +door to door and gathered up twenty feeble old women, brought them to my +house and feasted them to the utmost. + +Hardly a day passed without some new and unusual demand, until learning +to stand up and sit down at the same time was almost a necessity. + +Had my own life lacked absorbing interest, Jane Gray's activities would +have furnished an inexhaustible supply. As she grew stronger and could +come and go at her pleasure, her unexpectedness upset my systematic +household to the point of confusion. She supplied untold excitement to +Pine Tree and Maple Leaf, the two serving maids earning an education by +service, and drove old Ishi the gardener to tearful protest. "Miss +Jaygray dangerful girl. She boldly confisteal a dimension of flower +house and request strange demons to roost on premises." + +This all came about because my fireside companion was a born collector. +Not of any reasonable thing like stamps or butterflies, but of stray +animals and wandering humans. Her affections embraced every created +thing that came out of the ark, including all the descendants of Mr. and +Mrs. Noah. A choice spot in my beloved garden, which was also Ishi's +heaven, housed a family of weather-beaten world-weary cats, three +chattering monkeys, that made love to Jane and hideous faces at +everybody else, a parrakeet and a blind pup. If the collection fell +short in quality, it abounded in variety. On one occasion she brought +home two ragged and hungry American sailors, and it required military +tactics to piece out the "left-over" lunch for them. Another time she +shared her room with a poor creature who had been a pretty woman, now +seeking shelter till her transportation could be secured. + +Late one snowy night Jane came stumbling in weighted with an extra +bundle. Tenderly unwrapping the covering she disclosed a half-starved +baby. That day she had gone to a distant part of the city to assist in +organizing a soup kitchen, and a Bible class. On her way home she heard +a feeble cry coming from a ditch. She located a bundle of rags, and +found a bit of discarded humanity. + +"Isn't it sweet?" murmured the little missionary as she laid the +weakling before the fire and fed it barley water with an ink dropper. +"I'm going to keep it for my very own. I've always wanted one," she +announced joyfully. + +"Well, you just won't do anything of the kind," was my firm conclusion. +I had no wish to be unkind, but repression was the only course left. I +loved children, as I loved flowers, but it was impossible to inflate +another figure for expense. + +"It's all we can do to support that menagerie in the garden without +starting an orphan asylum. Babies, as well as cats and dogs, cost +money." + +"Yes, yes, I know, Miss Jenkins," replied my companion eagerly, her face +bright with some inner sunbeam of hope, "but wait till I tell you of a +darling plan. The other day I saw the nicest sign over a door. It said +'Moderated and modified milk for babies and small animals.' It's tin, +the milk I mean, and that is what I am going to feed them on. It's so +filling." + +"Beautifully simple, and tin milk must be so nourishing, is it not?" I +snapped, ruffled by Miss Gray's never-defeated hopefulness. "Of course +the kind gentleman who keeps this magic food, stands at the door and +hands it out by the bucketful." + +That was before I learned that sarcasm could no more pierce Jane's +optimism, than a hair would cut a diamond. + +"No," she answered sweetly, "he sits on the floor, and takes cans from a +box. He gets money for it, but I am going to make a grand bargain with +him. I am going to trade him a package of tracts and that cunning +parrakeet for milk." + +"How do you know he wants parrots or tracts?" I said. + +"Oh, yes, he does. I talked to him. He showed me a faded old tract he +had been reading every day for twenty years. Now his eyes are failing. +He can get his customers to read a new one to him. He wants the bird for +a spot of color as it grows darker. Please, dear Miss Jenkins, let me +keep the baby!" + +Of course I was weak enough to give in. Jane made her bargain and for a +month the little stray stayed with us. Then one glorious dawn the tiny +creature smiled as only a baby can, and gave up the struggle. In a +corner of the garden, where the pigeons are ever cooing, we made a small +mound. + +To this good day Ishi declares the children's god Jizo comes every night +to take the child away, but cannot because it lies in a Christian grave, +and that is why he keeps the spot smothered in flowers. + +Not in the least discouraged by death or desertion of her proteges, Jane +Gray continued to bring things home, and one day she burst into the room +calling, "Oh, Jenkins San! Come quick! See what I have found." + +Her find proved to be a youthful American about twenty-four, whom she +introduced as Page Hanaford. + +From the moment the tall young man stood before me, hat in hand, a +wistful something in his gray eyes, I had to crush a sudden desire to +lay my hand on his shoulder and call him son. It would have been against +my principles to be so outspokenly sentimental, but his light hair waved +back from a boyish face pallid with illness and the playful curve of +his mouth touched me. If I had been Jane Gray I should have cried over +him. From the forced smile to the button hanging loose on his vest there +was a silent appeal. All the mother in me was aroused and mentally I had +to give myself a good slap to meet the situation with dignity. + +I asked the young man to come into the sitting-room and we soon heard +the story he had to tell. + +He said his home had been in Texas. His father, an oil operator and +supposed to be very rich, died a bankrupt. He was the only member of the +family left, and he had recently started to the Far East to begin making +his fortune. By chance he had drifted into Hijiyama. He understood there +was a demand for teachers here. He was quite sure he could teach; but he +would have to go slow at first, for he was just recovering from a slight +illness. + +"Have you been ill a long time?" I asked, striving to keep my fast +rising sympathy in hand. + +"Y-es; no," was the uncertain reply. "You see, I don't quite remember. +Time seems to have run away from me." + +"Were you ill before you left America, or after you sailed?" I inquired +with increasing interest. + +The boy paled, flushed, then stammered out his answer. "I--I--I'm +sorry, but really I can't tell you. The beastly thing seems to have left +me a bit hazy." + +A bit hazy indeed! It was as plain as the marks of his severe illness +that he was evading my question. His hands trembled so he could hardly +hold the cup of tea I gave him, so I pursued my inquiries no further. As +I was hostess to my guests, whoever they might be, I asked neither for +credentials nor the right to judge them, for their temptations had not +been mine. + +After a long pause he slowly tried again to tell his story. "I was +seeking employment when Miss Gray found me. My! but I was glad to see +some one who seemed like home. The way she walked right up to me and +said, 'Why, howdy do. I'm glad to see you. Now come right up to the +"Misty Star" with me,' I tell you it made my heart thump. Didn't know +whether the Misty Star was a balloon or a planet; didn't care much. Miss +Gray was so kind and I was tired. Hunting a job in an unknown language +is rather discouraging." + +"Discouraged!" laughed Jane, poking up the fire and arranging a big +chair in which she put Mr. Hanaford, at the same time stuffing a pillow +behind his back. "The idea of being discouraged when the world is full +of poetry and love staring you right in the face! Besides, there is +always hope blooming everywhere like a dield full of faisies." + +Our visitor's face crinkled with suppressed amusement at the little +lady's funny mixture of words and he asked, "Are you never discouraged?" + +"Goodness me, no! Not now. Every time I see a blue thought sticking its +head around the corner, I begin to sing the long meter doxology. My +music sends it flying. I can't afford to be discouraged. You see, I'm +pledged to help a lot of unfortunate friends. I haven't a cent of money +and every time I let the teeniest little discouragement show its face, +it would surely knock a plank out of the hospital I'm going to build for +them." + +"Build a hospital without money?" said he. "If you are that kind of a +magician, perhaps you can tell me where I can find so many students that +riches will pour in upon me?" + +"Yes, indeed, I can," assented Miss Gray generously. "The pupils are +sure, if the pay isn't. Miss Jenkins can find you a barrelful." + +The young man turned to me. "A baker's dozen would do to start with. +Would you be so kind? I need them very much. I must have work." + +His manner was so earnest and appealing, his need so evident that I was +ready to turn over to him every student on my list, if that were the +thing necessary to enable him to earn a living and get a new grip on +life. There were more than enough pupils to go around, and I was glad to +put away my work and give the afternoon to planning for a place in which +to house Mr. Hanaford and his going-to-be-pupils. + +Our guest entered into all our suggestions eagerly. The environment of +our simple home, the ministrations of motherly hands touched hidden +chords. He did not hide his enjoyment, but talked well and +entertainingly of everything--except himself. At times he was boyishly +gay; then, seemingly without cause, the expectant look of his eyes would +fade into one of bewildered confusion and he would sit in silence. I +hoped it was the effect of his illness. + +Jane was happier over this last addition to her collection than any +previous specimen. + +When at last he rose reluctantly and said he must be going, she +anxiously inquired if he would be sure to come back to-morrow and the +day after. + +"Why, dear lady, you are very kind! Sure there will be no risk of +wearing out a welcome? And I have no letter of introduction." + +"You can't even dent the welcome at Miss Jenkins's house. It has been +forged with kindness and polished with love, and we wouldn't have time +to read a letter of introduction if you had one. Please come right +away." + +Our visitor stood voicing his thanks and bidding us adieu when the +tuneful gong at the front door was struck by no uncertain hand. + +The setting sun wrapped "The House of the Misty Star" in a veil of +purple, shot with pink. The subdued radiance crept into the room and +covered its shabbiness with a soft glory, the paper door slid open and, +framed in the tender twilight, stood Zura Wingate. + +"I've come--" she began, then stopped. + +The unfinished speech still parting her lips, with hair wind-blown and +face aglow, she gazed in surprise at Page Hanaford, and he, bending +slightly forward, gazed back at the girl, who radiated youth and all its +glorious freedom in every movement. + +The silence was brief, but intense. Then Jane Gray gave vent to a long +ecstatic "Oh-h-h-h!" I made haste to welcome and introduce Zura. + +"I can't stop," she said when I offered her a chair and refreshment; +and she added rather breathlessly: "I started for this house at noon; +side-tracked and went sailing. Just come to say thank you very much, but +I don't care for any lessons in English or manners, and I won't have any +kind old grandpa interfering with my affairs. Now I must hustle. If I +don't, there'll be an uprising of my ancestors. Good-by." + +She went as suddenly as she had come. It was as though a wild sea-bird +had swept through the room, leaving us startled, but refreshed. + +From the shadows near the door came Page Hanaford's half-humorous query, +"Do these visions have a habit of appearing in your doorway, Miss +Jenkins, or how much of what I saw was real?" + +"Zura Wingate is the realest girl I know, Mr. Hanaford." He listened +intently to the short history of the girl I gave him, made no comment, +asked no questions, but said good-night very gently and went out into +the dusk. + +Jane stood looking into the fire. Tightly clasping her hands across her +thin chest and closing her eyes, she murmured delightedly, "Oh, the +sweet darlings!" + +I did not ask whether she referred to our late visitors or something in +her menagerie. + +I was in a whirl of thought myself. I had lost a pupil; my purse was +leaner than ever, my responsibilities heavier; yet intangible joys were +storming my old heart, and it was athrill with visions of youth and hope +and love, although I saw them through windows doubly barred and locked. + + + + +V + +A CALL AND AN INVITATION + + +The weeks that followed were happy ones in "The House of the Misty +Star." Page Hanaford dropped in frequently after supper, and my liking +for the boy grew stronger with each visit. His good breeding and gentle +rearing were as innate as the brightness of his eyes; and no less +evident was his sore need of companionship, though when he talked it was +on diversified subjects, never personal ones. If the time between visits +were longer than I thought it should be, I invented excuses and sent for +him. I asked little favors of him which necessitated his coming to my +house; then I asked more, which kept him. + +Thus it was that many delightful hours were spent in the cozy, cheerful +living-room of the little house perched high upon the hill. In one +shadowy corner Jane Gray usually sat, busy with her endless knitting of +bibs for babies. Close beside her the maids, Pine Tree and Maple Leaf, +looked up from their seats upon the floor, intent on every movement of +her flying fingers that they too might quickly learn and help to "bib" +the small citizens of their country. + +From my place on one side of the reading lamp I could look, unobserved, +at Page Hanaford on the other side, as he sat in the deep chair and +stretched his long limbs toward the glowing grate stove, while he read +to us tales of travel and fiction. Jane said they were as delightful as +his voice. I was often too busy studying the boy to give much heed to +his reading, but when he spoke it was a different matter. + +His familiarity with the remote places of the world, centers of +commerce, and the names of men high in affairs, made me wonder and +wonder again what had led him to choose for advance in fortune this +Buddhist stronghold of moats and medieval castles, so limited in +possibilities, so far from contact with foreign things. The teaching of +English, as I had good reason to know, yielded many a hearty laugh, but +a scant living. There was no other opening here for Europeans. + +Every time I saw Page, the more certain I was, not only of his ability, +but of his past experience in bigger things. The inconsistencies of his +story began to irritate me like the pricking of a pin which the +presence of company forbade my removing. However, I did not question him +openly; I tried not to do so in my heart. I found for him more students +as well as excuses to mend his clothes and have him with us. I scolded +him for taking cold, filled him up with stews, brews, and tonics, and +with Jane as chief enthusiast--she had fallen an easy victim--we managed +to make something of a home life for him. + +The boy could not hide his pleasure in our little parties; but it was +with protest that he accepted so much waiting on and coddling. He was +always deferential, but delighted in gently laughing at Jane and telling +me stories that could not happen out of a book. + +Sometimes his spirits ran high and found expression in song or a +whistled tune. When there was a sudden knock or when he was definitely +questioned, there was something in his attitude which I would have named +fear, had not every line in his lean, muscular body contradicted the +suggestion. + +It had not happened very often, but when it did, a nameless something +seemed to cover us, and in passing, left a shadow which turned our happy +evenings cold and bleak. + +It was the custom for every member of my household to assemble in the +living-room after supper for evening prayer. Jane and I, the cook, and +the two little maids were there because we found comfort and joy. Old +Ishi, the gardener, attended because he hoped to discover the witch that +made the music inside the baby organ. At the same time he propitiated +the foreigner's god, though he kept on the good side of his own deities +by going immediately afterwards to offer apology and incense at the +temple. + +Often Page Hanaford came in at this hour and quietly joined us. + +It was an incongruous group, but touching with one accord the border of +holier things, banished differences of creed and race and cemented a +bond of friendship. + +One evening after the service Jane--taking the maids and a heaped-up +basket--went to answer a prayer for daily bread she had overheard coming +from a hut that day. Page and I settled down for a long, pleasant +evening, he with his pipe and book, I with a pile of English +compositions to be corrected. "Change" was the subject of the first one +I picked up, and I read the opening paragraph aloud: "The seasons change +from one to the other without fuss or feather and obey the laws of +nature. All mens change from one thing to other by spontaneous +combustion and obey the universal laws of God." + +My companion was still laughing at this remarkable statement and I +puzzling over its meaning when Kishimoto San was announced. I found a +possible translation of the sentence in his appearance. "Spontaneous +combustion" nearly fitted the state of mind he disclosed to me. The +change in him was startling. I had only seen the school superintendent +outside his home. In times of difficulty when his will could not +prevail, which was seldom, he dismissed the matter at once, and found +refuge in that fatalistic word "Shikataganai" (it can't be helped). + +But now his fort of stoicism was being besieged, and the walls breached +by a girl-child in his home, who was proving a redoubtable foe to his +will and his calm, for of course the trouble was Zura. I learned this +after he had finished acknowledging his introduction to Page. The +bowing, bending, and indrawing of breath, demanded by this ceremony, +took time. But it had to be. + +Then I asked after the general prosperity of his ancestors, the health +of his relatives, finally working my way down to Zura. + +[Illustration: The bowing, bending, and indrawing of breath] + +Ordinarily Kishimoto San would have scorned to mention his affairs +before a stranger, but his world of tradition was upside down. In his +haste to right it he broke other laws of convention. Page had withdrawn +into the shadow of the window seat after the introduction, but listened +intently to the conversation and soon caught the drift of it. + +From accounts the situation between Kishimoto San and his granddaughter +was not a happy one. The passing weeks had not brought reconciliation to +them nor to the conditions. It had come almost to open warfare. "And," +declared the troubled man, "if she does not render obedience I will +reduce her to bread and water, and subject her to a lonely place, till +she comprehends who is the master and acknowledges filial piety." + +I protested that such a measure would only urge to desperation a girl of +Zura's temperament and that, to my mind, people could not be made good +by law, but by love. + +The master of many women looked at me pityingly. "Madam, would you +condescend to inform my ignorance how love is joined to obedience? +Speaks the one great book of this land written for the guidance of +women, 'The lifelong duty of women is obedience. Seeing that it is a +girl's destiny on reaching womanhood to go to a new home and live in +submission to her mother-in-law, it is incumbent upon her to reverence +her parents' and elders' instruction at the peril of her life.'" + +"But," I remarked, "there is something like two centuries between your +granddaughter and this unreasonable book. Its antiquated laws are as +withered as the dead needles of a pine tree. Any one reading it would +know that when old man Kaibara wrote it he was not feeling well or had +quarreled with his cook." + +In most things Kishimoto San was just; in many things he was kind. But +he was as utterly devoid of humor as a pumpkin is of champagne. Without +a flicker he went on. "Dead these sacred laws may be in practice, but +the great spirit of them must live, else man in this land will cease to +be master in his own house; the peace of our homes will pass. Also, does +not your own holy book write plainly on this subject of obedience of +women and children?" + +Kishimoto San was a good fighter for what he believed was right, and as +a warrior for his cause he had armed himself in every possible way. He +had a passable knowledge of English and an amazing familiarity with the +Scriptures. He also possessed a knack of interpreting any phase of it to +strengthen the argument from his standpoint. But I, too, could fight +for ideals; love of freedom and the divine right of the individual were +themes as dear to me as they were hateful to Kishimoto San. It had +occurred many times before, and we always argued in a circular process. +Neither of us had ever given in. + +But this night Kishimoto San gave me as a last shot: "The confusion of +your religion is, it boasts only one God and numberless creeds. Each +creed claims superiority. This brings inharmony and causes Christians to +snap at each other like a pack of wolves. We have many gods and only one +creed. We have knowledge and enlightenment which finally lead to +Nirvana." + +I could always let my friend have the last word but one. I now asked him +if he could deny the enlightenment of which he boasted led as often to +despair as it did to Nirvana. If his knowledge were so all-inclusive, +why had it failed to suggest some path up or down which he could +peacefully lead Zura Wingate? + +Before he could answer I offered him a cup of tea, hoping it would cool +him off, and asked him to tell me his special grievance. + +He said it was the custom in his house for each member of the family to +go before the house-shrine and, kneeling, bow the head to the floor +three times. Zura had refused to approach the spot and, when he +insisted, instead of bowing she had looked straight at the god and +contorted her face till it looked like an Oni (a demon). It was most +dangerous. The gods would surely avenge such disrespect. + +It seemed incredible that keen intelligence and silly superstition could +be such close neighbors in the same brain, for I knew Kishimoto San to +be an honest man. He not only lived what he believed, he insisted on +others believing all that he lived. + +He continued his story--the girl not only refused to come to me for +English lessons, but declined to go for her lessons in Japanese +etiquette, necessary to fit her for her destiny as a wife. She absented +herself from the house a whole day at a time. When she returned she +said, without the slightest shame, that she had been racing with the +naval cadets, or else had been for a picnic with the young officer from +the ship. Like a chattering monkey she would relate what had been done +or said. + +At least, thought I, the girl makes no secret of her reckless doings. +She is open and honest about it. I said as much to my visitor. + +He was quietly savage. "Honest! Open you name it! There is but one +definition for it. Immodesty! In a young girl that is deadlier than +impiety. It is the wild blood of her father," he ended sadly. + +I could have added, "Dashed with a full measure of grandpa's +stubbornness." But I was truly sorry for Kishimoto San. His trouble was +genuine. It was no small thing to be compelled to shoulder a problem +begun in a foreign land, complicated by influences far removed from his +understanding, then thrust upon him for solution. He was a faithful +adherent of the old system where individuality counted for nothing and a +woman for less. To his idea the salvation of a girl depended on her +submission to the rules laid down by his ancestors for the women of his +house. He was an ardent Buddhist and under old conditions its teachings +had answered to his every need. But both law and religion failed him +when it came to dealing with this child who had come to him from a free +land across the sea and whose will had the same adamant quality as his +own. + +While I was turning over in my mind how I should help either the girl +or the man, I ventured to change the subject by consulting Kishimoto San +upon important school matters. The effort was useless. His mind stuck as +fast to his worries as a wooden shoe in spring mud. + +Not least among his vexations was the difficulty he would have in +marrying Zura off. If she failed in filial piety and obedience to him, +how could she ever learn that most needful lesson of abandoning herself +to the direction of her mother-in-law? + +The picture of Zura Wingate, whose early training had been free and +unrestrained, being brought to order by a Japanese mother-in-law was +almost too much for my gravity. It would be like a big black beetle +ordering the life of a butterfly. Not without a struggle the +conservative grandfather acknowledged that his system had failed. For +the first time since I had known him Kishimoto San, with genuine +humility, appealed for help. "Madam, my granddaughter is like new +machineries. The complexities of her conduct causes my mind to suffer +confusion of many strange thought. Condescend to extend to me the help +of your great knowledge relating to girls reared with your flag of +freedom." + +I had always thought my ignorance on the subject as deep as a cave. I +would begin at once to excavate my soul in search of that "great +knowledge." + +I proceeded a little loftily: "Oh, Kishimoto San, I am sure there is a +way to right things. The fault lies in the fact that Zura and you do not +understand each other. Suppose you permit her to come to me for a little +visit without study. It would give us great pleasure and I could learn +to know her better." + +Pushing aside all hesitation and the apologies that etiquette required +on such occasions, greatly relieved, he quickly accepted my invitation. +"You do my house great honor to assume the mystery of Zura's conduct. I +give you most honorable thanks." + +When he said good-night the look on his face suggested that a smile +might penetrate the gloom, if he lived long enough. + + * * * * * + +"By Jove! is that what the women of this country have to go up against?" +Page asked when the door had closed behind Kishimoto San. + +"A very small part of them must do so, Mr. Hanaford. It is not so hard +for the women born to it, as they know their fate and can accept it from +babyhood. The suffering falls upon the alien, who runs afoul of their +customs, especially one who has known the delight of liberty." + +"Liberty!" repeated Page, gazing out of the window on the thousands of +lights below, which were fluttering in the velvety darkness like a vast +army of fireflies. "Without it, what is life to the smallest--moth!" + + + + +VI + +ZURA WINGATE'S VISIT + + +These were the days I kept an eagle eye on Jane Gray. She grew steadily +stronger and her activities resembled a hive of bees. Unless she was +carefully observed and brought to order, her allowance of milk and part +of her food went to some child or stray beggar, waiting outside the +lodge gates. + +She talked incessantly and confidently of the hospital she intended to +build in the Quarters. She had not a sen and I had less. + +With the grocery bill unpaid, her cheerful assurance sometimes provoked +me. "Goodness, Jane, you haven't enough to buy even one shingle for a +hospital! To hear you talk one would think the National Bank was at your +command." + +"But, Miss Jenkins," she said, smiling, "we are not going to use +shingles for the roof, but straw; and I have something stronger than a +national bank. You see, I was just born hoping. I know some of the +sweetest people at home. I've written nearly one thousand letters, +telling them all about my dear friends in the Quarters." + +So that's where all the stamps went that she bought with the money I +gave her for winter clothes! + +I was taking Jane to task for this when a note arrived from Zura. I had +been almost sure that my invitation would meet the same fate as the +English lessons. My fears