He was gone two weeks, then he appeared out of the woods one evening, unannounced. Jane was on the veranda and saw him coming. "Jerry!" she called in welcome as she went to meet him. "Hello, Jane. How are you?" "Fine. My child, but you are hot and tired!" "I are! Never spent such an infernal fortnight in my life." "Poor boy! Go get into a cold bath and I'll tell Mrs. Biggs to hurry the dinner." "Good work. I've got it, Jane," he called back, as he ran upstairs, three at a time. When he came down, fresh and immaculate in white clothes, she realized that she was glad to see this handsome human, who in some strange way was joined to her. "Have you been lonesome, Jane?" "Not very. I rather enjoyed it. Everything, including Billy, revolved around me as the centre of the universe." "I've had a report from Billy. He sat outside the bathroom door and shouted in the news. Funny kid." "You've had a tiresome time, Jerry." "Yes, but I've got the nicest place in town, Jane." "You didn't take an Upper Fifth Avenue house, Jerry?" "No. I took a stable down on Washington Mews, and it's a peach! Belongs to an interior decorator, who is going to California for a year, and it's got every living thing we need. Air, sunshine, plenty of rooms, servants' department, baths, big studio, everything." "But my dear, doesn't it cost a fortune?" "A little more than we planned, but if I speed up a bit, we can swing it all right." "Jerry, Jerry, I knew I ought to go with you. How much is it to be?" "Never mind that. I took it; I've signed the lease. All you've got to do is to enjoy it." "Tell me about it." He began to describe it, enthusiastic as a boy, dilating on this and that convenience or luxury. He described its comfort, and made her feel its charm. "How you do love to have things right," she exclaimed. "Of course, don't you?" "Yes, but I don't actually have to have it to my heart's content, the way you do. When do we move into our Arabian Nights' dream?" "While you are in the hospital, I'll move all our old sticks into the storeroom of the new place, and you can go right there, with the baby." "It is good of you to do it all, and plan for my comfort this way, Jerry." "You won't need to call me a slacker again, Jane, if I can help it. Do you think you will like the place?" "I'm sure I shall, if it does not involve you too deeply, Jerry." "Oh, no, we'll manage it easily." All during dinner and most of the evening he talked about that house. Jane forced herself to equal his enthusiasm, to put out of her mind the thought that she and the child were adding another link to the ball and chain around Jerry's ankle. She feared that they had mortgaged his whole future, with an impossible rent, and yet she could not bear to seem to criticise his decision, nor dampen his ardour. She spent a good part of the night planning how she could come to the rescue with her own work. She must find a market as soon as possible.