ack to the house he met Belvy Smith and some of the
children. Of course they asked for a story, and he continued one about a
battered knight and his Heart's Desire, which he had begun some days
previously.

"He wasn't a particularly handsome knight or particularly good--inclined
to mischief, I think, when he forgot himself--but he was mightily in
earnest. He didn't know how to take no. Say 'No!' to him and push him off
the mountain top and there he was, starting for the peak again! And he
was not so foolish as he might seem. When he reached the top he was happy
just to get a smile from his Heart's Desire before he was tossed back
again. His fingers were worn clear down to the first joint and his feet
off up to the knees, so he could not hold on to the seams of canyons as
well as before. He would have been a ridiculous spectacle if he weren't
so pitiful. And that wasn't the worst of it. He was pretty well shot to
pieces by the brigands whom he had met on his travels. With every ascent
there was less of him to climb, you see. In fact, he was being worn down
so fast that pretty soon there wouldn't be much left of him except his
wishbone. That was indestructible. He would always wish. And after the
hardest climb of all, here he is very near the top again, and--"

"And--and--"

"I'll have to finish this story later," said Jack, sending the youngsters
on their way, while he went his own to call to Firio, as he entered the
yard: "Son of the sun, I feel so strong that I am going for a ride!"

"You wear the big spurs and the grand chaps?" Firio asked.

Jack hesitated thoughtfully.

"No, just plain togs," he answered. "I think we will hang up that
circus costume as a souvenir. We are past that stage of our career. My
devil is dead."

It was Firio's turn to be thoughtful.

"_Si_! We had enough fight! We get old and sober! _Si_, I know! We settle
down. I am going to begin to shave!" he concluded, stroking the black
down on his boyish lip.

With the town behind him and the sinking sun over his shoulder, the
battered knight rode toward the foothills and on up the winding path,
oblivious of the Eternal Painter's magic and conscious only that every
step brought him nearer his Heart's Desire. Here was the rock where she
was seated when he had first seen her. What ages had passed since then!
And there, around the escarpment, he saw her pony on the shelf! Dropping
P.D.'s reins, he hurried on impetuously. With the final turn he f