disappeared when I opened the missive. It read +as follows: + +Dear Miss Jenkins: + Thank you. Never did like to study in vacation, but if it is + plain visiting I'll be delighted, for I'm starving. Have lived + so long on rice and raw fish I feel like an Irish stew. You'll + surely be shocked at what I can do to ham and eggs and hot + biscuit! I'll float in about Thursday. + + Hungrily yours, + ZURA WINGATE. + +When I told my companion that Zura was coming to make us a little visit, +she was preparing to start for her work. She had just tied a bright +green veil over her hat. Failing in its mission as trimming, the chiffon +dropped forward in reckless folds almost covering her face; it gave her +a dissipated look as she hurried about, gathering up her things, eager +to be gone. But I was seeking information and detained her. "Jane," I +asked, "what do young girls in our country like best?" + +"Boys and tolu," was the astonishing reply. + +The twinkle in her one visible eye increased to enough for two when I +said with quite a good deal of dignity that, while I had some idea what +boys were, I knew nothing of the other article she mentioned. + +"Oh, don't you really know what tolu is? It's a kind of rubber and girls +like to chew it." + +"American girls chew! Why, the thing is impossible," I cried, pained to +have an ideal shattered. + +"Keep calm, Miss Jenkins, this is a different kind of chew from the one +you are thinking about. It isn't pretty, but it won't hurt them, any +more than a peck of chocolates and, tolu or no tolu, in all the world +there isn't anything dearer than young American girls. They are so +fluffy and bossy and sweet, and they do make the darlingest mamas." + +Jane waited for some comment from me. Seeing I had none to make, she +said, "Well, there aren't any boys for Zura to play with, and no tolu +this side of San Francisco." Then, brightening with sudden inspiration, +she exclaimed, "But I tell you what: wait till I take this basket down +to Omoto's home and I'll run right back and make some bear and tiger +cookies and gingerbread Johnnies. Children adore them." + +"What is the matter now down at Omoto's house?" + +"Oh, nothing much. He's in jail and his wife simply cannot work out in +the field to-day. She has a brand-new pair of the sweetest twins, and a +headache besides." + +Even after Jane departed I did some hard thinking how I was to entertain +so youthful a visitor as Zura. Inside our simple home there was nothing +especially beautiful, and my companion had never mentioned that she ever +found me amusing. Outside fore and aft there was a view which brought +rapture to all beholders and peace to many troubled souls. I was not +sure how a wild young maid would thrive on views. + +From the moment Zura entered the house and I caught sight of her face as +she looked at my garden through the glassed-in end of the sitting-room, +my fears disappeared like mist before a breeze. A bit of her soul was in +her eyes and, when she asked for a nearer view, I put down my work and +led her through the carved gates into the ancient glory which was not +only the garden of my house, but the garden of my soul. We passed a +moss-grown shrine where a quaint old image looked out across the lake +rimmed with flaming azaleas, and on its waters a family of long-legged +cranes consulted with each other. Our way led over a bridge with a +humped-up back and along a little path for one, then across a bank of +ferns and into the tangle of bamboo all silvery with the sunshine. + +At the beginning of our walk my guest's conversation was of the many +happy nothings I suppose most girls indulge in, but as we went farther +she had less to say. Her eyes grew wider and darker as the beauty of the +place pressed in upon her. We found a seat arched over with a blossoming +vine and sat down for rest. + +Zura was quiet and, finding she avoided every allusion to home, I +drifted into telling her a bit of the garden's history--its unknown age, +the real princes and princesses who in the long ago had trodden its +crooked paths. Legend said that so great was their love for it their +spirits refused to abide in Nirvana and came to dwell in the depths of +the dim old garden. I told her the spot had been my play place, my haven +of rest for thirty years, and how for want of company I had peopled it +with lords and ladies of my fancy. Armored knights and dark-haired dames +of my imagination had lived and laughed and loved in the shadows of its +soft beauty. Anxious to entertain and pleased to have an audience, I +opened wider the doors to my sentimental self than I really intended. I +went from story to story till the air was filled with the sweetness of +romance and poetry. In the midst of a wondrous love legend a noise, +sudden but suppressed, stopped me short. I looked at the girl. She was +shaking with laughter. + +When I asked why, she managed to gasp, "Oh, but you're an old softy!" + +It was disrespectful, but it was also true and, though I felt as if a +hot wind had been blowing on my face, there was such a note of +comradeship in her voice that it cheered me to the point of joining in +her merriment. Our laugh seemed to sweep away many of the years that +stood between us and the old thrill of anticipation passed through me. + +We found many other things to talk about, for I searched every crook and +cranny of my old brain for bits of any sort with which to interest her. +The last turn in the path leading back to the house found us friendly +and with a taste or two in common. + +Once, seeing something near by she wanted to sketch, she whispered to +me as familiarly as if I were the same age, "For the love of Mike! hold +my hat while I put that on paper." + +I had no acquaintance with "Mike" and she was bareheaded, but so +infectious was her eagerness that I felt about twenty. + +What she wanted to sketch was only a small girl in a gay kimono and a +big red umbrella, but the tiny mite made a vivid spot of color as she +stood motionless to watch a great brown moth hovering over a bed of +iris. Before I could explain that the child was a waif temporarily +housed with me, shy and easily frightened, Zura whipped from somewhere +out of the mysteries of a tight dress a pad and pencil and, with +something like magic, the lines of the little maid's figure and face +were transferred to the white sheet. + +"How Daddy would have loved her," said Zura, softly, as she covered her +work. I was silent. + +Later my guest and I went into the house and I showed her my treasures. +They were few, but precious in their way: Some rare old prints, a piece +of ivory, and an old jewelry box of gold lacquer, all from grateful +pupils. Zura's appreciation of the artistic side of her mother's country +was keen. In connection with it she spoke of her father's great gift +and how he had begun teaching her to paint when he had to tie her to a +chair to steady her and almost before her hand was big enough to hold a +brush. She referred to their close companionship. Mother wanted to rest +very often and seldom joined them. Father and daughter would prepare +their own lunch and go for a long day's tramping and sketching. Once +they were gone for a week and slept out under the trees. Daddy was the +jolliest chum and always let her do as she pleased. He trusted her and +never had corrected her. Her voice was low and sweet as she dwelt upon +the memories of her father, and when I saw her round white throat +contract with the effort for control, I found something else to talk +about. + +Altogether it was a smooth day and to me a very happy one. Jane had been +absent since noon. Her occupations were unquestioned, but when she +joined us at the evening dinner it was good to see how her tired face +brightened at Zura's girlish way of telling things. + +Our guest thanked Jane for the cakes. Said she simply adored bear and +tiger cookies, and as for gingerbread Johnnies she couldn't live without +them. "It was so good of you to think of me," she told Jane. + +"Not at all," replied Miss Gray. "I was as glad to make them as I am to +have you with us. Two lone women in one house are bound to get stale. We +need young sweet things about to keep us enthusiastic and poetical." + +At this Zura's eyes sparkled, but the sincerity of Jane's welcome +appealed to her better part and she suppressed a laugh. + + * * * * * + +My house possesses one small guest-room. Without mentioning it, I +disposed of a few curios and with the proceeds I ransacked the shops for +things suitable for girls. My morning had been spent in arranging my +purchases. It was a very sweet moment to me when, after I had ushered in +my guest, she stood for a second taking it all in; then putting out her +hand she said, "It's like a picture and you are very kind." + +Afterwards Jane Gray, looking like a trousered ghost in her outdoor +sleeping garments, crept into my study and interrupted the work I was +trying to make up. + +"Oh, Miss Jenkins," she whispered mysteriously, "I've just thought it +all out--a way to make everybody happy, I mean. Wouldn't it be truly +splendid if dear Page Hanaford and Zura were to fall in love? It's a +grand idea. She has the mares and anners of a duchess and so has he." +Excitement invariably twisted Jane's tongue. + +"For Heaven's sake, Jane, do you mean airs and manners?" + +"Yes, that's what I said," went on Jane undisturbed. "And oh! can you +think of anything more sweetly romantic?" + +I laid down my pen and asked Miss Gray to look me straight in the eyes. +Then I put the question to her: "Will you tell me what on earth romance, +sweet or otherwise, has to do with a young fellow struggling not only +with poverty, but with something that looks like mystery, and a wild, +untamed, wilful girl?" + +To which my companion replied: "But just think what love would do to +them both!" + +I guess the difference in Jane's sentiment and mine is the same as +between a soft-shell crab and a hard-shell one. + + + + +VII + +AN INTERRUPTED DINNER + + +The next two days passed happily, if a little giddily, and Jane and I +commanded every resource to entertain our guest. Zura saw and responded +like a watch-spring suddenly released. She found in two simple old women +perfect subjects on which to vent her long-suppressed spirits. She +entered into the activities of the household with such amazing zest, it +seemed as if we were playing kitchen furniture. While it surprised me +how one young girl could so disturb regular working hours and get things +generally a-flutter, I could easily see that all she needed was a chance +to be herself. That was the point that Kishimoto had to understand and +would not. + +"Please let me be Santa Claus this time, and give out the cod liver oil +and the milk and the bibs to the babies," Zura begged one day when these +articles were to be distributed; "and mayn't I keep the kiddies for just +a little while to play with?" + +An hour later, attracted by much noise, I walked out into the garden +and saw Zura with a clean, but much-patched baby on her back, one in +each arm, and a half-dozen trailing behind. The game was "Here we go +'round the mulberry bush," sung in English and played in Japanese. + +"Oh, Miss Jenkins," cried the merry leader, "come quick. We need a bush +and you will make such a nice fat one." + +Before I knew what was happening I was drawn into the mad frolic, +reckless of all the work piled up on my desk in the study. I thought +maybe I was growing feeble-minded, but the way to it was delightful, if +foolish. + + * * * * * + +Strangely enough, during this time Page Hanaford did not appear. We +explained to Zura that he was present the day she made her brief call. + +"Oh! do you mean the day I flew into the 'Misty Star' and right out +again? Yes, I remember his outlines. Where did you find him? Looked more +like a sure-enough man than anything I've seen in Japan." + +Jane monopolized the talk at breakfast that morning, describing to Zura +the good looks of Page Hanaford and the charm of his romantic story. + +Zura seemed more amused by Jane's manner and the funny twist in her +tongue than impressed by her description. + +Miss Gray finally turned to me and urged once again, "Do let's have him +to-night. I'll get the dinner." + +Zura clapped her hands and said eagerly, "Oh, let's do! I haven't been +to a party in a century. If Miss Gray will be the 'chefess,' I'll be +assistant potato peeler. I can make the best salad. It's called 'Salade +de la Marquise de Chateaubriand'; but it won't hurt you. It is only +peanuts and cabbage. Daddy and I used to feast on it once a week." + +There was no resisting her enthusiasm, and I sent a note to Page +Hanaford asking him to come that evening for dinner. + +After all there was nothing I could label a reason why he and Zura +should not meet. + +Domesticity was the last thing anybody would suspect a characteristic of +either Jane or Zura. Not knowing what the result would be, I gave the +cook a holiday and turned the incongruous pair loose to do as they +pleased in kitchen and dining-room. + +All the afternoon I was busy with my writing, but from time to time +there penetrated through the closed doors of my study sounds of +swift-moving feet and gay laughter. The old house seemed infected with +youth. Contact with it was sweet. Some of my dreams were coming true. I +found myself repeating a long-forgotten poem as I took up another stupid +report. I even hummed a tune, something I had not done in twenty years. + +Just before the dinner hour Jane and Zura came into the living-room. +Evidently their work in a common cause put them on the friendliest +terms. They were arm in arm, and I knew by the set of Jane's collar and +the rose in her hair that young and skilful hands had been at work. +Zura's white dress was dainty enough, but it seemed to melt into nothing +about the neck and sleeves. It must have been brought from America, as I +had seen none like it. Nobody could deny, however, that with her face, +all aglow beneath her lustrous hair, she was a goodly sight for young +and old. + +"Isn't she the very sweetest thing?" asked Jane as they approached, +adding wistfully, "But I truly wish her dear nose didn't tilt up!" + +Zura with stern, forbidding brows, but laughing eyes, rebuked the +wisher. "See here, Miss Jinny Gray, that is the only nose I have, if it +is sudden. I've worked hard to coax it in the straight and narrow path. +I've even slept on my face for a week at a time." Then with swift, +dramatic gestures as the gong sounded at the entrance-door, she +whispered, "Hush! The man of mystery doth appear!" + +Page Hanaford came in. All our tempting tonics and special dishes had +failed to curve the angles in the boy's face and body. He still looked +ill. The brooding sadness that frequently overshadowed his lighter moods +troubled me. + +When he caught sight of Zura, his alertness of manner was pleasing and +the kind of joy-look in his eyes did me good. I guessed he was downright +glad to see something youthful hovering around the "Misty Star." I was +glad too, but the situation did not seem to call for hurrahs and +fireworks. Two young American people meeting, shaking hands, and +courteously greeting each other was an unusual sight to me, but after +all a natural one. Page said he had been obliged to forego the pleasure +of seeing us, as he had been very busy organizing his new classes. He +was glad to come again. + +We went at once to dinner. I wondered from where the new "chefess" and +her assistant "potato peeler" had procured the materials necessary to so +pretentious a meal. Though surprised, I soon learned that Jane Gray was +mistress of the art of making something beautiful out of nothing. + +We sat down to the softly-lighted table. The china was old and somewhat +chipped, but on its white background a design in tender blue just +matched the fresh larkspur used for table decorations. With the bringing +in of each dish prepared by the new cooks the little party grew gayer +and friendlier. The quaint old dining-room had never witnessed +festivities like these. In the long ago it served as the audience +chamber of a Daimyo's 'Besso' or play place. It was here that the feudal +lord had held council of war and state. The walls had never before +echoed the laughter of joyous youth. Now even the grotesque figures on +the carved beams seemed to awaken from a long sleep and give back smile +for smile. + +Pine Tree and Maple Leaf, gay in holiday dress, usually so precise and +formal, fluttered about like distracted butterflies as they served the +dinner, often stopping to hide their faces in the long sleeves when Zura +honored them with side remarks for, of course, she was the source of all +the merriment, the life of the party. She also reduced Jane to a state +of helpless laughter. I felt the years dropping away from me, and the +face of the boy whom I had learned to love was less strained and +brighter than I had ever seen it. He said little at first, but his eyes +smiled, and he listened eagerly to all Zura's chatter and seemed to be +hearing once again of joys dreamed of and a world lost to him. + +I knew myself growing happier every minute. The after-dinner coffee was +not necessary to make, somewhere near my heart, little thrills jump up +and down, like corn in a hot popper. I was getting what my soul +craved--companionship, contact with life, and a glimpse into the doings +of youth's magic years. + +We soon returned to the living-room. Page prepared to smoke, and we +settled down to a friendly, intimate time. + +The talk turned to school. Jane had been telling of a Japanese woman, +who, handicapped by the loss of an arm, and no longer being useful in +field work, trudged every morning eight miles to school where she could +learn sewing so as to help husband and babies. + +"Well!" remarked Zura doubtingly. "I can't sew with two hands, and my +tongue thrown in. I do not see how she manipulates anything so contrary +as a needle, single-fisted." + +"Oh! my dear," said Jane, "you can believe with one hand just as hard +as you can with two. It's hoping with all your might, while one is +doing, that makes our dreams come true. I'm afraid you never really +loved school." + +"Oh, yes, I did in spots," she said. "Especially if there were a fight +on--I mean--a contest. I could bear with cheerful resignation all the +V.P's., the B.B's., and chilly zeros they tagged on to my deportment, +but I would have worked myself into a family skeleton, before I would +permit another girl to outclass me in a test exam! I could forgive the +intellectual her sunset hair, but her Grecian nose--never!" + +The methods employed by the two contestants as related by Zura had +called forth my unqualified sympathy for the teacher when once again the +gong on my front-door rang out and a voice was heard asking for Miss +Wingate. + +Zura jumped up from her seat and greeted the visitor with frank delight. +"Oh!" she said, "it's Pinkey Chalmers! Who'd believe it! Hello, Pinkey! +My! but it is good to see somebody from home." + +There was ushered into the room a well nourished looking chap, who +greeted Zura by her first name familiarly. I did not need to be told +that he was the young man with whom she had been seen on the highway. +He was introduced to me as Mr. Tom Chalmers; I was told he had earned +his nickname, "Pinkey," by contracting the pink-shirt habit. + +The youth was carelessly courteous and very sure of himself. My +impression was that he had seen too much of the world and not enough of +his mother. He declined my invitation to dine, saying he had had late +tea before he left the ship which was coaling in a nearby port. + +"I started early," he went on, "but maybe you think I didn't have a +great old time finding this place. You said in your note, Zura, it was +the 'Misty Star' at the top of the hill. Before I reached here I thought +it must be the last stopping-place in the Milky Way. Climbing up those +steps was something awful." + +Mr. Chalmers mopped his rosy brow, but later conversation proved his +sensitiveness to feminine beauty quite overbalanced his physical +exhaustion, as on the way many pretty girls peeped out from behind paper +doors. + +Page kept in the background, plainly arranging a mode of escape. He soon +excused himself on the plea of work, saying as he left, "I'll drop in +some time to-morrow for the book. You'll find it by then." + +With the look of a disappointed child on her face, Jane called to her +little attendants, went to her room and resumed her knitting. + +The unbidden guest was gaiety itself, and there was no denying the +genuine pleasure of the girl. As the night was warm and glorious, I +suggested that Zura and her guest sit on the balcony. + +I picked up a book and sat by my reading lamp, but my eyes saw no +printed words. My mind was busy with other thoughts. I was a woman +without experience and had never lived in the world of these two. But +intuition is stronger than custom and longer than fashion. The standards +I held for the boys and girls of my country were high and noble. Frankly +I did not like the man's attention to Zura, the intimate companionship +suggested by his actions, nor his unreserved manner. The girl had told +us of their chance meeting on the steamer coming from Seattle. Any +mention of his name on her part was so open, she spoke of him as just a +good playfellow to help her to pass away the time, I could not believe +her feelings involved. But, fearful tragedies can be fostered by +loneliness and in Mr. Chalmers's easy familiarity with the lonely girl, +there was something wanting; I could only name it chivalry. Yet, as +their voices came to me, glad, happy, vibrant with the joys of youth and +its interests, I thought perhaps I did not understand the ways of the +young and their customs, because I had never known their delights. On +and on the boy and girl talked, unheeding my presence and the fact that +I could hear. + +From out the open window I caught a glimpse of the radiant blue between +the distant hills and the light of the great evening star as it flashed +its eternal message to the sparkling waters below. + +Zura saw it and called softly to her companion, "Hush, Pinkey! Look! +Isn't that a bit of heaven?" + +And he of the earth replied, "I am looking at you. That is all the +heaven I want just now." + +"You silly!" was the unvexed reproof. + +After a pause they began to talk of queer and, to me, far-off +things--something about the "average" of "Giants" and "Cubs," of +"quarter-backs," "full-backs" and a kind of "great rush," though what it +was after I never knew. I supposed he was telling her of some wild tribe +festival when he spoke of dances bearing the names of animals and +fowls. It was all as incomprehensible to me as Hindustanee. + +At last he said to her, "Well, girlie, I'm about due to leave now. I am +sorry, but I must be moving." Then more softly, "Remember to-morrow +night. You take a wrap and I'll see to the lunch. Boat will be ready at +eight. By Jove! with a night like this what a lark it will be!" + +The meaning of this was as clear as my crystal paper weight, and between +the door where Mr. Chalmers bade Zura good-night and the lodge where I +aroused the sleeping Ishi to his duty of custodian my thoughts went +around like a fly-wheel on full duty. + +The reflected flame of the old bronze lantern, swayed by the night-wind, +fell on the great gate and transformed the carved dragons and attendant +demons into living, moving things. + +The departing guest saw it and remarked with a mock fear, "That +dragonette seems alive; hope he and his angels will not follow me. Some +carving that!" + +"Are you interested in curious things, Mr. Chalmers?" + +"I should say. Everything from jiujitsu to eels and chopsticks catches +me." + +"Have you ever seen a garden in this country which boasts some three or +four centuries of birthdays?" + +"No; but I should like to gaze on the spectacle." + +Here was my opportunity to get in serious conference with the young man, +and as it seemed one of the few sights Mr. Chalmers had missed, I was +charmed to make my offer. + +"My garden is very famous," I said, "and just now it is in its full +beauty. I wonder if you would come to-morrow morning and permit me to +show it to you?" + +"Sure. Thanks," was the answer as he swung down the street and into the +sleeping town below. + + + + +VIII + +MR. CHALMERS SEES THE GARDEN AND HEARS THE TRUTH + + +Early next day I cornered Jane privately and told her of the +conversation I had overheard the night before and the visitor I was +expecting, adding, "This is Orphan Asylum day. I can't go, but take Zura +with you. I don't want her to see that Chalmers boy again. He's too +friendly, too highly colored to suit my ideas." + +If my tones were sharper than the occasion demanded, it was because of +the combination of a shriveled cash account, and an undesirable male +around. The general disturbance of mind made me say, not quite honestly: + +"He may be all right, but so far I can see not one good quality in Mr. +Chalmers's make-up." + +"Oh! yes, there is, Miss Jenkins," said Jane, quick to defend. "He can +whistle beautifully. Last night as he went down the street you should +have heard, 'Oh! Promise Me!' It was so pretty I almost cried." + +"Spare your tears, Jane; the prettiest whistle that ever grew never made +a real man. Mr. Chalmers will have to shine in another direction before +I am convinced. Now get Zura and clear out, and don't you dare to take +more than one basket of gingerbread Johnnies to the orphans." + + * * * * * + +When Mr. Tom Chalmers walked in at ten o'clock he barely concealed his +regret at there being only an elderly hostess to receive him. The garden +where I conducted my visitor, might have added joy to its symbol of +peace on this perfect day of early spring. In each flower, in every leaf +a glad spirit seemed to dwell. The feathered tribe that made its home +among the branches madly rejoiced in a melody of song and twitterings. A +white mother pigeon sheltered her young in a gnarled old plum tree, +full-blossomed and crimson, while in a lofty pine old man crow scolded +all birdkind as he swayed on the topmost branch, a bit of ebony against +the matchless sky of blue. + +There is only one effectual way of dealing with things one does not want +to do--make past history of them as fast as possible. Very soon after +entering the garden I asked Mr. Chalmers, who was mildly interested in +the beauties before him, to sit down with me. Without further dallying, +I went straight to the point of the interview. I told him I had heard +him make the appointment with Zura the night before and he seemed to +have forgotten to mention the matter to me, though I was close by. For a +time at least I was responsible for Zura, and I thought it best to call +his attention to a few facts which could not be overlooked. + +"I wonder, Mr. Chalmers, if you realize that in this country it is +impossible for a boy and a girl to associate together alone. It is +barely permissible for you to see her in the company of others. Already +your attentions have caused Zura to be talked about and there is very +serious trouble with her grandfather. Further than that, the excursion +you are planning for to-night is not only improper in any country, but +it means actual disgrace here." + +"It does? Well, I'll be hanged! Can't take a girl out and give her a +good time! I knew these Japs were fools, but their laws are plain rot." + +"Possibly, from your standpoint, Mr. Chalmers; but you see these laws +and customs were in good working order in Japan long before Columbus had +a grandfather. They can't be changed on the spur of the moment." + +"That's all right," he responded hotly. "What you can't change you can +sometimes break; I'm good at that kind of game." + +Something in the boy's resentful face said that I was an impudent old +meddler, an officious interloper. It made my voice as sharp as pins. +"Very well, young man," I said, "there will be just one time in your +life's history when you have encountered both an old law and an old +woman that you will neither break nor change. Your attentions to Zura +Wingate have got to be stopped and at once." + +"Stopped!" he retorted. "Who's going to make me? I come from a free +country where every fellow is his own boss. I'll do as I