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things into the city's turmoil？ Yet they are here； and roses
blossom in the soot。 That is what it means not to be alone！ That
is what a friend gives you！
Having thus demonstrated that he was about twenty…five and had formed a
somewhat indefinite definition of friendship； but one entirely his own （and
perhaps Mary's） Bibbs went to bed； and was the only Sheridan to sleep soundly
through the night and to wake at dawn with a light heart。
His cheerfulness was vaguely diminished by the troublous state of affairs of
his family。 He had recognized his condition when he wrote； 〃Who would wake
from such a dream as this？〃 Bibbs was a sympathetic person； easily touched；
but he was indeed living in a dream； and all things outside of it were veiled
and remotefor that is the way of youth in a dream。 And Bibbs； who had never
before been of any age； either old or young； had come to his youth at last。
He went whistling from the house before even his father had come down…stairs。
There was a fog outdoors； saturated with a fine powder of soot； and though
Bibbs noticed absently the dim shape of an automobile at the curb before
Roscoe's house； he did not recognize it as Dr。 Gurney's； but went cheerily on
his way through the dingy mist。 And when he was once more installed beside
his faithful zinc…eater he whistled and sang to it； as other workmen did to
their own machines sometimes； when things went well。 His comrades in the shop
glanced at him amusedly now and then。 They liked him； and he ate his lunch at
noon with a group of Socialists who approved of his ideas and talked of
electing him to their association。
The short days of the year had come； and it was dark before the whistles blew。
When the signal came； Bibbs went to the office； where he divested himself of
his overallshis single divergence from the routine of his
fellow…workmenand after that he used soap and water copiously。 This was his
transformation scene： he passed into the office a rather frail young
working…man noticeably begrimed； and passed out of it to the pavement a
cheerfully pre…occupied sample of gentry； fastidious to the point of elegance。
The sidewalk was crowded with the bearers of dinner…pails； men and boys and
women and girls from the work…rooms that closed at five。 Many hurried and
some loitered； they went both east and west； jostling one another； and Bibbs；
turning his face homeward； was forced to go slowly。
Coming toward him； as slowly； through the crowd； a tall girl caught sight of
his long； thin figure and stood still until he had almost passed her； for in
the thick crowd and the thicker gloom he did not recognize her； though his
shoulder actually touched hers。 He would have gone by； but she laughed
delightedly； and he stopped short； startled。 Two boys； one chasing the other；
swept between them； and Bibbs stood still； peering about him in deep
perplexity。 She leaned toward him。
〃I knew YOU！〃 she said。
〃Good heavens！' cried Bibbs。 〃I thouhgt it was your voice coming out of a
star！〃
〃There's only smoke overhead；〃 said Mary； and laughed again。 〃There aren't any
stars。〃
〃Oh yes； there werewhen you laughed！〃
She took his arm； and they went on。 〃I've come to walk home with you； Bibbs。
I wanted to。〃
〃But were you here in the〃
〃In the dark？ Yes！ Waiting？ Yes！〃
Bibbs was radiant； he felt suffocated with happiness。 He began to scold her。
〃But it's not safe； and I'm not worth it。 You shouldn't haveYou ought to
know better。 What did〃
〃I only waited about twelve seconds；〃 she laughed。 〃I'd just got here。〃
〃But to come all this way and to this part of town in the dark； you〃
〃I was in this part of town already；〃 she said。 〃At least； I was only seven
or eight blocks away； and it was dark when I came out； and I'd have had to go
home aloneand I preferred going home with you。〃
〃It's pretty beautiful for me；〃 said Bibbs； with a deep breath。 〃You'll never
know what it was to hear your laugh in the darknessand then to to see you
standing there！ Oh； it was kikeit was likeHow can I TELL you what it was
like？〃 They had passed beyond the crowd now； and a crossing…lamp shone upon
them； which revealed the fact that again she was without her furs。 Here was a
puzzle。 Why did that adorable little vanity of hers bring her out without
them in the DARK？ But of course she had gone out long before dark。 For
