rself at home.

Later.

All the very good people are in bed. The very worldly minded and
the young are on deck reluctantly finishing the last dance under a
canopy of make-believe cherry blossoms and wistaria. I am on the
deck between, closing this letter to you which I will mail in
Yokohama in a few hours.

In a way I shall be glad to see a quiet room in a hotel and hie me
back to simple living, free from the responsibilities of a
temporary parent. I am not promising myself any gay thrills in the
meantime. What 's the use, with Jack on the borderland of a
sulphurous country and you in the Garden of Eden? His letters and
yours will be my greatest excitement. So write and keep on writing
and never fear that I will not do the same. You are the
safety-valve for my speaking emotions, Mate; so let that help you
bear it.

Please mark with red ink one small detail of Sada's story. When I
was fastening her simple white gown for the dance her chatter was
like that of a sunny-hearted child. Indeed, she liked to dance.
Susan did not think it harmful. She said if your heart was right
your feet would follow. When Miss West could spare her she always
went to parties with _Billy_, and oh, how he could dance if he was
so big and had red hair.

So! there was a Billy? I looked in her face for signs. The way
was clear but there was a soft little quiver in her voice that
caused me carefully to label the unknown William, and lay him on a
shelf for future reference. Whatever the coming days hold for her,
mine has been the privilege of giving the girl three weeks of
unclouded happiness.

Outside I hear the little Prince pacing up and down, yielding up
his soul to holy meditations. I 'd be willing to wager my best
piece of jade his contemplations are something like a cycle from
Nirvana, and closer far to a pair of heavily fringed eyes. Poor
little imitation Buddha! He is grasping at the moon's reflection
on the water. Somewhere near I hear Dolly's soft coo and
deep-voiced replies. But unfinished packing, a bath and coffee are
awaiting me.

Dawn is coming, and already through the port hole I see a dot of
earth curled against the horizon. Above floats Fuji, the base
wrapped in mists, the peak eternally white, a giant snowdrop
swinging in a dome of perfect blue. The vision is a call to
prayer, a wooing of the soul to the heights of undimmed splendor.

After all, Mate, I may give you and Jack a glad surprise