please. What do +I care about the laws of these little brown monkeys! Where would they be +anyhow if it wasn't for America? Didn't we yank 'em out of their +hermits' nest and make them play the game whether they wanted to or not? +They had better lay low! Don't they know there are ninety millions of +us? Why, with one hand tied behind we could lick the Rising Sun clean +off their little old flag!" + +If it ever happened, I wondered about what point in the battle I could +locate Mr. Pinkey Chalmers. The more he talked, the less I was sure of +my pet belief in the divine right of the individual. Then my heart +jumped; I saw Page Hanaford coming. + +"The maid was unable to find the book I came for. She directed me here. +Do I interrupt?" he asked on reaching us, bowing slightly and looking +inquiringly from my frowning face to Pinkey Chalmers's wrathful one. + +"Interrupt? No," said that youth. "Welcome to our prayer-meeting! I've +planned a picnic and a sail for Zura and me to-night. This lady says it +shall not be and I'm speculating who's going to stop it." + +Page stepped quietly up to the defiant Pinkey. "I will, Mr. Chalmers, if +necessary. I know nothing of your plans, but in this place Miss +Jenkins's word is law. You and I are here to obey it as gentlemen." + +Tommy blazed. "Gentlemen! Who are you, I'd like to know, pushing in and +meddling with my affairs," he said. + +At the challenge the old look of confusion momentarily clouded Page's +eyes. Then with an effort he found himself. "My ancestry would not +appeal to you, sir. But"--half good-humoredly--"the punch of my fist +might." + +[Illustration: Page started forward. A sound stopped him] + +"Oh h--h--ho!" stuttered Pinkey, angry and game. "You want to fight, do +you! Light in! I'm ready." + +Page started forward. A sound stopped him. It was voices singing an +age-old nursery tune: + + "Skip to my loobyloo, + Skip to my loobyloo, + Skip to my loobyloo + All of a Saturday morning." + +It was a strange and curious sight in that wonderful old garden. Down +the sandy path under the overhanging blossoms came Jane and Zura, +skipping and bowing in time to the game's demands. The last line brought +them to us. Hand in hand they stopped, Zura dishevelled, Jane's hat +looking as if it grew out of her ear, but old maid and young were +laughing and happy as children. + +"We were practising games for the 'Sylumites,'" explained Zura. "I'm +premier danseuse to the Nipponese kiddies and Lady Jenny is my +understudy. What's the argument?" she asked, observing first one face, +then the other, keenly alive to some inharmony. + +Mr. Chalmers started to speak. + +I cut him short. "Zura, take Mr. Hanaford with you and give him the book +he wants. You'll find it on my desk. You go too, Jane, and help; Mr. +Hanaford is in a hurry. I'll bring Mr. Chalmers later." + +"Lovely!" exclaimed Jane; "and everybody will stay to lunch. Come on, +let's have a feast." + +A feast! Jane knew well enough it was bean soup and salad day, and not +even a sweet potato in the pantry. Miss Gray and Zura started +house-ward, slowly followed by Page. He had looked very straight at Mr. +Chalmers, who returned the gaze, adding compound interest, and a +contemptuous shrug. + +They were barely out of hearing when he began, "Brave soldier of +fortune, that! Where did he come from?" Without waiting for me to answer +he went on: "I didn't know you were a missionary, else you couldn't have +tied me with a rope and made me listen to a sermon and a peck of golden +texts 'a la Japanese.'" + +"Unfortunately, Mr. Chalmers, I'm not a missionary. If I were, I would +leave off teaching the so-called heathen at once and be head chaplain to +some of the ninety millions you were talking about. Speaking of golden +texts, I know my Bible too well to cast pearls. Now, young man, once for +all let me say, this thing simply cannot be. Zura is a lonely girl in a +strange land. She must live under her grandfather's roof. Your slightest +attention will make mountains of difficulty for her, and she is not +going with you to-night even if you mean to marry her to-morrow." + +Pinkey turned nearly white. "Marry her!" he exclaimed, "Why, I'm engaged +to a girl back home." + +"Why, I never intended to marry her," he went on, more concerned than at +any time before. "I was just having a little flirtation." + +A little flirtation! By the powers that be! My country had progressed if +it had come to the place where a man could swear allegiance to one +woman, then blithely sail the seas to find heaven in another woman's +eyes! + +My few days' experience with a girl had set me more problems than I ever +found in arithmetic. This boy was a whole algebra, and they both +belonged to my country where I thought rearing children was like growing +flowers. Not only were things happening, I was learning new lessons +faster than I really cared for. I asked him if Zura knew of his +engagement. + +"No," he replied as he walked restlessly about, "I just met her coming +over. She isn't in love with me and I don't trouble others with my +private affairs." + +"Really! I am afraid your manly self-control will cause Zura many a +heart ache. I know of nothing more contemptible than being engaged to +one girl and flirting with another." + +"Most men do it," he answered sullenly. + +"I don't believe you, boy, and it will take more proof than you can +furnish to convince me that the men of my country have so low a standard +of honor." I put a heavy accent on "men." + +My guest flushed. "Well, I like that! What do you call me?" + +"A thoughtless boy," I said. "But if you want to be a man, here's your +chance. You go right back to your ship; write to Zura; tell her of your +engagement and why you cannot see her any more; then stay away." + +I knew as little about men as I did about fashion, but I plunged on. +"What do you think the girl back home would think? Suppose somebody +treated her as you have treated Zura? Shame on you, boy! Be a man and +help an old woman as well as a young one." + +The desire to have his own way died hard, but something conquered. +"I'll do it! Just watch me," he said at last, a certain bravado +accompanying his words. + +I could see that he was much disturbed by our interview. He rose and +moved towards the gate. His effort to live up to his newly-awakened +manhood was boyish, but sincere. + +He whirled about suddenly and said, "Miss Jenkins, I apologize to you +and Zura. I--I'm awfully sorry. Zura is such a jolly chum, and she was +very lonely; I wasn't any too gay myself at leaving home. But, honestly, +I didn't mean to make it hard for her. I--I didn't think. Please tell +her." + +Impulsively he took my hand and lightly kissed it. But for his +earnestness I would have thought it impudent. He was soon gone. + + * * * * * + +"Where's Pink Tommy?" cried Zura, as I entered the living-room. + +"Where's Mr. Hanaford?" I questioned back. + +"Why, he took his book and left. Didn't you say he was in a hurry?" + +"Yes, I did; so was Mr. Chalmers. He left good-by!" + +"Good-by?" In Zura's question there was much annoyance and some anger. + +Jane chimed in. "Both the boys gone? What a pity! I've just made a relly +joll." + +Whether intentional or not, Jane's twisted words sent a little breeze of +laughter before the coming storm. For the rest of the afternoon Zura had +little to say. Book in hand she sat in the windowseat overlooking the +water, watching the snow-white sails skim the opal sea. + +I made no further explanation of Mr. Chalmers or his call, thinking it +best to await the arrival of his note. + +It came just before night. The reading of it left Zura white. She looked +at me stonily, "I suppose," she began, stiff with anger, "that you did +this." + +"I did," I answered, looking into her blazing eyes. + +"And I suppose too," she continued with withering scorn, "that was why +the gay cavalier kissed your hand. I saw him through the window. So +touching! That's what you were plotting when I found you in the garden. +Page Hanaford was in it too; I saw it in his face. I hate him! I hate +everything! Oh!" she cried, with a sudden outburst of passion, "the lot +of you are a pack of withered mummies. Not one of you know what it means +to be homesick; how I'm aching for a good time! Yes, I was going with +Pinkey to have a picnic on the island. Yes, I was going to slip off +without telling you. How could you understand? What was the harm in my +having a little pleasure? Do you think I intend to bend to the rules of +this law-cursed country? No, I will not! I'll go where I please. I'll +have my own friends!" + +As gently as I could I forced her to go to her room and listen to what I +had to say. I related what had passed between Mr. Chalmers and me, of +the fatal thing she was contemplating and how her grandfather had +appealed to me for help. Never had I dreamed of such passion, such grief +in a young girl. She was like some wild thing, trying to beat its way to +freedom through prison bars. + +No word of mine, however tender, seemed to touch her. I began to feel +useless, miserable, and a joy killer in general. I almost wished for the +dull days of old; at least I knew how to deal with them. I could give +points to the Minister of Education, talk volubly at Mothers' Meetings +and translate Confucius from the original, but I was helpless before +this girl in her conflict with conditions to which she could never yield +and which she fought with all the fierceness of undisciplined strength. +I could think of no word to comfort her. I sought to divert her. "Zura, +listen! Do you remember the hat I wore the first day I came to see you? +You do remember, for I saw you smiling at it. Well, I've worn it for +eight years. Don't cry, Dearie; please don't; and I'll let you send to +Yokohama and select me another one." + +Sending to Yokohama for anything had always been an event to me. It was +the only excitement I could think of. But Zura flung herself around at +me. "Hang your old hat! What is a hat to a man, and he the only friend I +have out here. I don't care if there was another girl! She can have him. +He was somebody to play with. It was something to do, a touch of home. +Oh! it's cruel! cruel!" + +Though another ideal was gone to smash, I was almost ready to cry myself +with relief that it was only a playmate Zura wanted in Pinkey and not a +sweetheart. Even at that I was at my wit's ends again to know what to +say next when the door opened. Jane had heard the commotion, and there +she stood in her sleeping garments and cap, a kimono floating behind +her. In one hand was her candle, in the other the only ornament she +possessed--a stuffed parrot! + +She came in and, as if talking to soothe a three-year-old child, she +coaxed, "Zury, Zury, don't cry! Look what Jane has to show you. This is +Willie. For a long time he was my only friend; then he died. I missed +him terribly at first; but don't you cry about Mr. Pinkey. There are +plenty more men in this world, just as there are plenty more parrots and +as easy to get." + +"Oh, I wish everybody had died!" the girl sobbed on, heedless of Jane's +attempt at comfort. Suddenly, turning away from us, she stretched her +arms to the starlit space beyond the windows and cried, "I want my home! +I want my friends! I want life!" + + * * * * * + +Hours later the great golden moon rose from out the velvety shadows of +the mountains. It looked in the window, found a sleeping girl, and +kissed the heavy lashes still wet with passionate tears. Veering still +farther around to the balcony, it rested on two silent old women. + +From the city there floated up to us the tinkling of the samisens in the +tea-houses; the high, sweet voice of a dancing girl as she sang the +story of an old, old love; the sad notes of the blind masseur as he +sought for trade by the pathos of his bamboo flute; the night-taps from +the far-away barracks. Off to the west we could see the +fast-disappearing lights of a Pacific steamer. + +Neither sounds nor sights seemed to touch Miss Gray nor ruffle her +serenity. For a long time she had been looking steadily into space, as +if held by a mental vision of some spiritual glory. + +"Jane," I asked at last, "what shall we do?" + +Maybe it was the moon, but something had smoothed out every wrinkle in +her face. She looked young and wise, as she leaned over and put her hand +on mine. Here was a Jane I had never known before. In a voice low and +sweet, she repeated the ancient hymn: + + "God holds the key of all unknown + And I am glad. + If other hands should hold the key, + Or if He trusted it to me, + I might be sad." + +From that night my feeling of superiority to Jane diminished. Some of +her strong sweetness, penetrating what seemed the crusty exterior of my +heart, entered in to abide with me always. + + + + +IX + +JANE HOPES; KISHIMOTO DESPAIRS + + +When Zura appeared the following morning no reference was made to the +events of the night before. She was pale and coldly courteous. In her +sharp brightness there was no hint of an olive branch being hid about +her to be offered to me or presented to her grandfather when she +returned to his house that day, as previously arranged. + +Once only did the girl's manner soften, and then neither to Jane nor to +me. Outside, from every glint of the sun on the new green of the pines +to the joyous call of the white sea birds, was the glad message of +spring, and spring in this lovely Island is no mere promise of things to +come, but an everlasting fulfilment of the glorious promises made in the +hour the great Artist dreamed it. + +Zura looked through the window at the sea, gaily breaking its silvered +crests against the gray old rocks and, just above, the great patches of +rose-pink cherries streaking the blue haze of the mountains. As the +girl took in the tender beauty of the scene some memory seemed to touch +her. Her eyes filled, her lips trembled; but she quickly recovered +herself and soon after made her adieus. + +I walked with her to the gate and watched her go down the long flight of +steps. Everything about her, from the poise of her head to the swing of +her body, courted conflict and prophesied disaster. I felt as if I had +snatched a bag of candy from a hungry child. + +A week later Kishimoto San came to make the call customary on occasions +when any kindness had been done to him or his family. His gratitude for +my efforts to make some headway with Zura was very sincere. He +supplemented his thanks by a large box of cake. The gift was decorated +with a red string and a good-luck emblem and wrapped in a bright yellow +cloth. From the atmosphere, all concerned needed not only good luck, but +something the color of sunshine; one look into Kishimoto San's face +assured me it was neither springtime nor rosetime in the path he was +treading. + +My visitor was a busy man of many affairs, and I a woman much occupied; +but custom said that a ceremonial visit must be just so long, and +Kishimoto would rather break his neck once a week than a rule of +etiquette once a life-time. + +So we fell to talking of a recent trip he had made to Yokohama. He said +a great foreign fleet was visiting the port. The festivities and the +gaieties were unending. He had been only a looker-on, but a +deeply-interested observer. + +He spoke of how his country had strained its every resource to give +welcome to this fleet, making a neighborly call, though armed to the +ship's last rail. He continued: + +"The whole scene give me reminder of one very small boy who had grand +record of good fight, also he has the great exhaustion of strength from +last battle with tall giant. Small boy has poverty too, but he draw +forth his many ancient toy for guest to play. Makes big debt of money to +give him feast. He very much desire to keep face of big boy all covered +with smiles." + +Then from the way my visitor half shut his eyes and looked at me, I knew +something more was coming. + +"Americans are a great people, but disagree with their wonderfulness." + +"You mean they are inconsistent?" I suggested. + +Kishimoto San, being too much in earnest to search for the proper +English, dropped into Japanese-- + +"Yes, the old proverb fits them, 'A physician breaking the rules of +health.'" + +"Why do you say that of my people?" I asked in a moment on the +defensive. + +"Because you literally strain your bodies to hold very high a moral +standard for other nations, that you, yourselves fail to follow." + +"What do you mean?" + +He went on slowly: + +"I was wondering if it is the custom in your country for ladies to smoke +and drink liquor in public places?" + +"Ladies!" I repeated amazed. "American women smoke and drink in public +or other places! Certainly not," I declared emphatically. "Why do you +hint at such a thing?" + +Thirty years' absence from my country had glorified my ideal of its +womanhood. + +"Only this," said Kishimoto San, "several times while in Yokohama I had +occasion to visit the Ocean Hotel. On the broad veranda facing the sea +were seated numbers of great men and ladies together, many of them were +smoking and I could not count the number of cocktails they consumed." + +"They were not American women," was my vigorous protest. + +"Yes, madam, they were. First they were beautiful and sparkle with eyes +and tongue. All men bow down to them same as we bow to our Empress. Then +afterwards I examine register and clerk of hotel confirm my thought." + +"Possibly what you say is true, Kishimoto San, but hasn't it a flavor of +littleness to label as a national habit the acts of a few exhilarated +travelers? What have you to say of the vast army of American women who +could not be forced into doing the things you mention?" + +"Nothing. Except I was just wondering how America could spare so many +missionaries. You know we do not beg for their company." + +"It is not well for you to forget what your country of all others owes +to the missionaries," I reminded him. "Though your beliefs are as far +apart as the Poles, your sense of justice can but acknowledge that the +unselfish service of the missionaries has led your people to heights +they never could have reached without them." + +"True," he responded, "it was not of their work in this country I was +speaking, but the need of more work in their own. You have very good +story in your big book about the 'beam and mote.' Do not the morals of +your own country need uplifting before you insist on sending emissaries +to turn my people from the teachings of many centuries? Has your +religion and system of education proved so infallible for yourselves +that you must force it upon others? Ah, madam, America has led us far +and high, but the West is for the West and the East is for the East. So +far, on the road to progress they can march side by side. Further than +that, the paths divide and are separated by insurmountable differences, +because your country is ruled by the teachings of freedom which you +cannot practise. We are governed by the will of our divine Emperor, and +the spirit of our ancestors. And I pray the great Amida before my +country is stripped of her love and reverence for these, my poor spirit +will be annihilated. For if they are taken away, what can we put in +their places save the liberty of the Occident, which means license in +the Orient." + +I heard him in silence, for while there was much truth in what he said, +many times we had argued ourselves into a fever over these questions and +never got anywhere. We could no more agree than we could worship the +same God. + +For my part, whatever might be the erratic actions of a few of its +freakish individuals, my faith in my country and its people is my faith +in my God. I was old fashioned enough to believe every man his brother's +keeper. There was nothing more for me to say. + +For him, intense loyal patriot that he was, his devotion to crumbling +old standards was making his fight against the new a bitter and hopeless +struggle. But I had never seen the man so stirred as he was this day. He +went on: + +"What of the teachings for your young? They may do for your country, but +not for mine! So far as I can see, your boys and girls are left to grow +as weeds. They are as free as the foxes and learn their cunning without +their wisdom. They are without filial piety. They reverence neither +ancestors, the law, nor the great gods. Neither do they fear their own +devil, nor the evil spirits." + +"How do you know this?" I inquired. + +"I know because I have seen their comings and goings. I have heard their +free speech before the face of their parents and mothers-in-law. And I +have seen them as visitors in the temples. Because"--the man's voice +shook with feeling--"I have in my house a girl with the blood of the +East in her veins and the influence of the West in her life. She is +rebellious, rude and irreverent. Only this morning, when I gave warning +what vengeance the great Buddha would send upon her for impiety, did she +not toss her red head and laughingly scoff in my face." At this point I +arose and rang for tea and my visitor continued: "Ah, I tremble at her +daring. It is her foreign blood, her training. It will curse us yet." + +I cheerfully assured him that I thought it would unless he could bring +himself to see that the girl was entitled to a few rights as well as +himself. I inquired how things had gone since Zura's visit to me. He +said she had not often referred to her visit; when she did it was in +pleasant terms. But her attitude to him and his household was as +disrespectful as ever and, he thought, more defiant. + +He then spoke of a great Buddhist festival that had begun that week and +was to continue for several days. It was very important that each member +of his family should attend and take part in every service. So far Zura +had refused to go. With sketch-book in hand she disappeared from the +house every morning. While he had not seen or heard of her being with +the young officer man, he had no doubt she spent her time in his +company. + +In as few words as possible I told Kishimoto of my interview with Mr. +Chalmers, and his promise not to come again nor to further complicate +matters. + +My listener was more than pleased. "I thank you," he said impressively. +"You are a strong-minded woman." + +When I remarked that Japan was no place for a weak-minded one he seemed +to think again about smiling, but changed his mind and asked me solemnly +if I would not honor him by coming to his house the following evening +and, with his family, attending the great festival on the last night. + +I accepted the invitation and he left. + + * * * * * + +In the evening Page Hanaford came to dinner. When I told him Zura had +returned to her home, the smile on his face faded. It spread to his lips +and eyes as I rehearsed the close of my interview with Mr. Chalmers. + +"I sincerely hope that danger is passed," I said earnestly. + +"I would not consider Mr. Chalmers dangerous by nature, only by +thoughtlessness," remarked Page; "his bravado needs seasoning like his +youth. Will you not let me help you, Miss Gray?" he exclaimed as that +lady came in almost smothered in the packages her frail arms held. + +"Oh! it's just grand--how many nice people there are in the world," the +little missionary said enthusiastically, when relieved of her burdens +and seated. "That druggist gentleman was lovely. I bought a jar of +vaseline, and he found out I could talk English. Then I found out he was +trying to talk it; I told him about my hospital, and he gave me all +these splendid medicines I brought in. There's court-plaster and +corn-salve and quinine and tooth-powder and a dozen milk bottles for the +babies, and plenty of cans to put things in. That's a good start for my +drug store." + +"The drug store and the patients, but the building!" I exclaimed. "Only +a dream! I don't want to be a cold-water dasher but, Jane Gray, where +will your visions lead you?" + +"To Heaven, Miss Jenkins; that's where they were meant to lead. My +hospital is a dream now because it is not built. But it's going to be +soon; I know it. Didn't that splendid Japanese man clothe and educate +hundreds of orphans for years on faith, pure and simple? Of course my +little hospital is on the way! What better proof does anybody want than +the story of Mr. Hoda's Orphan Asylum?" + +"Give us the story," urged Page, sinking into a big chair, after he had +made Jane comfortable. + +"Indeed I will. I love to tell it for Mr. Hoda certainly sold his soul +for the highest price." + +"When he was a very young and ambitious man, doing without food to get +his medical education, three homeless babies fell into his hands. He and +his mother lived on a little less and made room for the children. Soon +more waifs drifted in. Mr. Hoda couldn't turn them away, but he wondered +where he was to get the food for them. Then he had a vision and a dream. +In it a great famine was sweeping the land. He saw a Man beautiful, but +sorrowful, toiling up a steep mountain, with His arms full of helpless +children and more clinging to His white garments. This wonderful Being +turned and saw the great pity in Mr. Hoda's eyes, then called back, +'Help me care for the many that are left. I will never forsake you nor +them.' After that, Mr. Hoda knew what his work was. He fought so hard to +follow his vision he burned all his doctor's books for fear he might be +tempted. He had gone hungry to buy those books. A long time after, Mr. +Hoda didn't care about them, for his vision brought him the +beautifulest faith. He knew food and clothing for the children would +come, and often there hasn't been a bite nor a penny in the house and +almost time for the dinner bell to ring, when from somewhere food or the +way to buy it, would come pouring in as though that Orphan Asylum was +built in a land filled with manna and flowing with honey. Mr. Hoda and +his flock of orphans have waited but never wanted. I'm waiting; but I am +just as sure of my dream as I am of my friends." + +"Of course you are," encouraged Page. "Talk of removing mountains! Why, +a faith like that would set a whole Himalayan range to dancing. You are +a great little missionary, Miss Gray." + +"Thank you, Mr. Page; missionaries are not great. We can't help living +what we believe. Wouldn't you be very happy if you were as certain and +sure of all your dreams as we are?" + +"Happy!" cried the boy, getting up and walking about. "I'd give a +life-time to know--never mind. Your hospital will come true. When it +does we will ask the city to decorate as it is doing to-day for some big +festival. My! the streets look like bargain day in Christmas trees," he +ended, recovering some of his light spirits. + +"That's so. There is a festival. What is it, Miss Jenkins?" + +I explained the meaning of the festival, which was more strictly +observant of ritual and old customs than any other of the year, and I +told of Kishimoto San's invitation to me. + +Miss Gray exclaimed anxiously, "But you are not going?" Jane was slow in +shaking off the limitations of the doctrine that branded all religions +in a foreign country as idolatrous and contaminating. + +I said I intended going. + +"Oh, Miss Jenkins," Jane cried, "do be careful! They might ask you to +bow down before one of those heathen idols, and maybe they might make +you offer at its feet a stick of something smelly in one of those insect +burners." + +For the first time since I had known Page Hanaford, he shouted with +laughter. "Sweet aroma of incense, that's a blow for you!" he said. +"Come to think of it, I believe I'll happen along and see how it's +done." + + + + +X + +ZURA GOES TO THE FESTIVAL + + +On my way to join the festival party at the appointed time I passed +through the streets of the city, brilliant with decorations of flags and +lanterns. Gay crowds sauntered beneath graceful arches of pine and lacey +bamboo. For the time worry and work were laid aside with every-day +dress, and like smiling, happy children on a picnic, the vast throngs +moved toward the temple where the great "Matsuri" was in progress. A man +deaf and blind would have known it was a holiday by the feel in the air. +He would also have felt as I did the change in the atmosphere as he +neared Kishimoto's house. + +The maid, who answered my summons, said the family would soon be ready +to start; the hairdresser had finished; the ceremonial