Far off, at a respectful distance, a carol of rough, humorous voices
sang the song, "_Happily Married_"!
"H-a-double-p-y," etc.
And we knew that my bluff had worked.
* * * * *
The next day we went through a let-down.
Hildreth was quite nerve-shaken, and so was Darrie.
But I strutted about with my chest out, the cock of the walk.
* * * * *
But, nevertheless, and despite their bravery and the fiasco of the mob's
attack, the hearts seemed to have left the bodies of both "my" women.
* * * * *
The cold weather that Darrie and the old settlers had predicted was now
descending on the countryside....
* * * * *
One morning Hildreth timidly and haltingly proposed returning to her
mother's flat in New York....
I could stay and finish my play and, having disposed of it, come
likewise to the city, and rent a flat, and she would come and live with
me again. I am sure she was sincere in this. Or I could come to New
York, rent a furnished room somewhere, and she would be with me daily,
as now....
Darrie seconded Hildreth's proposal.
* * * * *
And yet my heart broke as Hildreth rode off in the carriage that came
for her. I kissed her, and I kissed her ... despite the stern, unbending
figure of the aged, moral coachman in the seat.
Then, after she had started off, I pursued the carriage, overtook it by
a short cut, cried out that I had still something I had forgotten to
give her ... it was more kisses ... and I kissed and kissed her again
and again.. and we both wept, with aching hearts.
Then the moral coachman unbent.
"--beg pardon," he ventured, "but I'm sorry for you two children ... oh,
yes, I know all about you ... everybody knows ... and I wish you good
luck."
Darrie stayed over for the night, after Hildreth left, in order to see
to packing the latter's clothes in her trunk ... Hildreth had been too
upset to tend to the packing....
* * * * *
The next day Darrie left, too.
"You have no more need of your chaperon," she laughed, a tear glinting
in her eye....
* * * * *
So now I was left utterly alone....
And a hellish winter descended upon the coast ... bitter, blowing,
frosty winds that ate into the very bone and made a fellow curse God as
he leaned obliquely against them.