John Perkins was not accustomed to analyzing his emotions.  But as he sat in his Katy-bereft 10x12 parlor he hit unerringly upon the keynote of his discomfort.  He knew now that Katy was necessary to his happiness.  His feeling for her, lulled into unconsciousness by the dull round of domesticity, had been sharply stirred by the loss of her presence.  Has it not been dinned into us by proverb and sermon and fable that we never prize the music till the sweet-voiced bird has flown—­or in other no less florid and true utterances?

“I’m a double-dyed dub,” mused John Perkins, “the way I’ve been treating Katy.  Off every night playing pool and bumming with the boys instead of staying home with her.  The poor girl here all alone with nothing to amuse her, and me acting that way!  John Perkins, you’re the worst kind of a shine.  I’m going to make it up for the little girl.  I’ll take her out and let her see some amusement.  And I’ll cut out the McCloskey gang right from this minute.”

Yes, there was the city roaring outside for John Perkins to come dance in the train of Momus.  And at McCloskey’s the boys were knocking the balls idly into the pockets against the hour for the nightly game.  But no primrose way nor clicking cue could woo the remorseful soul of Perkins the bereft.  The thing that was his, lightly held and half scorned, had been taken away from him, and he wanted it.  Backward to a certain man named Adam, whom the cherubim bounced from the orchard, could Perkins, the remorseful, trace his descent.

Near the right hand of John Perkins stood a chair.  On the back of it stood Katy’s blue shirtwaist.  It still retained something of her contour.  Midway of the sleeves were fine, individual wrinkles made by the movements of her arms in working for his comfort and pleasure.  A delicate but impelling odor of bluebells came from it.  John took it and looked long and soberly at the unresponsive grenadine.  Katy had never been unresponsive.  Tears:—­yes, tears—­came into John Perkins’s eyes.  When she came back things would be different.  He would make up for all his neglect.  What was life without her?

The door opened.  Katy walked in carrying a little hand satchel.  John stared at her stupidly.

“My!  I’m glad to get back,” said Katy.  “Ma wasn’t sick to amount to anything.  Sam was at the depot, and said she just had a little spell, and got all right soon after they telegraphed.  So I took the next train back.  I’m just dying for a cup of coffee.”

Nobody heard the click and rattle of the cog-wheels as the third-floor front of the Frogmore flats buzzed its machinery back into the Order of Things.  A band slipped, a spring was touched, the gear was adjusted and the wheels revolve in their old orbit.

John Perkins looked at the clock.  It was 8.15.  He reached for his hat and walked to the door.

“Now, where are you going, I’d like to know, John Perkins?” asked Katy, in a querulous tone.