obis were being +tied for the madams; the Dana San had about completed his devotions +before the household shrine. Would I bring my most august body into the +living-room and hang my honorable self upon the floor? + +I complied with the request and found Zura alone. + +Considering the strained relations at our last parting and the solemnity +of the present occasion, she greeted me with a flippancy that was +laughable. "Oh, here's Miss Jenkins! Welcome to our happy home, and I +certainly wish you joy on this jaunt." + +"Are you not going with us?" I asked, observing that she carried in her +hand a paint-box as well as her hat. + +"Not I," she laughed. "I'd picnic with Mrs. Satan and her family first. +But do come in. The ogre awaits you. One of the two witches has just had +a spell." + +"Which one?" I inquired, putting into my question every inviting tone at +my command. I was determined to get on terms of friendliness with this +girl. Had not I in the long ago longed for liberty and for life as I had +never craved orthodox salvation? Not even to myself had I acknowledged +how strong an appeal to my love of fair play, was Zura's frank rebellion +against being reduced to an emotionless creature guaranteed to move at +the command of her Masters. + +All her warfare had been in the open. At no time in her visit to me, +did she mention the unhappy conditions at her home nor voice complaints +of its inmates. + +Undisciplined, untrained as she was, there was in her nature a certain +reserve which compelled admiration. When not on the defensive for what +she considered her rights, she had a decided sweetness that drew me +irresistibly. I did not approve of her methods, but my sympathy was deep +for this child of freedom forced to live in the painful restrictions of +a conservative Japanese family. + +I was beginning to see that Zura would break long before she would bend. +To break at all meant disaster. To break alone meant ruin. She was of my +country, my people. Without further ado I arrayed myself on the side of +the one who had four against her. + +Before she answered my question, she looked at me as a chained creature +might eye a strange hand to see if it were outstretched for a caress or +a blow. Having decided, she went on, "The ancientest one. Some red +lilies I carried brought on the fit. An hour ago I gathered a few from +the rice fields and took them to my room. When the old dame saw their +crimson petals she began to foam at the mouth and splutter a lot of +nonsense about the flowers being tongues of flame; she said they would +set the house on fire and burn us all to a cinder. If I thought that I'd +bring a cartload, and then run. She took them away and threw them in the +hot bath. The lovely things shriveled like scalded baby hands. About +then, my august grandfather arrived on the scene. He ordered me to put +on Japanese dress and come to their old festival. I've planned +otherwise, and I won't do it." She put on her hat and stabbed it with a +long pin. + +"Look here, Zura," I ventured, "you'll miss a joyfully good time if you +don't go. The country people swarm to these festivals, and babies are as +thick as ants. You'll see more pictures than you can paint in a +life-time. There are queer things to buy and funny things to eat. The +fire-walking ceremony is wonderful." + +This caught her attention. "What do they do at this ceremony?" + +"It has been a long time since I saw it, but I remember it was thrilling +to watch the worshipers walk barefoot over the hot coals. Come along +with me, Zura. Come on," I urged, seeking in my mind for a more +persuasive word and finding a memory of Mr. Pinkey Chalmers to help me +out, "and we'll make a night of it." + +I saw nothing humorous in what I had said, but it had a curious effect +on Zura. She changed her mind so swiftly, her manner grew so gleeful, I +thought maybe I had made a promise I could not keep. + +"All right, old sport," she laughed with reckless gaiety, "I'll go; you +stick to me and I'll give you the time of your young life. But make it +clear to the devotees in this house that I won't tie myself up in a +kimono; neither will I bend an inch before any of those +dropsical-looking images." + +Soon we heard the rustle of the Master's silken garments. He entered, +closely followed by his mother, wife and daughter, their kimonos and +obis in colors soft and mellow as befitted older women, and each covered +with an overcoat thin of texture and rich in quality. This outer garment +was the insignia not only of rank, but of the grave importance of the +occasion. + +Their greetings to me were soon over, and Zura announced that she was +going with us. + +Without a glimmer of pleasure in her seeming willingness to obey, her +grandfather said, "It is well." + +Had he glanced at the girl when he voiced it, he would have chosen other +words. In her very bright eyes there was a look which boded no spirit +of good will. + +Kishimoto San, with his mother, led the way on our pilgrimage. We +followed behind; and bringing up the rear was an army of servants loaded +with blankets, cushions and hampers of food. It was to be a long session +of worship and festivities, and the family would need all the comforts +of home before their return. + +The festival was called "Tanjo Shaka" (Buddha's Birthday), and as our +little party passed through the great gates the crowds of +holiday-makers, which thronged the enclosure, testified to the +popularity of the day. The broad avenue leading to the steps of the old +temple was lined on each side by temporary booths, from which one could +purchase anything from a hot sweet potato to a much-decorated prayer, +from false teeth to a charm to ward off the chicken-pox. + +There was a man who made a dainty fan while you waited; the cook who +made a cake while you prayed; the handkerchief man and the sock man; and +ah me! the funny old codger, bald of head and shriveled of body, but +with a bit of heaven in his weary old eyes. It was the reflection of the +baby faces about him. His was the privilege of fashioning from sticky, +sweet dough wonderful flowers of brilliant hue and the children flocked +about him like birds of Paradise to a field of grain. + +On every side were set up images of the infant Buddha. Around these, +worshipers crowded that they might purchase some portion of the licorice +tea poured over the image and supposed to guard against many evils. + +Groups of white-garbed pilgrims from distant cities passed on to +worship, their tinkling bells keeping time to the soft pad of their +sandaled feet. Under the overhanging boughs of the ancient trees were +placed low platforms spread with bright red blankets, and thereon sat +the family groups. In these throngs very few were well off in worldly +possessions. For the masses this day meant curtailment of necessities +for many other days. It was a willing sacrifice, for, having done duty +at the temple and cheerfully contributed their hard-earned "rin," they +yielded themselves up to the enjoyment of being set free, in a space +where neither worry nor want were permitted to enter, where their poor +lives touched something higher or less sordid than themselves. The day +was a gift of the gods and they would be merry, for to-morrow was toil +and poverty. It was neither satisfying nor permanent but all so simple +and happy. Only a heartless stickler for creed and dogma would have +labeled it idolatry or banished from the garden of the temple the +participants who were childlike in their enjoyment. + +It took us some time to make our way to the building where Kishimoto +guided us that he with his family might first offer their devotions. +Once there, the ceremony began. I was not expected to participate and +stood aside. It was not without anxiety that I heard the grandfather +give a stern command to Zura to approach and kneel with him before the +great bronze image, and her equally rigid refusal to do so. + +With difficulty the proud old Buddhist refrained from creating a scene +before the other worshipers, but it was plain that he was stung to the +quick for the honor of his religion. From the look in his face he only +bided his time. + +The girl moved nearer to me and none too quietly mocked priest and +worshiper gaily. Both maid and man seemed determined once for all to +settle the supremacy of will. They were like two warriors measuring +their strength before the final contest. The slip of a dark-eyed girl +seemed an adversary easily disposed of. Though justly angered, her +opponent had learned that if from him she had inherited tenacity of +will, the legacy from her father had been an invincible belief in her +individual right and courage to assert it. + +After this clash we walked about till it was time for the evening meal. +It was served in an open tea-house. Hospitable and kind to the last +degree, both host and hostesses pressed upon me every dainty eatable, +and tried by all they knew to dispel the gathering clouds. I was touched +by their efforts and did my best to smooth the way to peace, but my +endeavors were vain. It was a conflict of conditions in which were both +wrong and right, but which not to the end of time would ever be +reconciled. + +At last the family sat apart and talked in low tones. Zura moved closer +to me and, though white-lipped and restless after the many encounters +with her grandfather, her spirit was undaunted. + + + + +XI + +A BROKEN SHRINE + + +The feast over, we moved on. The servants were left to pack up, and +instructed to join the family at a certain shrine some distance away; +devotions at that place would end the festival. + +The closing down of night was like the working of some magic. From every +point of temple, shrine, and tree sprang a light. Fireworks shaped like +huge peonies, lilies, and lesser flowers spluttered in the air. Myriad +lights turned the garden into a place of enchantment. In the hand of +every feaster swung a paper lantern, gay in color, daring in design, its +soft glow reflected on the happy face above. The whole enclosure seemed +to be a bit of fairy land, where workaday people were transformed into +beings made only for the pleasures of life. + +I kept close to Zura regardless of where she led, for all she saw seemed +not only to increase her interest, but to intensify her reckless mood. +On our way we paused at a Pagoda. A group of priests were marching +around it chanting some ritual. They were very solemn and their voices +most weird. + +"What are they doing with their throats, Miss Jenkins?" asked Zura. + +"Singing." + +"Singing! Well, they know as much about singing as tit-willows do about +grand opera. But the colors of those gorgeous robes are fascinating. +Aren't the curves of that roof lovely? See how the corners turn up. +Exactly like the mustache of the little band master at home. Oh, look at +those darling kiddies!" she suddenly exclaimed, going swiftly to the +nearby stand of a cake man. + +A dozen children or so, wistful-eyed and a bit sad, stood around. These +were the city rats and street waifs, who only came from their holes +after dark. Too poor to buy, they could only gaze and wish. The old man, +for the sake of the hungry birdlings at home, could give no further of +his store. + +Zura stopped before the little heaps of sweet dough. The children closed +about her. None were afraid, and all instinctively felt her friendship. +Her bargain was quickly made. Soon each child had a large share not only +of cake, but also of tiny flags and paper cherry blossoms which had +adorned the owner's booth. Zura emptied a small knitted purse of "rins" +and "sens." She had told me earlier that she had sold a picture to a +postcard man. The cake dealer got it all. + +We left the children open-mouthed, gazing at the "Ojosan" (honorable +elder sister) who had proved nothing less than a goddess; but the girl +heeded neither their looks nor their thanks, for we had come upon the +ancient rite of firewalking, once a holy ceremony for the driving out of +demons, now used for the purpose of proving the protection of the gods +for the devout. + +On a mat of straw, overspread by a thick layer of sand, was a bed of +charcoal kept glowing by attendants armed with fans attached to long +poles. Priests were intoning a prayer to the god of water, who lived in +the moon, to descend with vengeance upon the god of fire. With much +twisting of fingers and cabalistic waving of hands, a worshiper would +draw something from a bag purchased from the priest. This he told the +onlookers was spirit powder. Sprinkling a part of it on the fire and +rubbing his feet with what was left he would cross the live coals, +arriving at the other end unharmed. His swaggering air, indicating "I am +divinely protected," deeply impressed the wondering crowd. + +Absorbed in watching the fantastic scene, I failed for some time to +notice Zura's absence from my side. Neither was she with her family, who +were near by. Anxiously turning to search for her, I saw her opposite in +a cleared space and, through the background of an eager, curious crowd, +Page Hanaford hurriedly pushing his way to the front. + +At the edge of the fire stood Zura without shoes or stockings. + +Page saw. His voice rang out, "Miss Wingate! I beg of you!" + +For a moment she poised as light as a bird; then, lifting her dress, she +quickly walked across the burning coals. The sparks flew upward, +lighting the bronze and gold in her hair, showing too her face, a study +in scornful daring. + +The lookers-on cheered, some crying, "Skilful, skilful!" and others, +"Brave as an empress!" "She is protected by her foreign god." + +Heedless of the crowds, as if they were not, Zura took her hat, shoes, +and stockings from the adoring small boy who held them and rejoined me. +I glanced around at the family. The women's faces said nothing. To at +least two of them, Zura was a strange being not of their kind and with +whom they had nothing to do. But the look in Kishimoto San's eyes made +me shrink for the fate of the girl. + +Laying my hand upon her arm I asked, "Oh, Zura, why did you do it? +Aren't your feet burned?" + +"Burned! Nonsense! They are not even overheated. I used some of their +spirit powder, which is plain salt. I did it to prove to myself that all +they teach and do is fakery." + +Page joined us, inquiring anxiously, "You are not hurt? I call it +plucky, but very foolish. Didn't you hear me call to you?" + +Zura, looking up from fastening her shoe, replied stiffly, "Mr. +Hanaford, once is quite enough for you to interfere with my affairs." + +The boy flushed, then smiled, and dropped to the rear. + +As she spoke I could but notice her voice was a little less joyous. It +sounded a note of weariness as if her high spirit, though unconquered, +was a bit tired of the game. + +In depressed silence our party mingled with the throng on its way to the +shrine where the last tribute was to be paid. The place of devotion was +in a dense grove, isolated and weird. A single upright post held a +frail, box-like contrivance. The inner recess of this was supposed to +hold a relic of Buddha--some whispered a finger, some a piece of the +great teacher's robe; but whatever the holy emblem, both place and +shrine were surrounded with a veil of superstitious mystery and held in +awe. A lonely taper burned before the shrine, dimly lighting a small +opening covered with ground glass and disclosed above a written warning +to all passers-by to stop and offer prayer or else be cursed. + +The crowd of worshipers paid tribute, but rather than pass on, lingered +in the shadow, their curious eyes fixed upon the half-foreign girl. + +It was splendid for her to brave the fire-god, but no living soul dared +face the Holy Shrine with the scorn Zura's face and manner so plainly +showed. Admiration melted into distrust. They would wait and see the +end. + +One by one my host, his mother, wife and daughter passed before the +relic and reverently bowed. Then they stood aside in a silent group, +slightly apart from Page and me. It was Zura's turn. In the face of +Kishimoto San, as he looked at his granddaughter, was concentrated the +power of his will and all the intolerant passion of his religion. He +looked and he waited--in vain. The girl did not move. + +When he finally spoke, his voice was low, but his words fairly stabbed +the air. "Obey me! Approach and bow!" + +Zura seemed to be turned to stone. But her words were as clear and as +measured as his own. "I will not! Now or ever!" + +Past all endurance of the girl's disrespect, the man made one step +forward, grasped Zura by the shoulders, and pushed her towards the +shrine. The force sent her forward. As she stumbled she seized a bamboo +pole. With it she gave one swift blow. At our feet the little shrine lay +shattered, and out of its secret recess rolled a pasteboard box, +mildewed and empty. + +Then, like the hissing wind, rose the quick anger of the people. + +At the same instant Page and the crowd rushed toward Zura, who, with +bamboo stick in her raised hand, stood white and defiant. + +A coolie made a lunge at her. With closed fist Page Hanaford struck him +full in the face; the other arm shielded Zura. Another man spat at her, +and met the fate of his brother from Page's well-directed blow. There is +nothing so savage as a Japanese mob when roused to anger. Knowing them +to be cruel and revengeful, my heart stood still as I watched the throng +close about Page and Zura. I knew the boy single-handed could not hold +out long before the outraged worshipers. + +Then above the noise and curses and threats Kishimoto San's voice rang +out. "Stop! you crawling vipers of the swamp! How dare you brawl before +this sacred place? How dare you touch one of my blood! My granddaughter +accounts to me, not to the spawn of the earth--such as you! Disperse +your dishonorable bodies to your dishonored homes! Go!" + +Blind to reason, they cowered before a masterful mind. They knew the +unbending quality of Kishimoto's will, his power to command, to punish. +The number grew steadily less, leaving Page and Zura and her grandfather +alone. + +Kishimoto San turned to the girl and with words cold as icicles, cutting +as a whiplash, dismissed the child of his only daughter from his house +and home. He cared neither where she went, nor what she did. She no +longer belonged to him or his kind. He disowned her. Her foreign blood +would be curse enough. + +Bidding his family follow, he turned and left. As Mrs. Wingate passed +her disgraced offspring, with troubled voice and bewildered looks she +repeated once more her set formula of reproof, "Oh, Zura! I no +understand yo' naughty; I no like yo' bad." + +The homeless girl, Page, and I were left in the darkness. + +"Come with me, Zura," I said, not knowing what else to do; and the three +of us made our way toward the high twinkling light that marked the House +of the Misty Star. + +As the boy walked beside her, hatless, tie and collar disarranged, I +could but see what his defense of Zura had cost him in physical +strength. His face twitched with the effort to control his shaking +limbs; that strange illness had robbed him of so much. + +"Please, Mr. Hanaford, do not trouble to climb the steps with us," I +urged. "There is no danger. By now the crowd is doubtless laughing over +the whole thing." + +"No, Miss Jenkins," he said, "I cannot leave you till you are safely +shut in the house. Rather interesting, wasn't it?" + +"Interesting! Well, I guess I know now what making a night of it means." + +It was my one attempt to lighten conversation. We went on in silence. + +Wordless my other companion walked beside me. She gave no sign. Only +once, when I stumbled, the hand she outstretched in quick support was +shaking and cold. + +On reaching the house Page declined to come in; but, seeing the knuckles +of his right hand torn and bleeding, I would take no refusal. "Boy, your +hand is bleeding. Come right in and let me dress it," said I. + +"Don't trouble. It's nothing; only a bit of knocked-up skin. That coolie +must have sharpened his teeth for the occasion." + +Zura spoke for the first time as I made the room light. "Oh! I didn't +know you were hurt, Mr. Hanaford. I am sorry. Let me see." She took his +hand in both of hers and held it closer under the lamp. Still holding +it, she lifted her eyes with sympathy to his. "I'm not worth it," she +said softly. + +I did not hear Page's answer; but I thought he was almost gruff when he +quickly drew away and walked to the window. He had nothing to say when I +bandaged his hand, and he soon left. + +It was only a matter of a few minutes to light the lamp and arrange the +bed in the guest-room I had taken such pleasure in preparing before for +Zura's visit. I went through these small duties without speaking. I bore +no ill will to the girl who had been thrust upon me. My thoughts were +too deep for anger against the wayward child whose start in life had +been neither fair nor just. But in separating herself from her family +she had done the most serious thing a girl can do in whose veins runs +the blood of a Japanese. Everything ready, I said good-night as kindly +as circumstances would permit. + +Zura put out her hand and thanked me. A smile twitched her lips as she +said, "Never mind, Miss Jenkins. Don't be troubled. No use fighting +against fate and freckles." The tears in her voice belied her frivolous +words. + +Anxious for what might happen, I sat for the rest of the night in the +room adjoining the one occupied by my unexpected guest. Twice before the +coming of the dawn there reached me from the farther chamber sounds of a +soul in conflict--the first battle of a young girl in a strange land, +facing the future penniless and heavily handicapped. + +It was a lonely vigil and a weary one. + + + + +XII + +A DREAM COMES TRUE + + +If becoming a member of my household was a turning-point in Zura's life, +in mine it was nothing less than a small-sized revolution, moving with +the speed of a typhoon. + +The days piled into weeks; the weeks plunged head-foremost into +eternity, and before we could say "how d'y' do" to lovely summer, autumn +had put on her splendid robes of red and yellow and soft, dull brown. + +If once I yearned for things to happen, I now sometimes pined for a +chance, as one of my students put it, "to shut the door of think and +rest my tired by suspended animation." For I had as much idea about +rearing girls as I had on the subject of training young kangaroos. But +it grew plainer to me every day my nearly ossified habits would have to +disintegrate. Also I must learn to manipulate the role of mother without +being one. + +Soon after the girl's break with her family the ineffective child-woman +who had given Zura life passed quietly into the great Silence before the +daughter could be summoned. Though Zura was included among the mourners +at the stately funeral, she had no communication with her grandfather. +Afterwards the separation was final. + +Once only I visited Kishimoto San's house and had an interview with him. +He was courteous, and his formality more sad than cold. He would never +again take Zura into his house; neither would he interfere with her. Her +name had been stricken from his family register. As long as I was kind +enough to give her shelter, he would provide for her. Further than that +he would not go, "for his memory had long ears and he could never +forget." + +It was a painful hour which I did not care to repeat. + + * * * * * + +I acquainted Zura with her grandfather's decision. + +Her only comment was, "His memory has long ears, has it? So has mine, +and they'll grow longer, for I have longer to live." + +In the first intimate talk I had with my protegee, her one idea was to +earn the money to return to America, where there was "more chance to +make a living." So far as she knew her father was without relatives. +There was no one to look to for help. But she could work; she knew many +girls who worked; and there was always "something to do" in Seattle. + +"How good it will be to get back to it. Wish I could get a whiff of the +air right now. Yes, indeed! I am American to the ends of my fingers, and +hallelujah to the day when I sail back." + +I entered into her plans with enthusiasm, reserving my determination +never to lose sight of her till she was in safer hands than mine. + +She was very eager to begin earning money for her passage home, offering +to teach, to scrub, and even to learn to cook, if we'd learn to eat it. + +I pointed out that, with her ability to sketch and her natural +fascination for young girls, the forming of classes would be a simple +matter. She was only to teach them drawing at first. + +To this she demurred; the pay was so poor that she pleaded to be allowed +to have one little class in English. + +I was dubious; but, as it was only a beginner's class, I consented--upon +her solemn promise to "cut out all ragtime classics and teach plain cats +and dogs, rats and mice." + +The process of readjustment in life is sometimes as painful as skin +grafting. The passing of each day under the new conditions which Zura's +coming had brought about marked for both of us either a decided growth +or a complete backset. With earnestness I endeavored to make my old eyes +see the world and all its allurements from the windows of Zura's +uncontrolled youth. Earnestly I then appealed to her to try to +understand that life was a school and not a playground and to look +without prejudice at the reasonableness of conventions which life in any +country demanded, if happiness was to come. + +For the first time since I had known her the girl seemed fully to +realize that regulated law was a force, and no bogey man which crabbed +old grandfathers dangled before pleasure-loving girls, and for her +running loose in the green pasture of life was at an end. The bit she +must learn to wear would teach her to be bridle wise. However stupid, +the process was an unavoidable necessity. + +Zura was really serious when we finished our long conference. She leaned +over and put her hand on mine. "Nobody but father was ever so kind to +me. I'll truly do my best." As if afraid of growing too serious she +added: "But, Miss Jenkins,"--her voice was low and her eyes sparkled, +proving how hard the old Zura was dying--"I just bet I kick over the +traces some time. I feel it in my system." + +"You what?" I reminded. + +"Madam, I have a premonition that this process of eliminating the gay +and the festive will be something of a herculean task. In other words, +keeping in the middle of the road is a dull, tough job." + +"Oh, Zura!" I cried despairingly. + +"Yes'm. But from this minute I am starting down the track on the race +for reformation. Give me time. Even a colt can't get a new character and +a sweet disposition in a week." + + * * * * * + +As the days passed it proved not a race, but a hard, up-hill battle, +where in gaining one fight she sometimes lost two, and while still +aching with the last defeat had to begin all over again. The vision, +though, of the home-going to America lured and beckoned her to the +utmost effort to conquer not only circumstances, but herself. + +Jane and I helped whenever we could, but there were places so dark +through which the girl must pass alone, that not even our fast +increasing love could light the shadows of the struggles. + +I realized that a young girl should have young company of her own kind; +but there was none for her. In Hijiyama, and especially in our +neighborhood, were many high-class families. Even members of the royal +line claimed it as residence. With these the taint of foreign blood in +any Japanese marked that person impossible. I dreaded to tell Zura this. +She saved me the trouble by finding it out for herself. Ever afterward, +when by chance she encountered the elect, her attitude caused me no end +of delight and amusement. In courteous snubbing she outclassed the +highest and most conservative to them. In absenting herself from their +presence Zura's queenly dignity would have been matchless, had she been +a little taller. + +As much as possible, I made of myself a companion for her and the most +of our days were spent together. + +It was a curious pact between young and old. One learning to keep the +law, the other to break it, for in my efforts to be a gay comrade as +well as a wise mother I came