undefinable reasons this explanation was not quite satisfactory； however；
allowing it to stand； his solicitude for her took another turn。 〃I think you
ought to have a car；〃 he said； 〃especially when you want to be out after dark。
You need one in winter； anyhow。 Have you ever asked your father for one？〃
〃No；〃 said Mary。 〃I don't think I'd care for one particularly。〃
〃I wish you would。〃 Bibbs's tone was earnest and troubled。 〃I think in
winter you〃
〃No； no；〃 she interrupted； lightly。 〃I don't need〃
〃But my mother tried to insist on sending one over here every afternoon for
me。 I wouldn't let her； because I like the walk； but a girl〃
〃A girl likes to walk； too；〃 said Mary。 〃Let me tell you where I've been this
afternoon and how I happened to be near enought to make you take me home。
I've been to see a little old man who makes pictures of the smoke。 He has a
sort of warehouse for a studio； and he lives there with his mother and his
wife and their seven children； and he's gloriously happy。 I'd seen one of his
pictures at an exhibition； and I wanted to see more of them； so he showed them
to me。 He has almost everthing he ever painted； I don't suppose he's sold
more than four or five pictures in his life。 He gives drawing…lessons to keep
alive。〃
〃How do you mean he paints the smoke？〃 Bibbs asked。
〃Literally。 He paints from his studio window and from the street anywhere。
He just paints what's around himand it's beautiful。〃
〃The smoke？〃
〃Wonderful！ He sees the sky through it； somehow。 He does the ugly roofs of
cheap houses through a haze of smoke； and he does smoky sunsets and smoky
sunrises； and he has other things with the heavy； solid； slow columns of smoke
going far out and growing more ethereal and mixing with the hazy light in the
distance； and he has others with the broken sky…line of down…town； all misted
with the smoke and puffs and jets of vapor that have colors like an orchard in
mid…April。 I'm going to take you there some Sunday afternoon； Bibbs。〃
〃You're showing me the town；〃 he said。 〃I didn't know what was in it at all。〃
〃There are workers in beauty here；〃 she told him； gently。 〃There are other
painters more prosperous than my friend。 There are all sorts of things。〃
〃I didn't know。〃
〃No。 Since the town began growing so great that it called itself 'greater；'
one could live here all one's life and know only the side of it that shows。〃
〃The beauty…workers seem buried very deep；〃 said Bibbs。 〃And I imagine that
your friend who makes the smoke beautiful must be buried deepest of all。 My
father loves the smoke； but I can't imagine his buying one of your friend's
pictures。 He'd buy the 'Bay of Naples；〃 but he wouldn't get one of those。
He'd think smoke in a picture was horribleunless he could use it for an
advertisement。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； thoughtfully。 〃And really he's the town。 They ARE buried
pretty deep； it seems； sometimes； Bibbs。〃
〃And yet it's all wonderful；〃 he said。 〃It's wonderful to me。〃
〃You mean the town is wonderful to you？〃
〃Yes； because everything is； since you called me your friend。 The city is
only a rumble on the horizon for me。 It can't come any closer than the
horizon so long as you let me see you standing by my old zinc…eater all day
long； helping me。 Mary〃 He stopped with a gasp。 〃That's the first time
I've called you 'Mary'！〃
〃Yes。〃 She laughed； a little tremuously。 〃Though I wanted you to！〃
〃I said it without thinking。 It must be because you came there to walk home
with me。 That must be it。〃 〃Women like to have things said；〃 Mary
informed him； her tremulous laughter continuing。 〃Were you glad I came for
you？〃
〃Nonot 'glad。' I felt as if I were being carried straight up and up and
upover the clouds。 I feel like that still。 I think I'm that way most of
the time。 I wonder what I was like before I knew you。 The person I was then
seems to have been somebody else； not Bibbs Sheridan at all。 It seems long；
long ago。 I was gloomy and sicklysomebody else somebody I don't
understand now； a coward afraid of shadowsafraid of things that didn't
existafraid of my old zinc…eater！ And now I'm only afraid of what might
change anything。〃
She was silent a moment； and then； 〃You're happy； Bibbs？〃 she asked。
〃Ah； don't you see？〃 he cried。 〃I want it to last for a thousand； thousand
years； just as it is！ You've made me so rich； I'm a miser。 I wouldn't have
one