as near to breaking my neck as my +well-seasoned habits. Zura had a passion for out-of-door sketching, as +violent as the whooping cough and lasting longer and the particular view +she craved proved always most difficult of access, It severely tested my +durability and mettle. I wondered if Zura had this in mind, but I stuck +grimly to my task and though often with aching muscles and panting +lungs, scrambled by dangerous paths to the edge of some precipice where +I dared neither to stand up nor to sit down, but I had longed for +excitement and happenings and dared not complain when my wish was +fulfilled. + +I could always count upon it that, whatever place Zura chose, from there +one could obtain the most splendid view of vast stretches of sea, the +curve of a temple roof, a crooked pine, or a mass of blossom. She was as +irresistibly drawn to the beautiful as love is to youth. Her passion for +the lovely scenery of Japan amounted almost to worship. + +I had never been a model for anything. Now I was used as such by my +companion indiscriminately, in the background, in the foreground and +once as a grayhaired witch. I was commanded to sit still, to not wink an +eyelash, though the mosquitoes feasted and the hornets buzzed. + +Fortunately the summer holiday gave me some leisure. I absorbed every +moment seeking comprehension of youthful ways of looking at things, and +in Zura's effort to reduce her wild gallop to a sober pace, the way was +as rough for the girl, as the climb up the mountain side was for me. +Often she stumbled and was bruised in the fall. Brushing aside the +tears of discouragement she pluckily faced about and tried again. + +There were many battles of tongue and spirit but when the smoke had been +swept away, the vision was clearer, the purpose firmer. + +That monotony might not work disaster or routine grow irksome our +workdays were interspersed with picnics, journeys to famous spots and, +for the nights, moonlight sails on the Inland Sea. + +Page Hanaford was our frequent guest. To Jane and me his attitude was +one of kindly deference and attention. Towards Zura it was the mighty +call of youth to youth. She answered with ready friendship. It was easy +to see that the boy was buoyant by nature, but the moods that sometimes +overtook him were strange. Often at a moment when the merriment was at +its height, the hand of some invisible enemy seemed to reach out and +clutch him in a dumb horror, confused the frankness of his eyes, left +him with bloodless lips. From light-hearted happiness he plunged to +silent gloom. + +Twice it had occurred when the day was heavy with moisture, thick and +superheated by the summer's sun. The last time it happened, to the heat +was added the excitement of a police launch stopping our little +pleasure craft and demanding our names and business. When it left Page +grew silent and, until we landed, lay in the prow his face hidden by his +hat. Mental or physical I could not say. I wished I knew for it +subtracted the joy from the day as surely as dampness takes the kink out +of unnatural curls. + +When I mentioned the incident to Jane, she only looked wise and smiled. +I could almost believe she was glad, for it gave her unlimited +opportunity for coddling. Zura made no comment. So great was the rebound +partial freedom induced, her spirits refused to descend from the +exhilarating heights of "having a good time and doing things." She +blandly ignored any suggestion of hidden trouble, or the possibility of +it daring to come in the future. Untiring in her preparations for our +festivities, the hour of their happening found her so gracious a +hostess, naturally she was the pivot around which the other three of us +swung. + +I wondered if, in our many festivities we were not forming habits of +useless dissipation. Jane said our parties were much livelier than +church socials at home. Our experienced leader assured me, however, +these picnics were as slow as a gathering of turtles in a coral cave, +but they continued, ceasing only when the nights grew too chill for +comfort. Our pleasures were then transferred to the homeyness of the +little living-room in "The House of the Misty Star." + + * * * * * + +In my adoption of Zura the humor was incidental; in Zura's adoption of +Jane it was uppermost. From the first the girl assumed proprietorship +and authority that kept the little gray missionary see-sawing between +pleasure and trouble. By Zura's merry teasing Jane's naturally +stammering tongue was fatally twisted. She joked till tears were near; +then with swift compunction Jane was caught in arms tender and strong +and loved back to happiness. + +Like a mother guarding a busy careless child, Zura watched Miss Gray's +comings and goings. Overshoes and wraps became a special subject of +argument. There was no denying that in the arrangement of Jane's clothes +there was a startling transformation. + +My attention was called to this one morning when I heard a merry, +audacious voice cry out, "See here, Lady Jinny, do you think it a +hallmark of piety to have that hefty safety-pin showing in your +waistband? Walk right back and get your belt." + +"Oh, Zury," pleaded the harassed woman, "what's the use of putting it +on? I'll just have to take it off to-night and, my dear, people are +waiting for me." + +"Let 'em whistle, Sweetheart," was the unmoved response. "Even though +the heathen roar, I cannot turn aside from my purpose of making you a +Parisian fashion-plate." + +"Yes, child! It is good of you to want to dress me up. But," with a +half-laugh, "don't try to make me resemble one of those foreign fashion +ladies. I saw one picture in a style paper that looked almost immoral. +The placket of the dress was at the foot and showed two inches of the +ankle." + +"Trust your mother, innocent child," Zura advised, "those picture ladies +don't wear dresses, just symptoms and I'd slap anybody that would ask +you to wear a symptom. Now, tell me where to search for your belt." + +Jane, ever weak in certain resistances, yielded and adored the more +while submitting. + +Under Zura's care Jane's person grew neater and trimmer. In her face, +now filled out with proper food and rest, there was a look of happiness +as if some great hope foreshadowed fulfilment. + +The self-appointed missionary in her talks with me seldom referred to +her work in detail. I respected her reserve and asked no questions, for +I gravely doubted any good results from her labor. But to Zura she +confided her plans and her dreams, and Zura having many dreams of her +own, listened and sympathized. In all the Empire there was no collection +of humanity that could surpass in degradation and sordid evil the +inhabitants of the quarter that Jane Gray had chosen to uplift. Time and +again the best-trained workers had experimented in this place. Men and +women with splendid theories, and the courage to try them had given it +up as hopeless, for fear of their lives. + +Once only I remonstrated with Miss Gray and that when there had been in +that section an unprovoked murder of particular horror. The answer of +the frail woman was: + +"I don't want to make you anxious, Miss Jenkins, but I must go back. The +people are my friends. I've been charged with a message for them and I +must deliver it. My poor life would be small forfeit, could I but make +them fully understand." + +I said no more for I thought if Jane was set on dying that way she'd +just as well get all the pleasure out of it possible. To my surprise, +unmolested and unafraid, she made her way through streets where no one +officer went alone. Haunts of criminals and gamblers, murderers in +hiding followed by their unspeakable womenkind. + +This dream of Miss Gray's scorned to limit itself to a hospital for +diseased bodies of the wretched inhabitants, but included a chapel for +sick souls. These days it was difficult enough to get money for real +things, the unreal stood no chance. Without resources of her own, backed +by no organization, it seemed to me, like a child planning a palace. To +the little missionary the dawn of each glorious day brought new +enthusiasm, fresh confidence and the vision was an ever beckoning fire, +which might consume her body if it would accomplish her desire. + +At present she rented a tiny house in the Quarters and called it her +preaching place. I was told that to it flocked the outcasts of life who +listened in silent curiosity to the strange foreign woman delivering a +message from a stranger foreign God. + +As the days went by the members of my household were deeply absorbed in +dreams of a hospital, pursuit of passage money to America, and wisdom in +guiding girls. + +In all the years in my adopted country I'd never seen so lovely an +autumn. Colors were brighter, the haze bluer, and far more tender the +smile of the heavens on the face of the waters. + +The song of the North wind through the top of the ancient pines was no +melancholy dirge of the dying summer, but a hymn of peace and restful +joy to the coming winter. + +One lovely day melted into another. The year was sinking softly to its +close when one evening found Zura, Jane and me quietly at work in the +living-room of the House of the Misty Star. Jane was knitting on the +eternal bibs, Zura adding figures in a little book. + +Our quiet was broken by a knock at the door. Maple Leaf appeared bearing +on a tray a pink folded paper. + +"It's a cable; I know its color," exclaimed Zura, "and it's for Miss +Jane Gray." + +With shaking fingers Jane tore open the message. She read, then dropped +her face in her hands. + +"What is it?" I asked anxiously. + +"It's the hospital." + +"In a cable?" cried Zura. "Think of that and break into tears." + +"No, the money for it." + +"Money! Where did you get it?" I demanded, thinking that Jane had +suddenly gone crazy. + +"I prayed and wrote letters," she answered. "Read." + +Still doubting I took the paper and read aloud: + + Build hospital. Draft for four thousand dollars on way. + + FRIENDS OF THE CAUSE. + +For minutes the ticking of the clock sounded like the dropping of +pebbles in a still pool. I could not speak, for the wonder of a miracle +was upon me. By faith the impossible had come to pass. Finally Jane +looked up and asked wistfully, "Oh! Zury, aren't you glad for me?" + +"Glad!" echoed the girl, leaning over and caressing the faded cheek. +"I'm as happy as if I were pinning on my own orange blossoms this +minute. Dear, dear little Jinny with her beautiful dream coming true!" + +I had never thought Zura beautiful. Now, as she bent over Jane, flushed +with excitement, her eyes deep glowing, her shining hair flashing back +the red of the firelight, she was as brilliant as a golden pheasant +hovering above a little gray sparrow. + +With some sudden memory the girl stood erect and reached for a calendar. +"Hurrah!" she cried, "It's true! To-morrow is Thanksgiving at home. We +are going to celebrate too, if I have to sell my shoes." + +Seeing Jane still shaken with emotion and the glad tears so close to +hand, Zura jumped up on a chair and began to read from the calendar as +if it were a proclamation: + +"Know all ye! Wherever you be up above or down below, far or near on the +to-morrow, by my command, every citizen of these United States is to +assemble all by himself, or with his best girl and give thanks. Thanks +for living and for giving. Thanks for hospitals and people to build +them. Sermons to preach and sinners to hear. Then give thanks and still +more thanks, that to you and to me, the beautifulest land the good God +ever made spells home, and friends, and America! Amen." + + + + +XIII + +A THANKSGIVING DINNER + + +More and more Zura had assumed the duties of our housekeeping. The +generous sum Kishimoto San promptly forwarded each month for her +maintenance so relieved the financial pressure that I was able to relax +somewhat my vigilance over the treasury. So I stepped aside that her +ambition and energy might have full expression. I knew that absorbing +work erases restlessness in mind and heart as effectively as a hot iron +smooths out a rough-dried cloth. I urged her to further experiments and +made a joke of her many mistakes, ofttimes when it was sheer waste of +material. But what mattered that? Better to die softheaded, than +hardhearted. I wanted the girl to be happy. Rather than be separated, I +would let her make a bonfire of every bean, potato and barrel of flour +in the house. As even the sun has specks on it, I saw no reason to be +too critical of my understudy, whose shortcomings grew less as she grew +prettier. + +With all the cocksureness of youth, Zura seized the domestic steering +gear. Sometimes the weather was very fair and we sailed along. Often it +was squally, but the crew was merry, and I was happy. I had something of +my very own to love. + +To Pine Tree and Maple Leaf and the ancient cook the young housekeeper +was a gifted being from a wonderful country where every woman was a +princess. Unquestioningly they obeyed and adored her, but Ishi to whom +no woman was a princess and all of them nuisances--stood proof against +Zura's every smile and coaxing word. Love of flowers amounted to a +passion with the old gardener. To him they were living, breathing beings +to be adored and jealously protected. His forefathers had ever been +keepers of this place. He inherited all their garden skill and his equal +could not be found in the Empire. For that reason, I forgave his +backsliding seventy times one hundred and seventy, and kept him. + +Often Zura took the children she used as models for her pictures into +the garden and loaded them with flowers. On the mossy banks they romped +and indulged in feasts of tea and crackers. Ishi would stand near and +invoke the vengeance of eighty thousand deities to descend and +annihilate this forward girl from a land of barbarians. Finding his +deities failed to respond, he threatened to cast his unworthy body upon +the point of a sword, if Zura cut another bud. But I knew, if Ishi's +love of flowers failed to prevent so tragic an end, his love of sake +would do so. + +For years the garden had been his undisturbed kingdom, and now that it +should be invaded and the flowers cut without his permission and +frequently without his knowledge enraged him to the bursting point. His +habits were as set as the wart on his nose and he proposed to change +neither one nor the other. "Most very bad," he wailed to me. "All +blossoms soul have got. Bad girl cut off head of same; peaceful makes +absence from their hearts. Their weep strikes my ear." + +So on the day we were to celebrate Thanksgiving and Jane's happiness, +and Zura had declared her intention of decorating every spot in the +house, I was not surprised to hear coming from the garden sounds of an +overheated argument. "Ishi, if it weren't for hurting the feelings of +the august pig I would say you were it. Stand aside and let me cut those +roses. There's a thousand of them, if there's one." + +The protest came high and shrill. "Decapitate heads! You sha'n't not! +All of ones convey soul of great ancestors." + +"Do they?"--in high glee--"all right, I'll make the souls of your +blessed ancestors serve as a decoration for America's glorious festival +day." + +The outraged Ishi fairly shrieked. "Ishi's ancestors! America! You have +blasphemeness. I perish to recover!" + +Hostilities were suspended for a minute. + +Then Zura's fresh young voice called out from below my window: "Ursula, +please instruct this bow-legged image of an honorable monkey to let me +cut the roses. Hurry, else my hand may get loose and 'swat' him." + +What the child meant by "swat" I had no idea; neither did I care. She +had called me "Ursula!" Since childhood I had not heard the name. Coming +from her lips it went through me like a sharp, sweet pain. Had she +beheaded every rose and old Ishi in the bargain I would have smiled, for +something in me was being satisfied. + +I gave orders to Ishi, to which Zura added, "You are to take your +dishonorable old body to the furthermost shrine, and repent of your +rudeness to your young mistress." As he turned his angry back upon her, +she inquired in honeyed tones, "Mercy, Ishi! How did you ever teach +your face to look that way? Take it to a circus! It will make a +fortune!" + +Very soon after she came into the room so laden with roses that I could +just see her face. "Aren't they darlings?" she exclaimed. "Poor old +Ishi, I can't blame him much!" Then to me, "Say, beautifulest, tell you +what: I'll arrange these flowers and I promise, if I find a sign of an +ancestor, I'll go at once and apologize to his mighty madness--if you +will write a note to Mr. Hanaford and bid him to the Thanksgiving +feast." + +I agreed, and she went her busy way. In addressing the note to Page, I +was reminded that a few days before his servant had called for a package +of his master's clothing which Jane and I kept in repair. To my surprise +the servant said that Hanaford San had gone away on business. + +Possibly my look of astonishment at the news invited confidence. After +glancing around to make sure we were alone, he approached and in mixed +Japanese and broken English told me how his heart was weighed "with +anxious" for his employer. He said his master was very kind. Therefore, +Master's trouble was his. Sometimes the young man was happy and sang +tunes through whistle of lips; but one day he walked the floor all +night. Lately he sat by the windows long hours and look fast into +picture scenery. He feared illness for master. Often he forget to sing, +whistle, and eat foods; just sit with hand on head. "One time I say +'Master, have got painful in brain spot? Or have fox spirit got brain?' +He give big laugh; then myself makes many fools to see happy stay with +master." + +He wished Hanaford San had some people, but in his room was not one +picture of ancestor. He never had a happy time with many guests, and +samisens and feast drinks, like other young American Dana Sans in +Yokohama. When not teaching he sat alone with only his pipe and heart +for company, sometimes a book. + +It was not polite for him to speak of Master's affairs but he hoped the +foreign Sensies could advise him how to make Hanaford San have more +happy thoughts all of time. + +I told the boy that Mr. Hanaford had lost his money and all his people, +and probably it was thoughts of these losses that caused his sad hours; +he would be all right in time. + +"Time," murmured the unsatisfied man, "time very long for troubled heart +of young." + +Then, as if trying to forget that he was powerless to help, he began to +recite the events of a recent visit to the city of a group of Tokio's +famous detectives. They were searching for special fugitives and making +the rounds of all suspicious quarters. It was most exciting and because +of master's absence he had been able to see much. Though he wished Page +had been at home. It might have entertained him. With many thanks for my +"listening ear" the servant left. + +Everywhere I looked I seemed to see this question written: Was Page +Hanaford's absence at the time of the detectives' visit accidental or +planned? Try as I would to put the hateful thought away from me, it came +back again and again. + +The boy's slow return to health had troubled me more than I could well +say. It was so unnatural. Jane and I did everything that sincere +affection could suggest to ward off the hours of strange dejection, and +he never failed in appreciation; yet we made no headway to a permanent +sunny spot in his life, where he could be always happy and healthy, as +was the right of youth. I gave him every opportunity to tell me what +caused his moods. I showed him by my interest and sympathy that I wanted +to believe in him and would stand by him at any cost. There were times +when he seemed on the verge of making a confidant of me, but his lips +refused to utter the words. + +Usually he responded eagerly to Zura's gay coaxings to friendship and +gladly shared her blithesome fun; but sometimes there was a look in his +eyes such as a youthful prisoner might have when he knew that for life +he is barred from blue skies. As time went on less often appeared the +playful curve of his lips, the crinkly smile in the corners of his eyes. + +Once in the moonlight I saw him stretch out his hand as if to touch +Zura's glistening hair. Some memory smote him. He drew back sharply. + +At times I was sure that he was purposely avoiding her. Yet the thought +seemed foolish. If ever there was a goodly sight for eyes glad or sad it +was the incarnation of joyous girlhood whose name was Zura Wingate. + +Unable to solve the puzzle, I could only give my unstinted attention to +the boy and girl. If only our armor of love could shield the beloved! + +I sent the invitation for the Thanksgiving celebration, and was much +relieved by the answer that Mr. Hanaford would join us that evening. + +The dinner was a great success. For all of us it was full of good +cheer. Jane in her happiness looked years younger. She was in high glee. + +"Do you know, my friends in the Quarters are so happy over the +hospital," she exclaimed. "I was obliged to ask the Sake Ya to sell only +one little bottle of wine to each man. He promised and said he would +dilute it at that. Wasn't it good of him to do it? Oh! it's beautiful +how big difficulties are melting away--just like fax in the wire!" She +joined in the laugh at her expense. + +Zura urged, "Lady Jinny, please get you a pair of crutches for that limp +in your tongue." + +"Better than that, child. First operation in the hospital will be to +take the kinks out of my foolish, twisted words." + +Afterwards in the sitting-room Zura went through her pretty little +ceremony of making after-dinner coffee and serving it in some rare old +Kutani cups. The wonderful decoration of the frail china led her to talk +of the many phases of Japan and its life that appealed to the artist. Of +the lights and shadows on land and sea the effects of the mists and the +combination of color that defied mere paint. + +I'd never heard Zura talk so well nor so enthusiastically on a sensible +subject. For a moment I had a hope that her love for the beauty of the +country would overcome her antagonism to her mother's people. I was +quickly undeceived. + +Then, as if fearful that praise for the glories of old Nippon might make +her seem forgetful of the festal day of her own land, she flashed out, +"But please don't anybody forget that I am an American to the +marrow-bone." She turned to Page. "Did you come direct from America to +Japan?" + +The usual miserable flush of confusion covered the boy's face. +"Well--you see, I never keep track of dates; guess I'm too--maybe I've +traveled a bit too much to count days--" + +Either ignoring Page's evasion or not seeing it, Zura continued, "But +you love the blessed old country, don't you?" + +"With all my heart," he answered fervently. + +"Then why do you stay out here? A man can go where he pleases." + +"I have my work on hand and riches in mind. You know the old saw about a +rolling stone?" + +"Indeed I do. It gathers no moss. Neither does it collect burrs in gray +whiskers and hayseed in long hair. I tell you," she half-whispered, +leaning towards him confidentially, "Let's you and I kidnap Jane and +Ursula and emigrate to 'Dixie Land, the land of cotton, where fun and +life are easily gotten.' Are you with me?" she audaciously challenged. + +Page's face matched the white flowers near him. With a lightness, all +assumed, he answered, "All right; but wait till I make a +fortune--teaching." He arose, saying he would go out on the balcony for +a smoke. + +Soon after that Jane left, saying she must write many letters of thanks. + +I was alone with Zura. The night being mild for the time of year, she +proposed that we stroll in the garden. To her this lovely spot was +something new and beautiful. To me it was something old and tender, but +the charm, the spell it wove around us both was the same. It lay in +perfect peace, kissed to silence and tender mystery by the splendor of +the great, red, autumn moon. More beautiful now, the legend said, +because the gods gathered all the brilliant coloring from the dying +foliage and gave it to the pale moon lady for safe keeping. + +"And look," exclaimed Zura, as we walked beside the waters which gave +back the unclouded glory, "if the shining dame isn't using our lake for +a looking-glass. You know, Ursula, this is the only night in the year +the moon wears a hat. It's made from the scent of the flowers. Doesn't +that halo around her look like a chapeau?" + +We strolled along, and to Zura's pleadings I answered with ghost legends +and myths from a full store gathered through long, lonely years. Charmed +by the magic of the night and the wonder of the garden, we lingered +long. + +We paused in the ghostly half-light of the tall bamboo where the +moonlight trickled through, to listen to the song of the Mysterious Bird +of the Spirit Land. The bird is seldom seen alive, but if separated from +its mate, at once it begins the search by a soft appealing call. If +absence is prolonged the call increases to heart-breaking moaning, till +from exhaustion the bird droops head downward and dies from grief. + +That night the mate was surely lost. The lonely feathered thing made us +shiver with the weirdness of its sad notes. + +Suddenly we remembered the lateness of the hour and our guest. We took a +short cut across the soft grass toward the house. + +We turned sharply around a clump of bamboo and halted. A few steps +before us was Page Hanaford. Seated on the edge of an old stone lantern, +head in hands, out of the bitterness of some agony we heard him cry, +"God in Heaven! _How_ can I tell her!" + +Zura and I clutched hands and crept away to the house. Even then we did +not dare to look each other in the face. + +Soon after Page came in. He gave no sign of his recent storm, but said +good-night to me and, looking down at Zura, he held out his hand without +speaking. + +Now that I could see the girl's face I could hardly believe she was the +same being. With flushed cheeks and downcast eyes she stood in wondering +silence, as if in stumbling upon a secret place in a man's soul, she had +fallen upon undiscovered regions in her own. + +When I returned from locking the door after Page, Zura had gone to her +room. + +In the night I remembered that not once had Page referred to his absence +from the city. + +Zura, Jane and I had not often discussed young Hanaford. When we did, it +was how we could give him pleasure rather than the probable cause of his +spells of dejection. But when I found Jane alone the next day and told +her what we had seen in the gardens, omitting what we'd heard, she had +an explanation for the whole affair. + +[Illustration: "God in Heaven. How can I tell her!"] + +"It is perfectly plain, Miss Jenkins. Page has been disappointed in +love. I know the signs," Jane said with a little sigh, brightening as +she went on, "but that doesn't kill, just hurts, and makes people moody. +I am going to tell Page I know his secret. I know, too, a recipe that +will soon heal wounds like his. We have it right here in the house." + +"Oh! Jane Gray," I said, exasperated, "do cultivate a little common +sense. Now you run along and make us some beaten biscuit for supper by +that recipe that you know is infallible, and do not add to Page's burden +whatever it is, by trying your sentimental remedies on him." + + + + +XIV + +WHAT THE SETTING SUN REVEALED + + +I heard Zura softly singing as she went about her work. She sang more +and talked less in the two weeks that followed our Thanksgiving +celebration than ever before since I had known her. In that time we had +not seen Page. In our one talk of what we had seen in the garden Zura +simply remarked that she supposed what we heard Page say meant he +dreaded to tell somebody of the loss of his fortune and family. She +lightly scoffed at my suggestion of anything more serious. I prayed that +might be true, but why his confusion and evasion? + +Thoughts of the boy and his secret would have weighed heavily upon me +had it not been for my joy in seeing day by day the increasing sweetness +and graciousness of my adopted child. Her gentleness of manner and +speech often caused me to wonder if she could be the same untamed hoyden +of some months ago. Every day I prided myself on my quick understanding +of girls, also of the way to rear them. It made me more than happy to +see what I was accomplishing with Jane's help. While it was no royal +road to peace and happiness which we traveled, for Zura's impatience +with the Orient and its ways, her rebellion against the stigma laid upon +Eurasians, brought the shadows upon many a day's sunshine, yet, as the +time slipped by, there seemed to be a growing contentment. There were +fewer references made to a definite return to America. In the prospect +of her permanent stay with me, I found great joy. + +Her high spirits found expression in her work. Her love of excitement +fed on encounters with Ishi and in teasing Jane. + +One afternoon she locked the old gardener up in a tea-house till he +apologized for some disrespect. She detained him till intense fear of +the coming darkness induced him to submit. + +One night Jane brought home a long bundle. + +"A new dress, Saint Jinny?" asked Zura. + +"No, honey, I haven't had a store dress in ten years. One somebody is +through with becomes me quite well. These are the models for my +hospital." + +"You mean plans, don't you? You wouldn't be caught bringing home a +model. Models are ladies who would be overcome by the superfluous +drapery of a dress. My daddy used them for pictures in his studio. Sit +right down here by the fire, Miss Jaygray, and while you dissipate in +hot beef tea, I'll give you a lesson on models." + +Zura painted so graphically a word picture of her father's studio it +made me laugh, for I knew well enough that such clotheless creatures +would not be permitted outside the Cannibal islands. The sheriff would +take them up. + +As Zura continued her wild exaggerations a look of horror covered Miss +Gray's face. + +"Oh! Zury!" she cried. "Surely those ladies had on part of a dress." + +"No! angel child, not even a symptom. Daddy didn't want to paint their +clothes. He wanted to copy the curves that grew on the people." + +Jane covered her eyes and spoke in a voice filled with trouble. + +"Dearie! I've lived in America a long time but I didn't know there were +people like that! I'm really afraid they aren't selling their souls for +the highest price." + +"Daddy wasn't dealing in souls, but he did pay a pretty high price for +lines." + +Jane, unsatisfied, asked why her father couldn't use statues for his +model and Zura seeing how troubled her friend was for the souls of the +undressed, asked with eager sympathy to be allowed to see the plans for +the soon-to-be built hospital. + +The ground for the building had been purchased and work was well on the +way. Shortly the roof-raising ceremony would take place. In this part of +the country it is the most important event in building. Jane said that +we were all expected to attend these exercises, even if we were so +afraid of the criminal quarters that we had to take our hearts in our +hands to enter. + +Brown head and gray were bent together over blueprints and long columns +of figures. Both maid and woman were frail and delicate tools to be used +in the up-building of wrecked lives. Yet by the skill of the Master +Mechanic these instruments were not only working wonders in other lives, +but also something very beautiful in their own. + +Zura took untiring interest in all Jane's plans for the +after-festivities of the occasion. Most of their evenings were spent in +arranging programs. I took no part. My hands were full of my own work +and, while they talked, I paused to listen and was delighted not only in +the transformation of Zura, but also in my own enlarged understanding of +her. + +I loved all young things, and youth itself, but I had never been near +them before. With tender interest I watched every mood of Zura's, +passing from an untamed child to a lovely girl. Sometimes her bounding +spirits seemed overlaid by a soft enchantment. She would sit chin in +palm, dark, luminous eyes gazing out into space as if she saw some +wonderful picture. I suppose most girls do this. I never had time, but I +made it possible for Zura to have her dreams. She should have all that I +had missed, if I could give it to her--even a lover in years to come. I +did not share these thoughts with Jane, for it is plain human to be +irritated when we see our weaknesses reflected in another, and +encouragement was the last thing Jane's sentimental soul needed. I +failed to make out what had come over my companion these days; she would +fasten her eyes on Zura and smile knowingly, as if telling herself a +happy secret, sighing softly the while. And poetry! We ate, lived and +slept to the swing of some love ditty. + +Once I found Zura in a mood of gentle brooding. I suggested to her that, +as the year was drawing to a close, it would be wise to start the new +one with a clean bill of conscience. Did she not think it would be well +for her to write to her grandfather and tell him she could see now that +she had made it most difficult for him? That while she didn't want to be +taken back she would like to be friends with him? + +At once she was alert, but not aggressively so as in the past. "Ursula, +I'll do it if you insist; but it wouldn't be honest and I couldn't be +polite. I do not want to be friends with that old man who labels +everybody evil that doesn't think as he does. We'd never think alike in +a thousand years. What's the use of poking up a tiger when he's quiet?" + +I persuaded. + +She evaded by saying at last: "Well, some time--maybe. I have too much +on my mind now." + +"What, Zura?" + +"Oh, my future--and a few other things." + + * * * * * + +Kishimoto San had never honored me with a visit since his granddaughter +had been an inmate of my house. Whenever a business conference was +necessary, I was requested, by mail, to "assemble" in the audience +chamber of the Normal School. + +The man was beginning to look old and broken but he still faithfully +carried out his many duties of office and religion. + +He never retreated one inch in his fight against all innovations that +would make the country the less Japanese or his faith less Buddhistic. +More often than not he stood alone and faced the bitter opposition of +the progressives. In no one thing did he so prove his unconquerable +spirit and his great ideals for his country as the patience with which +he endured the ridicule of his opponents. For to a man of the proud and +sensitive East, shot and shell are far easier to face than ridicule. + +On a certain afternoon I had gone to meet with a committee to discuss a +question pertaining to a school regulation, by which the girl students +of the city schools would be granted liberty in dress and conduct more +equal with the boys. Of course Kishimoto San stood firm against so +radical a measure. Another member of the committee asked him if he did +not believe in progress. The unbending old man answered sternly: + +"Progress--yes. But a progress based on the traditions of our august +ancestors, not a progress founded on Western principle, which, if +adopted by us unmodified, means that we, with our legions of years +behind us, our forefathers descended from the gods, as they were, will +be neither wholly East nor West but a something as distorted as a +dragon's body with the heads and wings of an eagle. Progress! Have not +our misconceptions of progress cost us countless lives and sickening +humiliations? Has not the breaking of traditions threatened the very +foundations of our homes? Small wonder the foreign nations offer +careless insult when we stoop to make monkeys of ourselves and adopt +customs and assume a civilization that can no more be grafted on to our +nation than cabbage can be grown on plum trees. Take what is needful to +strengthen and uplift. Make the highest and best of any land your own +standard and live thereby. But remember, in long years ago the divine +gods created you Japanese, and to the end of eternity, struggle as you +may, as such you cannot escape your destiny!" + +As he finished his impassioned speech, a ray of sun fell upon his face, +lifted in stern warning to his opponents. He was like a figure of the +Past demanding reverence and a hearing from the Present. + +For the time he won his point and I was glad, for it was Kishimoto San's +last public speech. Soon after he was stricken with a lingering illness. + +In previous talks he had neither asked after his granddaughter nor +referred to her. But this afternoon, taking advantage of his look of +half-pleasure caused by the victory he had won single handed, I took +occasion, when offering congratulations, to give him every opportunity +to inquire as to Zura and her progress. I was very proud of what I had +done with the girl, of the change her affection for Jane and me had +accomplished. + +Naturally I was anxious to exhibit my handiwork. As well tempt a +mountain lion to inspect a piece of beautiful tapestry in the process of +weaving. + +However tactfully I led up to the subject he walked around it without +touching it. To him she was not. Reconciliation was afar off. I said +good-by and left. It was this and the speech I had heard in the +afternoon that occupied my mind as I wended my way home. + +Of course the country must go forward; but it was a pity that, even if +progress were not compatible with tradition, it could not be tempered +with beauty. Why must the youth of the land adopt those hideous +imitations of foreign clothes? The flower-like children wear on their +heads the grotesque combinations of muslin and chicken feathers they +called hats? There are miles of ancient moats around the city, filled +with lotus, the great pink-and-white blossoms giving joy to the eye as +its roots gave food for the body. Slowly these stretches of loveliness +were being turned into dreary levels of sand for the roadbed of a +trolley. Even now the quiet of the city was broken by the clang of the +street-car gong. I was taking my first ride that day. + +With Kishimoto San's plea for progress of the right kind still ringing +in my ears, my eyes fell upon some of the rules for the conduct of the +passengers, printed in large type, and hung upon the front door of the +car: + +"Please do not stick your knees or your elbows out of the windows." + +"Fat people must ride on the platform." + +"Soiled coolies must take a bath before entering." + +An advertisement in English emphasized the talk of the afternoon: +"Invaluable most fragrant and nice pills, especially for sudden illness. +For refreshing drooping minds and regulating disordered spirits, +whooping cough and helping reconvalescents to progress." + +The force of Kishimoto's appeal was strong upon me. + +I alighted at my street and began the climb that led to my house. +Halfway up a picture-book tea-house offered hospitality; in its +miniature garden I paused to rest and faced the sea in all its evening +beauty. Happily the glory of the skies and the tender loveliness of the +hills still belonged to their Maker, untouched by commercialism. + +The golden track of the setting sun streamed across the mountain tops +and turned to fiery red a feathery shock of distant clouds. High and +clear came the note of a wild goose as he called to his mate on their +homeward flight. In the city below a thousand lights danced and beckoned +through the soft velvet shadows of coming night. There fluttered up to +me many sounds--a temple bell, the happy call of children at play, +cheerful echoes of home-like content, the gentle gaiety of simple life. +It was for these, the foundations of the Empire, that Kishimoto San +feared ruin, with the coming of too sudden a transition. + +But I forgot the man and his woes. The spell of heavenly peace that +spread upon land and sea fell like a benediction. + +It crept into my heart and filled me with thankfulness that I had known +this land and its people and for all the blessings that had fallen to me +in the coming of Zura Wingate. Gratitude for my full understanding of +her was deep. If only the shadows could be cleared away from the boy I +loved, life would be complete. + +Exalted by the beauty of the evening, and by my spiritual communings, I +entered my house and faced the door of the study. It was ajar. +Silhouetted against the golden light, which had so filled me with joy +and peace, stood two figures. And the man held the hands of the girl +against his breast, and looked down into her glad eyes as a soul in the +balance must look into Paradise. + +It was Page Hanaford and Zura Wingate! + +As quietly as possible I went around another way and dropped into the +first handy chair. The truth was as bare as a model. The force of it +came to me like a blow between the eyes. Long ago, because of +chilblains, I had adopted felt shoes. In that second of time I stood at +the door the noiseless footgear cured me of all the egotism I ever +possessed. + +Now I knew by what magic the transformation had been wrought in Zura. +And the castle of dreams, built on my supposed understanding of youth +and the way it grew, was swept away by a single breath from the young +god of love. What a silly old jay bird I had been! Was that what Jane +Gray had been smiling to herself about? I felt like shaking her for +seeing it before I did. + + * * * * * + +At dinner Jane was the only one of the three of us without an impediment +in her silence. I was glad when the meal was over and we went to the +study. + +Zura buried herself in a deep windowseat, to watch the lights on the +water, she said. When there was not another glimmer to be seen, from the +shadows came a voice with a soft little tremble in it, or possibly I had +grown suddenly sensitive to trembles: "Ursula, Mr. Hanaford was here +this afternoon." + +Now, thought I, it's coming. Steadying myself I asked: "Was he? What did +he have to say?" + +"Oh-h!"--indifferently--"nothing much. He brought back an armful of +books." + +An armful of books--aye, and his heart full of love! How dared he speak +of it with his life wrapped in the dark shadows of some secret? + +Talk to me of progress! That day I could have raced neck-and-neck with a +shooting star! + + + + +XV + +PINKEY CHALMERS CALLS AGAIN + + +Never having been within hailing distance before of the processes of +love and proceedings of courtship there were no signposts in my +experience to guide me as to what should be my next step, if it were +mine to take. I had been too busy a woman to indulge in many novels, but +in the few I had read the hero lost no time in saying, "Will you?" and +at once somebody began to practise the wedding march. I suppose the +fashion in lovemaking changes as much as the styles; nothing I ever +thought or dreamed on the subject seemed to fit the case in hand. + +I waited for Zura to tell me, but she didn't. She only sang the more as +she went about her work, doubling her efforts in making sweet the home +and herself. She seemed to find fresh joy in every hour. + +Any thoughts I'd cherished that young Hanaford would come at once, clear +up all the confusion about himself, frankly declare his love for Zura +and be happy forever afterward died from lack of nourishment. + +Only my deep affection for the boy restrained my anger at his silence. +The love and sympathy which bolstered up my faith in him were reinforced +by his gentle breeding and high mental quality; but circumstances forced +me reluctantly to admit that the story he told when he first came was +not true. Page Hanaford was not only under a shadow, but also was +undoubtedly seeking to conceal his whereabouts. And why? The question +sat on the foot of my bed at night and made faces at me, scrawled itself +all over my work and met me around every corner. + +It was next to impossible to connect him with dishonesty or baseness +when looking into his face, or hearing him talk. But why didn't he speak +out, and why hide his talents in this obscure place? He was gifted. His +classes had increased to large numbers, and so excellent were his +methods his fame had gone abroad. The Department of Education had +offered him a lucrative position as teacher in the Higher Normal College +in a neighboring city. But, instead of snatching at this good fortune, +he asked for time to consider. + +He came frequently to talk it over with me; at least that's what he +said he came for. The law required the applicant for such a position to +answer questions concerning himself and all his ancestors. In my talks +with Page about this law I emphasized every detail of the intimate +questions that would be put to him. I tried to impress upon him the +necessity of having either a clean record, or a very clever tongue when +he went before the judgment seat of the Japanese authorities. I hoped my +seriousness would bring about a speedy explanation, denial, +declaration--anything, so it came quickly. The truth is I don't believe +he ever heard a word of what I said on the subject. + +If Zura was out of the room, his eyes were glued to the door watching +for it to open. If she were present, his eyes would be fixed on her +face. If I made an excuse to leave the room, Page made another to keep +me, as if he feared the thing he most desired. What did it all mean? If +Page Hanaford could not explain himself honorably, what right had he to +look at the girl with his heart in his eyes? If no explanation could be +given, what right had Zura Wingate to grow prettier and happier every +day? + +I had always believed that love was as simple and straightforward as +finding the end of a blind alley. There was good reason for me to change +my belief as the days passed and nothing was said on the subject. + +Of course, I could have hauled the two up before me, like children, and +told them what I had seen and was still seeing; but I dreaded to force +the man's secret and I had to acknowledge that, for the time, I was no +more equal to guiding this thing called "love" than I was to instructing +birds to build a nest. + +Jane was not a bit of help to me. Refusing to discuss anything except +the sentimental side of the affair, she repeated verse till I was almost +persuaded this poetical streak was a disease rather than a habit. +Between stanzas she proffered food and drink to Page, in quantities +sufficient to end quickly both man and mystery, had he accepted. Her +attitude to Zura was one of perfect understanding and entire sympathy. +Every time she looked at the girl, she sighed and went off into more +poetry. + +Troubled thoughts stormed my brain as hailstones pelt a tin roof. I +prayed for wisdom as I had never prayed for happiness. + +The announcement one day that Mr. Tom Chalmers had called caused no +sudden rise in my spirits, but a second card, bearing the name of Mrs. +Tom, somewhat relieved my mind. Their coming offered a diversion and +proved Pinkey of a forgiving spirit. + +They were on their wedding journey, he told us after I had summoned +Zura. Greetings and congratulations were soon over. While the steamer +was coaling in a near-by port he thought he would just run over in +jinrikishas to say "Hello!" and show Mrs. Chalmers to us. Yankee Doodle +with a hat full of feathers could not have been more proud. + +What there was of Mrs. Pinkey to exhibit was indeed a show. Her youthful +prettiness belonged more to the schoolroom period than wifehood; and +Heaven forbid that the clothes she wore should be typical of my country; +there was not enough material in her skirt to make me a comfortable pair +of sleeves! I marveled how, in so limited a space, she advanced one limb +before the other. + +Later Zura explained the process to me: "It's a matter of politeness, +Ursula. One knee says to the other, 'You let me pass this time, and I'll +step aside when your turn comes.'" + +Even this courtesy had failed to prevent a catastrophe; one seam of her +dress was ripped for a foot above the ankle. The coat of this remarkable +costume was all back and no front, and from the rear edge of her hat +floated a wonderful feather like a flag from the stern of a gunboat. + +I could see by her face how funny she thought my clothes. I hoped she +did not realize how near to scandalous her outfit seemed to me. Usually +the point of view depends on which side of the ocean one is when +delivering judgment. + +Pinkey was as eloquent on the subject of his wedding as if he had been +the only Adam who ever marched down a church aisle. He was most joyful +at the prospect of showing to his bride all the curiosities and +shortcomings of the East. He felt he had encompassed wide and intimate +knowledge of it in his two or three trips. I asked Mrs. Chalmers how she +liked Japan. + +She took her adoring eyes off her newly-acquired husband long enough to +answer: "It is lovely. Wonderful little people--so progressive and +clean. It's too bad they are so dishonest; of course you must have lost +a lot of money." + +"No, I can't say that I have. I've been in the country thirty years and +never lost a 'rin' except when my pocket was torn. Come to think of it, +if histories, travelers and police records state facts, dishonesty is +not peculiar to the Orient." + +The little bride answered: "I don't know about that; but the Japanese +must be awfully tricky, for Pinkey says so and the captain of the ship, +who hates every inhabitant of the Empire, said the banks had to employ +Chinese clerks." + +Why waste words? What were real facts, or the experience of a lifetime +against such unimpeachable authority as Mr. Pinkey Chalmers and the +captain of a Pacific steamer! Why condemn the little bride, for after +all she was human. Nationally and individually, the tighter we hug our +own sins and hide their faces, the more clearly we can see the distorted +features of our neighbor's weakness. There was more of pity than anger +due a person who, ignoring all the beauty in the treasure house before +her, chose as a souvenir a warped and very ancient skeleton of a truth +and found the same pleasure in dangling it, that a child would in +exhibiting a newly-extracted tooth. + +Mr. Chalmers had been talking to Zura, but when he caught the word +"bank" he included the entire company in his conversation. "Talking +banks, are you? Well that is a pretty sore subject with me. Just lost my +whole fortune in a bank. Had it happened before the wedding I'd have +been obliged to put the soft pedals on the merry marriage bells. Guess +you heard about the million-dollar robbery of the Chicago Bank; biggest +pile any one fellow ever got away with. And that's the wonder: he got +clean away, simply faded into nothing. It happened months ago and not a +trace of him since. Detectives everywhere are on the keen jump; big +reward hung up. He's being gay somewhere with seventy-five dollars of my +good money." + +Tea was served and we indulged in much small talk, but I was not sorry +when Pinkey said he "must be moving along" to the steamer. He charged us +to wireless him, if we saw a strange man standing around with a bushel +of gold concealed about his person. It was sure to be the missing +cashier. "By-the-way," he asked, pausing at the door, "where is that +chap I met when I was here before, who took such an interest in my +business? Maybe he is among those absent wanted ones. What was he doing +here anyhow?" + +Zura answered with what I thought unnecessary color that Mr. Hanaford +was in the city, and was soon to be promoted to a very high position in +the educational world. + +Pinkey looked into her face and, turning, gave me a violent wink. "Oho! +Now I'm getting wise." At the same time humming a strain supposed to be +from a wedding march. + +Oh, but I wished I could slap him! Think of his seeing in a wink what I +hadn't seen in months! + +My visitors said good-by and went their happy way, but in the story of +the missing cashier Mr. Chalmers left behind a suggestion that was as +hateful as it was painful and haunting. + + * * * * * + +Page spent that evening with us. He was lighter of heart than I had ever +seen him, more at ease and entertaining, and as far removed from crime +as courage is from cowardice. + +My heart ached as I looked at him, for I longed for his happiness as I +yearned to know he was clean of soul. + +If some cruel mistake had darkened his life, why did he not say so and +let us, his friends, help him forget? Why not start anew with love as a +guide? + +It was another Page we were seeing that night. Was it the magic of love +that made him hopeful, almost gay? Or was it for the moment he was +permitted one more joyous flight in the blue skies of freedom before he +was finally caught in the snare of the shadow? + +For the time he sunned his soul in the garden of friendship and love +and gave us, not only glimpses of other worlds, but disclosed another +side of himself. If the new man I was seeing in Page Hanaford captivated +me the revelation of the undiscovered woman in Zura mystified and amazed +me. Till now her every characteristic was so distinctly of her father's +race, everything about her so essentially Western, that I was beginning +to think she had tricked a favorite law of Nature and defied maternal +influence. + +As much as she loved pretty clothes, and regardless of the pressure +brought to bear by her grandfather, she had refused to wear the native +garb, preferring the shabby garments she brought with her from America. +I had never thought of her being Japanese; but that evening, when Page +was announced and Zura walked into the room clothed in kimono and obi, +my eyes were astonished with as fair a daughter of old Nippon as ever +pompadoured her hair or wore sandals on her feet. + +She was like a new creature to me. Her daring and sparkling vivacity +were tempered by a tranquil charm, as if a slumbering something, wholly +of the East had suddenly awakened and claimed her. With eyes half +lowered she responded with easy familiarity to Page's talk of other +lands. She said her father had traveled far and had spent many of their +long winter evenings in spinning yarns of foreign countries for her +enjoyment. She'd been brought up more regularly on pictures than she had +food. Once they had copies of all the great paintings. Mother sold the +last one to get money to pay the passage to come to Japan. + +And so they talked. Jane, snug in her chair, was content to listen, and +I, who had been blind, was now dumb with the startling surprises that +the game of life being played before me revealed. + +The girl glowed as softly bright as a firefly and the light lured the +man to happy forgetfulness. For once he let love have full sway. He +neither sought to conceal what he felt, nor to stem the tide which was +fast sweeping him--he knew not nor cared not whither so long as his eyes +might rest upon the dearness of Zura's face, as with folded feet and +hands she sat on a low cushion, the dull red fire reflecting its glory +in the gold embroidery of her gown. + +There had been a long silence. Then Zura recalled the event of the day: +"Oh, Mr. Hanaford, by the way. You remember Pinkey Chalmers, don't +you--the nice boy you and Ursula entertained so beautifully in the +garden when he called the last time? He was here again to-day; had his +bride with him. Ursula will tell you what she looked like. I do wish you +had been here. Mr. Chalmers told us the most exciting news about a +Chicago cashier who skipped away with a million dollars and hid both +himself and the money--nobody knows where. They think he is out this way +and I think I am going to find him." + +In the passing of one second the happiness in Page Hanaford's face +withered. Like a mask fear covered it. He thrust his strained body +forward and with shaking hand grasped the shoulder of the girl. "Hid it! +Tell me, in heaven's name, tell me where could a man hide a million +dollars?" His voice was tense to the breaking point. He searched the +girl's face as if all eternity depended upon her reply. + +Before she could make it he sank back in his chair, pitifully white and +limp. He begged for air. We opened the window. Zura ran for water. While +I bathed his face he said, looking at Zura: "I beg your pardon. I'm not +at all well, but I didn't mean to startle you." + +"I'm not startled," she answered, and lightly added: "but I was just +wondering why anybody would care so much where a million old dollars +were hid. I know a hundred things I'd rather find." + +The man laid his hand on that of the girl as it rested on the arm of the +chair. "Name one, Zura." + +"Love." And on her face the high lights were softened to compassion and +tenderness. + +Page took his hand from hers and covered his eyes. + + * * * * * + +There I stood waiting to put another cold cloth on the boy's head. +Neither one of them knew I was on earth. I hardly knew it myself. For +the first time in my life I was seeing the real thing and the wonder of +it almost petrified me. + +What else might have happened is an untold tale. Jane saved the +situation. I had not noticed her absence. She now entered, carrying a +tray well filled with crackers and a beverage which she placed before +Page. "Honey, I don't believe in any of those spirit-rising liquors even +when you faint, but I made this jape gruice right off our own vine and +fig tree and I know it's pure and innocent. Yes, Zura, grape juice is +what I said. Page can drink every gallon I have if he wants it, and I'll +toast cheese and crackers for him all night." + +The twist in Jane Gray's tongue might lead to laughter, but her heart +never missed the road to thoughtful kindness. + +Very soon Page said he felt much better and would get home and to bed. +When he took his coat and hat from the hall he looked so weak, so near +to illness, I begged him to stay and let us care for him. He gently +refused, saying he would be all right in the morning. I followed him to +the gate. He turned to say good-night. + +I put my hands on his shoulders and with all the affection at my command +I invited his confidence. "What is it, son? I'm an old woman, but maybe +I can help you. Let me try." + +He lifted his hands to mine and his grasp was painful. The dim light +from the old bronze lantern reflected the tears in his eyes as he +answered: "Help me? You have in a thousand ways. I'll soon be all right. +I'm just a little over-worked. Haven't slept much lately. Need rest." + +Then leaning near with sudden tenderness: "Heaven bless you, dear woman. +You have been as good to me as my own mother. Some day--perhaps. +Good-night. Don't worry, Miss Jenkins." + +Why didn't he throw me over into a bramble patch and tell me not to get +scratched? I just leaned my old head up against the gate and cried. + +I returned to the house by a rear door, for Jane was in the living-room. + + + + +XVI + +ENTER KOBU, THE DETECTIVE + + +The compensation of the morning's belated brightness came in the golden +glory with which it flooded the world, so warm it melted the hoar frost +jewels on tree and shrub, so tender the drooping roses lifted their pink +heads and blushed anew. It was the kind of a morning one knew that +something was waiting just ahead. It required no feat of intellect for +me to know that a great many somethings awaited my little household. +Whenever I arose in the morning feeling sentimental, something was sure +to happen. The afternoon of this day was the appointed time for the +"roof-raising festival" of Jane's hospital. Three o'clock was the hour +set to begin the ceremonies, but early morning found Jane and Zura as +busy collecting books, bundles and a folding baby-organ, as if moving +day had fallen upon the household. Neither one of my companions seemed +depressed by the happenings of the night before, or else they were +determined that every other thought should be put aside till the roof +was safely over the dream of Jane's life. Jinrickishas piled high with +baskets of refreshments and decorations moved gaily down the street. +Jane and Zura, laughing like two schoolgirls and as irrepressible, +headed the little procession. + +I waved them good luck and went back to my work and my thoughts. I was +interrupted by a note that came from Page in answer to one of mine, +saying a slight fever would prevent his accepting the invitation to go +with me to the exercises in the afternoon, but he hoped to see us at the +house later in the evening. Of course he meant us in general, Zura +particularly, and it might be fever or it might be other things that +kept him away from Jane's tea party. I was going to know in either case +as soon as I could get Page Hanaford by himself. Right or wrong I would +help him all I could, but know I must and would. I simply could not live +through another day of anxiety. + +If Page told me his trouble, there was no reason why it would fade away, +and my anxiety cease to be, but having made up my mind to act +definitely, my spirits rose like a clay pigeon released by a spring. + +That afternoon, at the time appointed for the ceremony, when I turned +from Flying Sparrow Street into Tube Rose Lane a strange sight met my +eyes. It was clean. For once in the history of the Quarter poverty and +crime had taken a bath and were indulging in an open holiday. It had +gone still farther. From the lowliest hut of straw and plaster to the +little better house of the chief criminal, cheap, but very gay +decorations fluttered in honor of the coming hospital. The people stood +about in small groups. The many kimonos, well patched in varied colors, +lent a touch of brilliancy to the sordid alleyway, haunted with ghosts +of men and women, dead to all things spiritual. + +Here and there policemen strolled, always in pairs. Whenever they drew +near, and until they were past, the talking groups fell silent, and +before an open door, or window a blank white screen was softly shifted. +This coming from cover by the inhabitants and premeditatedly giving a +visible sign of their existence was a supreme tribute to the woman who +had lived among them successfully, because hers was the courage of the +sanctified, her bravery that of love. + +The day sparkled with winter's bright beauty. The sun had wooed an +ancient plum tree into blossoming long before its time. It spread its +dainty flowers on the soft straw bed of an old gray roof. A playful wind +caught up the petals, sending the white blossoms flying across the heads +of the unjust into the unclean ditches where they covered stagnation +with a frail loveliness. + +For the time at least degradation hid its face. Though poverty and sin +were abroad, peace and good will might have been their next-door +neighbors had it not been for a certain quality in the atmosphere, +invisible but powerful, which caused a feeling that behind it all, there +was an evil something that sneered alike at life and beauty; that had +for its motto lust and greed, and mercilessly demanded as tribute the +soul of every inhabitant. + +Collected crime at bay was an unyielding force not easily reckoned with. +The fact that one small woman, with only faith to back her, was battling +against it single-handed, sent Jane Gray so high up in my estimation +that I could barely see her as she floated in the clouds. + +I saw my companion in an entirely new light as I joined the throngs +gathered about the space where the raising of the roof was taking place. +The ceremony here was brief. With countless ropes tied to the joined +roof as it lay on the ground, the eager coolies stood ready for the +signal to pull aloft the structure and guide it to the posts placed +ready to receive it. + +Jane walked to the cleared center and stood waiting to speak. There was +instant silence when the crowd saw her. With simple words she thanked +the workmen for their interest and the many half-days' labor they had +contributed, then she raised her hand, and with great shouting and +cheering the roof of Jane's long-dreamed-of refuge for sinners, sick and +hopeless, was safely hoisted to its place. + +After this everybody was entitled to a holiday and went quickly to the +tea and cake which Zura and her helpers had prepared and served from +small booths. The rest of the exercises were to take place in the +near-by house that Miss Gray had been using temporarily. By removing all +the paper partitions the lower part of the house had been thrown into +one large room. Circling the crowd of waiting people seated on the floor +a row of cots held the sick and afflicted, worsted by sin and disease. + +Before them stood Jane, who, in the custom of the country, bade them +welcome. A small sea of faces was lifted to her. Such faces!--none +beautiful; all stamped with crime; some scarcely human, only physical +apparitions of debased Nature. + +With shifting glances they listened to an official who made Jane an +offer from the city to contribute to the support of the hospital, the +pledge of two doctors to give their services so many hours a week, a +contribution of milk from a rich merchant, and an offer from a friendly +barber to give so many free shaves. Their eyes widened with wonder and +suspicion. What could people mean by giving things and taking away the +excitement of stealing them? + +But when the man spoke of how the officials had watched Jane and her +work, at first with skeptical unbelief because they thought she would +not endure a month, now with warmest sympathy because she had succeeded +in keeping the Quarters freer of crime and disease than ever before, +they forgot their fear and voiced their approval in much hand-clapping, +and wise shaking of heads. They called for Miss Gray. + +Jane arose and very shyly thanked the city's representative. Then as +gently and as simply as if talking to wayward children, she spoke to the +men and women before her, who bent forward with respectful attention +while the sick ones fastened their weary eyes upon her. + +"My people, the building of this little hospital means not only the +healing of your bodies, but also the way to cleansing your souls. Dear +friends, let me say in this world there is nothing worth while but your +souls. Make them clean and white. Sell them for the highest price. What +do I mean by that? I mean that if it is for the sake of your souls, it +is nothing to go hungry, cold and in rags. What matters the outside so +long as you make your hearts sweet and shiny and true? All of you before +me have gone astray. So many of you have wandered like lost children +from the homeward path, and darkness came and you could not find the way +back. Each of you was once a happy little child, with some place to call +home and some one there to care when you were lost. I do not know why +the darkness overtook you, but I know it did, and to-day, as before, I +am a messenger to show you the way back. I have come to tell you that +there is still Somebody who cares whether you are lost or not. There is +still Some One who waits to guide you home. He asks you as a little +child to take hold of His hand and He will lead you out of the fearful +darkness. I do not ask what nameless deeds have made you fear the light +of day and the eyes of men. I only know you are my friends, to whom I so +gladly bring this message, and to whom I so willingly give my strength +and my life to help you find the way back to the greatest Friend, who, +understanding all, forgives." + +A look resembling a shadow of hope came into their faces as she +finished, and when, at a sign, Zura haltingly played, "I Need Thee Every +Hour," and the people stumbled along with the music in an attempt to +sing, the burden of the sound as well as the song was a cry for help. + +The song finished, one part of the crowd seemed to fade away, the others +stayed and gathered about Jane as if only to touch her meant something +better than their own sin-stained lives. She moved among them speaking +gently to this one, earnestly to that one. Tenderly she smoothed the +covers over the sick bodies, leaving a smile and word of cheer wherever +she stopped. + +Sentimentalism dropped from her like a garment worn for play. It was the +spiritual woman only I was seeing, one who faced these real and awful +facts of life with the calm, blissful assurance of knowing the truth, of +giving her life for humanity because of love. + +Jane Gray was indeed a "Daughter of Hope." + + * * * * * + +A little later, Zura--here, there, everywhere, like a bright autumn +leaf dancing among dead twigs--found me conversing with a man who all +the afternoon had kept very near to me and evidenced every desire to be +friendly. + +"Belovedest," exclaimed the girl gaily, her face glowing as she +approached, "come with me quick or you will miss the sight of your young +life. You may come, too, sir, if you wish," addressing my persistent +companion, who apparently had decided to spend the rest of his natural +life in my presence. + +Zura led us toward the rear of the house. As we approached a closed room +there came to us sounds of splashing water and happy squeals. She slid +open the paper doors. Before us were two big tubs full of small +children. The baths were wide enough for six and so deep only the +cropped heads showed above the rims as they stood neck high. The lower +ranks of young Japan were engaged in a fierce water battle of ducking +and splashing and a trial of endurance, as to who could stay under +longest. Their thin yellow bodies gleamed in the sun of the late +afternoon as they romped and shouted. + +The fun growing so boisterous, and a miniature war threatening, the one +attendant, a very old woman, was outclassed. Without invitation Zura +rolled up her sleeves and took part in the fray. + +Instantly there was quiet. A bath was strange enough to those waifs, but +to be touched by a foreigner who looked like a princess made them half +fear while they wondered. They soon found she knew their games as well +as their talk; then everybody claimed attention at once. + +She scrubbed them one by one playfully but firmly. She stood them in a +row and put them through a funny little drill, commanding them to +salute, and when they finished they were clothed ready to march out to +the street in perfect order. + +While this was going on the man who had attached himself to me stood +close by, seemingly much interested. In a detached sort of way he began +talking in broken English. "Miss Jaygray most wonderful of persons," he +observed. "She come to this place of hell and make clean spot. She like +gray owl too. She have see of all bad things. But learning of such stop +right in her eye; it never get to her memory place. All time she talk +'bout one, two very little good thing what are in this street. Low +womans in here give much works also rin and sen for to buy water tubs +for babies. Bad mens give work of hands, for Miss Jaygray. She most +wonderful of females. Maybe because she 'Merican. Hijiyama much honored +by skilful 'Mericans: Jenkins San, Wingate San, Hanaford San too. He +most skilful of all. You know Hanaford San?" + +Something in his voice made me look in the man's face. It was as +expressive as biscuit dough. I acknowledged my acquaintance with Page. + +The man resumed: "Hanaford San nice gentleman. I give wonder why he stay +this far-away place. I hear some time he have much sadful. Too bad. +Maybe he have the yearn for his country. If this be truthful why he not +give quick return to 'Merica?" + +I answered that Mr. Hanaford had lost all his money and his father and +had come to Japan to begin anew. His success in teaching was reason +enough for his remaining. + +Apparently indifferent my questioner mused as if to himself: "Him papa +have gone dead. Badful news. And moneys have got lost. Most big +troublesome for young man." + +I did not think it strange this queer person knew Page. The boy had all +kinds and conditions in his classes, as Jane had in her Quarters. +Neither was it unusual for a stranger to follow me around. When I went +to a new part of the city, I was accustomed to being followed as if I +were a part of a circus. But my self-attached friend's interest in +Page's history caused me to observe him more closely. Except that his +patched clothes were cleaner and he spoke English I could discover +little difference between him and Jane's other guests. + +Criminal or not his carelessly put but persistent questions regarding +Page, his habits, how long I had known him, how often he came to my +house and many other things, so annoyed me that I arose to find Jane and +suggest going home. Failing in my quest I returned to find my inquisitor +gone and Zura putting on her coat and hat. + +"Zura," I said, "who was that man who stuck to me all afternoon like +furniture varnish? He made me talk whether I wanted to or not. Such +questions as he asked!" + +"Do you mean that clean, raggy little man who looked through you, but +not at you?" she questioned. "Star of my Sapphire, you have made a hit. +That was Kobu, the keenest detective the flag of the Rising Sun ever +waved over. I thought you knew. He has been here a week trying to pry +information out of Lady Jinny. You should hear their interviews. He asks +the subtlest questions, and Jane Gray doesn't do a thing but let her +tongue get locomotor ataxia, and Kobu can make nothing of her answers. +It's as good as vaudeville to hear them. He'd just as well leave her +alone. Torture wouldn't make her tell what she knows, and she doesn't +have to either! Did he ask you about Page? He did me too. What does it +matter? I told him all I knew. That is most all. Why shouldn't I? +There's nothing wrong about Page. He just can't get over the loss of his +father, and there is something about old money that worries him." + +She threw her arms around my waist. + +"What a happy day! Isn't Jane the realest saint you ever knew? You're a +saint, too, Ursula, the nice sinnery kind that I love to play with. I am +tired and hungry. Come on, let's find Lady Jinny and go home. Isn't the +blessedest thing in the world to have one to go to? I dare you to race +me to the corner." I was far from feeling playful, so declined. + +More than ever I felt the necessity of an interview with Page. I must +know the truth. He must know the happenings of the afternoon. + + * * * * * + +That evening, after dinner, while sitting with Zura in the living-room, +I eagerly listened for Page's step in the hall. Soon it came, and as we +arose to greet him I was made more anxious by his fever-bright eyes. + +I was reassured, however, when he replied to my inquiries by saying: +"Quite all right, thank you. Head gets a bit rocky at times, but that +does not matter. Awfully sorry I was unable to be among those present at +Miss Jane's tea party. Tell me all about it--the guests and the +costumes." + +Though he walked about the room, picking up books and small objects only +to lay them quickly down, he gave the closest attention to Zura as she +eagerly gave her account of the afternoon. + +I was about to interrupt with a request to Page to come with me for a +private conference in the dining-room, when a summons came for me to go +at once to the house in the garden where Ishi lived. The messenger +thought Ishi was very ill, or gone crazy. I found him very drunk. +Standing in the middle of the room, with rows of rare orchids ranged +around the walls, he was waving a sharp-bladed weapon while executing a +sword dance. In between steps he made speeches to the plants, telling +them how their blessed brothers and sisters had had their heads cut off +by a silly girl on whom he would have vengeance. He had sworn by his +blood at the temple. + +It required me a good hour to reduce him to submission and to sleep. +When I returned to the house Page Hanaford was gone. I was disappointed +enough to cry. Zura said that the next morning was the time for him to +go to the Government office to fill out the papers required for his +position at the Normal College, and that he must make his last +preparation for this. He asked her to say to me that he would accept the +offer I had made to go with him as interpreter and would call for me on +his way down. + +"But," I asked almost peevishly, "what made him go so soon?" + +"I am not sure. Maybe he wanted to study. Or, it may be, I made his head +ache. I did talk a lot. I told him everything--about the babies in the +bath and Jane's sermon and your detective." + +"Oh, Zura!" I said helplessly. + +"Yes, I did. Why not?" + +She leaned 'way over and looked at me steadily. Then with something of +her old passion she cried: "Listen to me, Ursula! Don't you dare think +Page Hanaford guilty of crime! There isn't anything wrong with him. I +know it. I know it." + +"How do you know it, my child? Has he told you the real reason for his +being in Japan? Has he told you why fear suddenly overtakes and confuses +him? Or has he only dared to tell you other things?" + +A joyous little sob caught in her throat. "His lips have told me +nothing, Ursula. His eyes and my heart have told me all." + +"And without knowing these things you love him, Zura?" + +"Love him," she echoed softly. "Right or wrong, I love him absolutely!" + +I looked at the girl in amazed wonder. There seemed to be an inner +radiance as if her soul had been steeped in some luminous medium. She +came nearer, her young face held close to mine. "Oh, I am so happy, so +blissfully happy! For good or not, it's love for eternity. Dear, kind +old friend!"--inclosing my face with her hands, she kissed me on the +lips. In that faraway time of my babyhood my mother's good-by kiss was +the last I had known. The rapture of the girl's caress repaid long, +empty years. For a moment I was as happy as she. Then I remembered. + +All day I had seen love perform miracles, and, like some invisible +power, regulate the workings of life as some deft hand might guide a +piece of delicate machinery; but that anybody could be happy, radiantly +happy, with shadows and detectives closing around the main cause of +happiness was farther than I could stretch my belief in the transforming +power of joy. Surely this thing called "love" was either farseeing +wisdom or shortsighted foolishness. + + + + +XVII + +A VISIT TO THE KENCHO + + +The North Wind began a wild song through the trees in the night. It tore +at the mountains with the fury of an attacking army. It lashed the +waters of the sea into a frenzy. With the dawn came the snow. Softly and +tenderly it wrapped the earth in a great white coverlet, hushing the +troubled notes of the savage storm music into plaintive echoes of a +lullaby. As it grew light a world of magic beauty greeted my eyes. +Winter was King, but withal a tender monarch wooing as his handmaidens +the beauties of early spring. The great Camellia trees gave lavishly of +their waxen flowers, brocading the snow in crimson. Young bamboo +swinging low under the burden, edged its covering of white down with a +lacy fringe of delicate green. The scene should have called forth a hymn +of praise; but the feelings which gripped me more nearly matched the +clouds rolled in heavy gray masses over land and sea. + +Page was to call for me at ten. Long before that time I was sitting on +the edge of the chair, ready and waiting, trying to coax into my +over-soul an ounce or so of poise, a measure of serenity. It needed no +fortune teller to forecast that this visit to the Kencho would be +productive of results, whether good or bad the coming hours alone could +tell. + +Knowing the searching questions that would be put to Page Hanaford, I +was beginning to wonder if the offer of this position was not part of +the game Kobu was playing. I had never seen Japan's famous manhunter +till the day before, but by reputation I knew him to be relentless in +pursuit of victims to be offered as tribute to his genius. Thoughts of +Page Hanaford in prison garb behind barred doors made me shiver. + +I was depressed in spirits and was trying to plan what I could possibly +do, when the sound of Zura's voice came to me as she moved about in the +upper story attending to her household duties. It was a foolish old +negro melody she sang, and one of its verses ran: + + Ole Cap'n Noah a-feelin' mighty blue, + Kep' a sayin' to hisself, "Oh, what shall I do?" + 'Long come a sparrow bird, spic 'n spin, + 'N _he_ say, "Brer Noah, do de bes' you kin. + + Yo' joy 'n yo' trouble is sho' gwine to bide + 'N las' jes' as long as yo' own tough hide. + So say, Cap'n Noah, better laugh 'n grin; + Perk up yo' speerits 'n do de bes' yo kin. + +The insistent note of happiness in the girl's voice and the humble +philosophy of the song so cheered me that, when my escort appeared on +the stroke of ten, hope came riding down on the streaks of sunshine that +were battling through the clouds. + +While my companion had about him every mark of nervous restlessness that +so often precedes a crisis or an illness he also had the air of a man at +last determined to turn and face a pursuing enemy and stand, or fall by +the clash. Fear was absent from face and manner. He even lightly jested +as Jane, while greeting him, slipped into his pocket a tempting-looking +package. + +"Page, dear," she twittered, "it is only cookies and sandwiches and +pickles and cake. But talking always makes people hungry. Those nice +gentlemen down at the Kencho are never in a hurry. They may keep you +till after lunchtime. You and Miss Jenkins can have a tea party." + +Page laid a kindly hand on Jane's shoulder. "You dear little saint of a +woman! How good all of you are to me, and how I thank you. Well +good-by. When you see me again I'll be--" + +With hand outstretched to open the door for me to pass, he paused. Once +again the sound of a song reached us: + + "Before I slept, I thought of thee; + Then fell asleep and sought for thee + And found thee. + Had I but known 'twas only seeming, + I had not waked, but lay forever dreaming." + +There was enough sweetness in Zura's voice to woo a man to Heaven or +lure him to the other place. Page listened till the last note, then +softly closed the door and walked beside me. The look on his face held +me speechless. It was a glorious something he had gained, yet never to +be his; a glimpse into paradise, then the falling of the shadows +between; but the vision was his reward. + +Usually it takes endless time in Japan to unwind the huge ball of red +tape that is wrapped about the smallest official act. That morning, when +Page and I presented ourselves at the Government office, the end of the +tape seemed to have a pin stuck in it, so easily and swiftly was it +found. Promptly announced, we were ushered without delay into a small +inner office. + +The walls of this room were lined with numberless shelves filled with +files and papers. Any remaining space was covered by pictures of famous +persons, people wanted or wanting, and a geisha girl or two. + +I noticed two other things in the room. Adorning the center of the +table, before which we were seated, was a large cuspidor. The fresh +flowers inside matched the painted ones outside. To Japanese eyes the +only possible use for such an ornament was to hold blossoms. It was +neither beautiful nor artistic, but being foreign was the very thing +with which to welcome American guests. Anxious as I was I felt myself +smiling, if rather palely, at the many ways in which Kishimoto's +prophecy was being fulfilled. + +The other thing was not amusing, only significant. Page sat opposite me +and I faced a heavily curtained recess, and some one was behind the +drapery. I had seen the folds move. I had no way of warning the boy. Had +we been alone, I doubt if I would have made the effort. Concealment for +Page, unendurable suspense for those who loved him, must end. I spoke +only when necessary to interpret an unusual word. + +A small official with a big manner began by eulogizing Mr. Hanaford's +skill in teaching and his success in imparting English. He felt it a +great rudeness of manner to the honorable teacher gentleman, but the law +compelled applicant for the position of Professor of English in the +Normal College to answer many personal questions. For a moment he +dallied with a few preliminary statements; then, throwing aside all +reserve, the man began his probe as a skilled surgeon might search a +victim's body for hidden bullets. + +Page, outwardly calm, answered steadily at first, but his knotted +fingers and swelling veins showed the strain. Once his lips trembled. I +had never seen a man's lips tremble before. It's no wonder mothers can +die for sons. + +Inquiries as to quantity and quality of ancestors, place of birth, age, +calling now and formerly came with the precision of a marksman hunting +the center of the target. "How long have you been in this country?" + +"About a year." + +"From where did you come to Japan?" + +Page hesitated, then stammered: "Don't remember." + +The high-lifted brows of the official were eloquent, his voice +increasingly sarcastic: "So! Your memory makes absence. Repeat your +name once again." + +"Page Hanaford." + +"Hanaford? So! Now your other name?" + +"I have no other name." + +"Your other name!" was the sharp demand. + +"My name is Page Hanaford, I tell you." He spoke with quick anger as he +arose from the chair. + +"Your other name!" sternly reiterated his inquisitor. + +A wave of confusion seemed to cover the boy. Desperate and at bay, he +rather feebly steadied himself for a last defense. "What do you mean? +Can't you hear me? I tell you for the last time my name is--" + +"Ford Page Hamilton," supplied the voice of Kobu, cool, suave and sure +as he came from behind the curtain. "I arrest you as fugitive. See what +paper says? You take moneys from bank." He exposed a circular printed in +large type. It read: + +"$5,000 reward for information of one Ford Page Hamilton, dead or alive. +Last seen in Singapore, summer of 1912," followed by a detailed +description and signed by a Chicago banking firm. + +"It's a lie!" shouted Page as he read. + +"No lie. See? Page Hanaford San, Ford Hamilton San all same." Kobu held +close to the pitiful white face a photograph which undoubtedly could +have been Page Hanaford in happier days. + +The boy looked, then laid his shaking arm across his eyes. With a moan +as if his soul had yielded to despair he hoarsely whispered: "Oh, God! A +thief! It's over!" + +He sank to the floor. + + + + +XVIII + +A VISITOR FROM AMERICA + + +In old Nippon the flower of kindness reaches full perfection when friend +or foe suffers defeat. Page Hanaford might be a long-hunted prize in the +police world, but to the group around him as he lay on the floor, his +head upon my lap, he was a stranger far from home and very ill. Justice +could wait while mercy served. Pity urged willing messengers to bring +restoratives, to summon doctors who pronounced the sick man in the +clutches of fever. Hospitals in Hijiyama are built for the emergencies +of war, and solicitude for Page's comfort was uppermost when, after a +short consultation among the officials, permission was granted to remove +him to my house with an officer in charge. + +A policeman headed the little procession that moved slowly up the steps +to The House of the Misty Star, and one followed to keep at a distance +the sympathetic, but curious crowd. Four men carried a stretcher beside +which I walked holding the limp hand of Page, who was still claimed by a +merciful unconsciousness. + +The news spread rapidly. As we reached the upper road I saw Zura at the +entrance, waiting our coming, so rigid she seemed a part of the carving +on the old lodge gates. Her face matched the snow beneath her feet. + +"Is he dead?" she demanded, as we came closer. + +"No. But he's desperately ill--and under arrest," I hurriedly added. + +"Oh, but he's alive; nothing else matters. Come on; my room is ready." + +Before I could protest, she had given orders to the men, and Zura's +bedroom was soon converted from a girlish habitation into a dwelling +place where life and death waged contest. + +Later the two physicians asked for an audience with me and delivered +their opinion: "Hanaford San's illness is the result of a severe mental +shock, received before recovery from previous illness; cause unknown; +outcome doubtful." + +From the sick-room orders had been issued for absolute quiet. Every +member of the house crept about, keenly aware of the grim foe that +lurked in every corner. When night came down the darkness seemed to +enter the house and wrap itself about us as well. + +[Illustration: "Oh, God! A thief! It's over!"] + +As Red Cross nurse on battlefields in the aftermath, I had helped put +together the remnants of splendid men and promising youth; in sorrowing +homes I had seen hope die with the going-out of such as these. But for +me, no past moment of life held gloom so impenetrable as that first +night when Page Hanaford lay in my house, helpless. The dreaded thing +had come. The boy who had walked into our hearts to stay was a fugitive +with only a small chance to live that he might prove he was not a +criminal. + +The evening household dinner remained untouched. The servants hung about +the doors, eager to be of service, refusing to believe the sick man was +anything but a prince of whom the gods were jealous. Only old Ishi was +happy. In festal robes he was stationed at the lodge gates with a small +table before him ready to do the honors of the house in the ancient +custom of receiving cards. + +Up the steps came a long procession of students, officials and +civilians, my friends and Page's, every caller in best kimono. From one +hand dangled a lighted lantern with the caller's name and calling +shining boldly out through the thin paper, in the other he held a +calling-card which was laid upon the table in passing. The long line +testified to their liking and sympathy for the sick man. To each caller +Ishi had a wonderful tale to tell. The marvel of it grew as his cups of +sake increased. At a late hour I found him entertaining a crowd with the +story of how the silly foreign girl had cut off the heads of his +ancestors which were in the flowers. Now the gods were taking their +vengeance upon the one she loved best. Of course only an American girl +would be so brazen as to show her liking for any special man. I took him +by the shoulder. + +"Ishi, you are drunk. And at such a time." + +"No, Jenkins San, I triumph for Hanaford San. He die to escape Zura San. +'T is special 'casion. All Japanese gentlemens drink special 'casions. I +assist honorable gods celebrate downfall of 'Merca and women." + +Having locked up the gates and Ishi, I went back to the living-room, +where I found Jane and Zura. It was my first opportunity to tell them in +detail what had happened at the Kencho--of Kobu's charge, the arrest and +Page's collapse. + +Zura was called from the room by some household duty. Jane and I were +left alone. Though my companion looked tired and a little anxious, she +seemed buoyed up by some mental vision to which she hopefully clung. + +"Miss Jenkins, please tell me just what the poster said," asked Jane. + +The printed words I had read that morning seemed burned into my brain. I +repeated them exactly. + +"Well, it didn't even give a hint that Page was that nice cashier +gentleman from Chicago, did it?" she inquired. + +"No, Jane, it didn't; only it was signed by the Chicago Bank. But Kobu +told me he was sure Page was the man. He has cabled the authorities to +come." + +"He has cabled, has he? He knows, does he? Kobu has himself going to +another thought. Isn't that what Zura says? Page Hanaford is no more the +man wanted for borrowing that bank's money than I am a fashion plate +wanted in Paris." Her words were light, but very sure. + +Her apparent levity irritated me. "How do you know? What are you saying, +Jane?" I asked sharply. + +"Oh, I just have a feeling that way. Page is too good-looking," answered +my companion. + +"For the love of heaven, Jane Gray, that's no reason. Good looks don't +keep a man from sin." + +"Maybe not, but they help; and Page loves poetry too," she ended with +quiet stubbornness. Then after a pause: "That program did not say what +particular thing our boy was wanted for, did it?" Neither in joy nor +sorrow did Jane's talent desert her for misusing words. + +"No, the circular did not state the details. But if you think there is +any mistake about the whole thing go to the room and look at that +policeman pacing up and down before the door. And if you think the boy's +not desperately ill, look inside and see those two doctors and that +speck of a trained nurse watching his every breath. You can read the +paper yourself, if you don't believe me." + +"Miss Jenkins, don't pin your faith to a program; they tell awful fibs. +Once I wrote one myself for a meeting and I said, 'The audience will +remain standing while collection is taken,' and it made me say: 'The +remains of the audience will be collected while standing.'" + +"How can you?" I asked. Hot tears stung my eyes. + +Instantly Jane was by my side. "How can I? Because it's best never to +believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. I know the +dear boy is ill. But he's not guilty. The idea of that sweet boy, with +such a nice mouth and teeth, doing anything dishonorable! It's all a +mistake. I know guilt when I see it, and Page hasn't a feature of it." + +Jane Gray exasperated me to the verge of hysteria, but her sure, simple +faith had built a hospital and changed the criminal record of a city. +The thought that she might be right, in spite of the circular and Kobu, +gave me so much comfort that the tears flowed unchecked. + +My companion looked at me critically for a moment, then left the room. +She returned shortly bearing a heaped-up tray, which she arranged before +me. "Honey, you can't be hopeful when you are hungry. You told me so +yourself. I don't believe you've eaten since morning. Here's just a +little bite of turkey and mince pie and chicken salad. Eat it. There's +plenty more, for nobody's touched that big dinner we were going to +celebrate Page's new position with. Now turn around to the lamp so you +can see. What a funny fat shadow you make! But how sweet it is to know +if we keep our faces to the light the shadows are always behind us! Now +I must run and get a little sleep. Zura says I am to go on watch at +three." + +I thought her gone, when the door opened again and I could see only her +gray head and bright, though tired face. "Miss Jenkins, please don't let +that layer cake fool you. It is not tough. I just forgot to take the +brown papers from the bottom of the layers when I iced them. Do as I +tell you, eat and sleep." + + "What if to-morrow's care were here + Without its rest? + I'd rather He'd unlock the day + And, as the hours swing open, say, + 'Thy will be best.'" + +"Good-night, dear friend." + +Then she was gone. The tables were turned in more ways than one. Jane +was counselor and I the counseled, she the comforter and I to be +comforted. + + * * * * * + +In the daughters of Japan lies a hidden quality ever dormant unless +aroused by a rough shake from the hand of necessity; it is the power to +respond calmly and skilfully to emergencies. In this, as never before, +Zura Wingate declared her Oriental heritage. On the tragic morning when +I had gone with Page to the Kencho I had left her a singing, joyous +girl, her feet touching the borderland of earth's paradise. I returned +and found her a woman, white lipped and tense, but full of quiet +command. The path to love's domain had been blocked by a sorrow which +threatened desolation to happiness and life. Not with tears and vain +rebellion did she protest against fate or circumstances, nor waste a +grain of energy in useless re-pinings. With the lofty bearing her lordly +forefathers wore when going forth to defeat or victory this girl stood +ready, and served so efficiently that both nurse and doctors bestowed +their highest praise when they told her she was truly a Japanese woman. + +So frequent were the demands from household and sick-room that I feared +for her strength. I knew she suffered. Rigid face muscles and +dark-rimmed eyes so testified; but aside from these some tireless spirit +held her far above weariness. Alert to see and quick to perform, under +her hand, after a few days, the house settled down into a routine where +each member had a special duty. In turn we watched or waited while the +heavy, anxious days dragged themselves along until they numbered ten. + +In the last half of each night Zura and I watched by Page and wrestled +with the cruel thing that held him captive. They were painful, but +revealing hours. I was very close to the great secrets of life, and the +eternal miracle of coming dawn was only matched in tender beauty by the +wonder of a woman's love. It was Zura's cool, soft hand that held the +burning lids and shut out the hideous specters Page's fevered eyes saw +closing down upon him. It was her voice that soothed him into slumber +after the frenzy of delirium. + +"Ah," he'd pant, weary of the struggle with a fancied foe, "you've come, +my lovely princess. No! You're my goddess!" Then with tones piteous and +beseeching he would begin anew the prayer ever present on his lips since +his illness. "Beloved goddess, tell me--what did I do with them? You are +divine; you know. Help me to find them quick. Quick; they are shutting +the door; it has bars. I cannot see your face." + +"I am here, Page," Zura would answer. "If the door shuts, I'll be right +by your side." + +In love for the boy each member of the house was ready day or night for +instant service, but vain were our combined efforts to help the fevered +brain to lay hold of definite thought long enough for him to name the +thing that was breaking his heart. From pleading for time to search for +something, he would wander into scenes of his boyhood. Once he appealed +to me as his mother and asked me to sing him to sleep. Before I could +steady my lips he had drifted into talk of the sea and tried to sing a +sailor's song. Often he fancied himself on a pirate ship and begged not +to be put off on some lonely island. He fiercely resisted. But his +feebleness was no match for Zura's young strength, and as she held him +she would begin to sing: + + "Before I slept I thought of thee; + Then fell asleep and sought for thee + And found thee: + Had I but known 'twas only seeming, + I had not waked, but lay forever dreaming." + +"Dreaming, dreaming," the boy would repeat. "Sweetheart, you are my +dearest dream." + +Inch by inch we fought and held at bay the enemy. We lost all contact +with the outside. To us the center of the world was the pink-and-white +room, and on the stricken boy that lay on the bed was staked all our +hope. + +The long delayed crisis flashed upon us early one morning when the +doctors found in what we had feared was the end only a healing sleep +from which Page awakened and called Zura by name. Even then it was a +toss-up whether he could win out against despair. Uppermost in his mind +was ever the torturing thought of the thing that had made him a +fugitive. + +An icy hand was laid upon our joy at the signs of returning health when +we remembered a certain ship that was right then cutting the blue waters +of the Pacific nearing the shores of Japan, bearing authority to make a +prisoner of Page if he lived. They were not happy days, and it was with +undefined emotions that I saw life and strength come slowly to the sick +man. + +By daily visits Kobu kept himself advised of the patient's condition, +and kept us informed of the swift approach of the Vancouver steamer and +its dreaded passenger. One day, when Page was sleeping and our anxiety +as to what was coming had reached the breaking point, the detective +came. He announced that he had received information that the steamer had +docked at Yokohama that morning. In the afternoon the Chicago Bank +representative would arrive at Otsu, our nearest railroad station. Kobu +said he would bring the guest to our house at once and his kind wish +that Page San's "sicker would soon be healthy" did not wholly hide the +triumph of his professional pride. + +He went his way to the station, leaving behind him thoughts sadder than +death can bring. + +When I told Jane what we were to expect her pale eyes were almost +drowned. She looked frail and tired, but from somewhere a smile made +rainbows of her tears. + +"Don't give up, Miss Jenkins. No use crying over cherry blossoms before +they wither. Kobu's human enough to be mistaken. Detectives aren't so +smart. Sometimes they tree a chipmunk and think it's a bear." + +It was the nearest I'd ever heard Jane come to a criticism, and I knew +she felt deeply to go this far. + +Zura listened quietly to what I had to tell. But her eyes darkened and +widened. "You mean they are coming to take Page away?" + +"Yes; as soon as he is strong enough." + +"Then I am going with him." + +"Go with him? You, a young girl, go with a man who is in charge of an +officer? It's impossible. I pray God it's not true, but if the law can +prove that Page has sinned, he will have to pay the penalty in prison. +You can't go there." + +"No, but I can wait outside, and be ready to stand by him when he is +released. No matter how guilty the law declares him, he is still the +same Page to me. He's mine. I belong to him. Did not my own mother think +home and country well lost for love? She knew her fate and smiled while +she blindly followed. I know mine, and there is no other path for me but +by the side of Page. Whatever comes I've known his love." + +It was not the raving of a hysterical girl; it was the calm utterance of +a woman--one of the East, who in recognizing the call of her destiny +unshrinkingly accepts its decrees of sorrow as well as of joy. By +training, environment and inclination Zura Wingate might be of the West; +but her Occidental blood was diluted with that of the East, and wherever +is found even one small drop, though it sleep long, in the end it arises +and claims its own as surely as death claims life. + +It was only a little while since Kobu had left us to go to the station +to bring the unwelcome visitor from America. + +The hills had scarcely ceased the echo of the shrieking engine, it +seemed to me, when I heard the tap of the gong at the entrance. I +started at once for Page's room where Zura and Jane were on watch. + +Kobu and his companion were ahead of me. The brilliant light of a sunny +afternoon softened as it sifted through the paper shoji, suffusing room +and occupants in a tender glow. Through it, as I reached the door, I saw +Zura half bending over the bed, shielding the face of the sick boy, Jane +at the foot with lifted, detaining hand, Kobu's face as he pointed to +the bed, saying, "There, sir, is the thief--I mean prisoner," and his +startled look as the tall, gray-headed stranger went swiftly to the bed +and gathered Page into his outstretched arms. + +"A thief!" he cried. "Somebody's going to get hurt in a minute. He's my +son. Oh! boy, boy, I thought I'd lost you!" + + + + +XIX + +"THE END OF THE PERFECT DAY" + + +Jane was the first in that astonished group to recover, and her voice +was as sweet and clear as a trumpet-call of victory, singing her +gladness and trust: "I knew it! I knew it! But who are you, sir? Page +said his father was dead." + +"I? My name is Ford Page Hamilton, and this is my boy. I've been looking +for him for months." + +Page's eyes intently searched his father's face, as alternate fear and +joy possessed him. The moment was tense; we waited breathlessly; at last +Page asked: "But, Father, what did I do with them?" + +"With what, son?" + +"The bags of money--the collection I was to turn over to the firm." + +"You delivered them sealed and labeled, then you disappeared off the +map, just as if you had melted." + +The word "melted" seemed to open in the brain of the invalid a door +long closed. A sleeping memory stirred. "Wait! It is all coming back! +Give me time!" he pleaded. + +It was no place for a crowd. I took Zura by the hand, pulled Jane's +sleeve, motioned Kobu toward the door, and together we went softly away. + + * * * * * + +An hour later, when Mr. Hamilton came in, the happiest spot in all the +Flowery Kingdom was the little living-room of "The House of the Misty +Star." + +Page was asleep through sheer exhaustion, and the father, with lowered +voice and dimmed eyes, told the story. + +The explanation was all so simple I felt as if I should be sentenced for +not thinking of it before. For had I not seen what tricks the heat of +the Orient could play with the brain cells of a white man? Had I not +seen men and women go down to despair under some fixed hallucination, +conjured from the combination of overwork and a steamed +atmosphere--transforming happy, normal humans into fear-haunted +creatures, ever pursued by an unseen foe? In such a fever-racked mind +lay all Page's troubles. + +For the last four years he had held a place of heavy responsibility +with a large oil concern in Singapore. His duties led him into isolated +districts. Danger was ever present, but a Malay robber was no more +treacherous an enemy than the heat, and far less subtle. One day, after +some unusually hard work, Page turned in his money and reports, and went +his way under the blistering sun. + +It was then that the fever played its favorite game by confusing his +brain and tangling his thoughts. He wandered down to the docks and +aboard a tramp steamer about to lift anchor. When the vessel was far +away the fateful disease released its grip on his body. But in the many +months of cruising among unnamed islands in southern seas, it cruelly +mocked him with a belief he had purloined the money and taunted him with +forgetfulness as to the hiding place. + +When Page left the ship at a Japanese port memory cleared enough to give +him back a part of his name, but tricked him into hiding from a crime he +had not committed. + +My remorse was unmeasurable as I realized the whole truth, but my heart +out-caroled any lark that ever grew a feather. The boy's soul was as +clean as our love for him was deep. + +[Illustration: "Oh! boy, boy, I thought I'd lost you"] + +"You see," continued Mr. Hamilton, "Page's mother died when he was +only a lad, and my responsibility was doubled. When his regular letters +ceased I cabled his firm for information. They were unable to find any +trace of him. He had always been such a strong, sturdy youth I could not +connect him with illness. Fearing he had been waylaid or was held for +ransom I offered the reward through my Chicago bankers. The months at +sea of course blocked us. The suspense was growing intolerable when the +information came from Mr. Kobu; that brought me here." + +All this time the detective had been silent. But no word or look of the +others escaped him. At last the thing was forced upon him. He had missed +the much-wanted cashier whose capture meant a triumph over the whole +detective world. And he had been so very sure Page was the man! +Descriptions and measurements were so alike. Both from the same city, +one with the name of Hamilton, the other with that of Hammerton. + +As Page's father remarked when he heard the story: "Mr. Kobu, those +names are enough alike to be brothers, though I'm glad they are not." + +But Kobu was not to be coaxed into any excuse for himself. Any one who +knew him could but know the humiliation he would suffer at mistaking +the prize. Even a big reward was slight balm to the blow at his pride. +Intently he watched and listened until the details were clear to him. He +could not understand all this emotion and indulgence in tears which were +good only to wash the dust from eyes. But Kobu was truly Japanese in his +comprehension of a father's love. He masked his chagrin with a smile and +paid unstinted praise to the man who had tirelessly searched for his +only son. With many bows and indrawings of breath the detective made a +profound adieu to each of us and took his leave. + +As the sound of the closing lodge gates reached us something in Jane's +attitude caught my attention. In her eye was the look of a mischievous +child who had foiled its playmate. + +"Jane, what is the matter with you?" I asked. + +"I was just feeling so sorry for Mr. Kobu. He is awfully nice, but I +could not tell him. I knew!" + +"What?" I demanded. + +"Oh, I knew dear Page was not the gentleman who borrowed the bank's +money." + +"Knew it! How did you know?" + +"Because a little while ago that nice cashier gentleman from Chicago +sought shelter in the Quarters. I heard his story. He was the hungriest +man for home cooking I ever saw. I gave him plenty of it, too, and a +little Testament besides, before he left." + +"Why, Jane Gray! you knew this and did not tell?" + +"Yes, Miss Jenkins; that is what I did. You see I am a sort of father +confessor. I simply cannot furnish information about the dear people who +confide in me. I would have saved Page, but when I came home and found +him ill something told me to give both men a chance. I knew Page was not +guilty. The same thing that made me sure of my hospital made me certain +he would get well. The other man--well, you know, I am only a messenger +of hope. I wanted to give him time to read that little book!" + +I was dumb with astonishment. + +"Upon my word," remarked Mr. Hamilton after an eloquent pause, "as a +soul diplomat you give me a new light on missionaries! Everything is all +right now. I have found my son, and, if I know the signs, a daughter as +well. She is a picture in her nurse's dress. Tell me about her." + +I turned to look for Zura, but she was no longer in the room. + +Leaving the delighted Jane in a full swing of talk about Zura, I +withdrew and crossed the passageway. The paper doors of the sick chamber +were wide apart, and once again I saw outlined against the glow of the +evening sky two figures. The girl held the hands of the man against her +heart, and through the soft shadows came low, happy voices: + +"Ah, Zura, 'I sought for thee and found thee!'" + +"Belovedest," joyously whispered the girl, bending low. Darkness, tender +as love itself, folded about them, and I went my peaceful way. + + * * * * * + +Two long-to-be-remembered months passed swiftly. On the wings of each +succeeding hour was borne to Page the joy of returning health, to the +other members of my household the gladness of life we had never before +known. Mr. Hamilton remained, waiting to take back with him, as one, +Page and Zura. In the fullness of her joy Zura was quite ready to +forgive and be forgiven, and said so very sincerely to her grandfather. + +Kishimoto San replied in a way characteristic. He said the whole tragedy +was the inevitable result of broken traditions and the mixing of two +races which to the end of eternity would never assimilate. He had +washed his heart clean of all anger against her, but his days were +nearing a close. He had lost the fight and for him life was done. +Oblivion would be welcome, for after all + + "What of our life! 'T is imaged by a boat: + The wide dawn sees it on the sea afloat; + Swiftly it rows away, + And on the dancing waves no trace is seen + That it has ever been!" + +Jane's hospital was soon completed, and I could no longer resist the +sincere pleadings for her to be allowed to live in the quarters once +again. "My people are calling, and, though I am a frail and feeble +leader, I must give all my time to them and help them to find the way +back home and sell their souls for the highest price." + +Without protest I let her go. I had no word of criticism for Jane. Every +soul is born for a purpose--some to teach, others to preach, and all to +serve. Miss "Jaygray" more than justified her calling and her kind. Her +simple faith had made many whole. + + * * * * * + +Once again the Spirit of Spring held the old garden in a radiance of +color. Once again the bird from the spirit land called to its mate and +heard the soft thrill of the answer. The singing breeze swayed the cloud +of cherry bloom, sending showers of petals to earth, covering the grim +old stone image, making giant pink mushrooms of the low lanterns. + +How lonely a thing would have been the Spirit of Spring had it not +walked hand in hand with the Spirit of Love! + +In the white moonlight sifting through the pines I saw Page and Zura in +my garden on their last night in old Japan--destinies, begun afar, +fulfilled beneath the shadows of the smiling gods. + +"But think what love will do to them both," had once said the foolishly +wise little missionary. + +And now it has all come to pass. + +Once again I am alone, yet never lonely, for my blessings are +unmeasured. I have my work. I have love, and The House of the Misty Star +holds the precious jewel of memory. + + + + +THE END + + +Transcriber's notes: Quotation marks normalised. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The House of the Misty Star +by Fannie Caldwell Macaulay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE OF THE MISTY STAR *** + +***** This file should be named 17108.txt or 17108.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/1/0/17108/ + +Produced by David Garcia, Christine D and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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