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his wrists。
〃I do believe he's going to get married；〃 said Honoria； pityingly。 〃I
never saw him taken that way before。 And to…day is the first time in
months that he has cried his wares； I am sure。〃
Ives threw a coin to the sidewalk。 The candy man knows his customers。
He filled a paper bag； climbed the old…fashioned stoop and banded it in。 〃I
remember 〃 said Ives。
〃Wait；〃 said Honoria。
She took a small portfolio from the drawer of a writing desk and from
the portfolio a slip of flimsy paper one…quarter of an inch by two inches in
size。
〃This；〃 said Honoria； inflexibly； 〃was wrapped about the first one we
opened。〃
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〃It was a year ago；〃 apologized Ives； as he held out his hand for it；
〃As long as skies above are blue
To you； my love； I will be true。〃
This he read from the slip of flimsy paper。
〃We were to have sailed a fortnight ago；〃 said Honoria； gossipingly。 〃It
has been such a warm summer。 The town is quite deserted。 There is no…
where to go。 Yet I am told that one or two of the roof gardens are amusing。
The； singing and the dancing on one or two seem to have met with ap…
proval。〃
Ives did not wince。 When you are in the ring you are not surprised
when your adversary taps you on the ribs。
〃I followed the candy man that time；〃 said Ives； irrelevantly； 〃and gave
him five dollars at the corner of Broadway。〃
He reached for the paper bag in Honoria's lap； took out one of the
square； wrapped confections and slowly unrolled it。
Sara Chillingworth's father；〃 said Honoria； 〃has given her an
automobile。〃
〃Read that；〃 said Ives； handing over the slip that had been wrapped
around the square of candy。
〃Life teaches us how to live；
Love teaches us to forgive。〃
Honoria's checks turned pink。 〃Honoria！〃 cried Ives； starting up from
his chair。
〃Miss Clinton；〃 corrected Honoria； rising like Venus from the head on
the surf。 〃I warned you not to speak that name again。〃'
〃Honoria；〃 repeated Ives； 〃you must bear me。 I know I do not deserve
your forgiveness； but I must have it。 There is a madness that possesses one
some… times for which his better nature is not responsible。 I throw
everything else but you to the winds。 I strike off the chains that have
bound me。 I re… nounce the siren that lured me from you。 Let the bought
verse of that street peddler plead for me。 It is you only whom I can love。
Let your love forgive； and I swear to you that mine will be true 'as long as
skies above are blue。'
On the west side； between Sixth and Seventh Ave… nues； an alley cuts
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the block in the middle。 It per… ishes in a little court in the centre of the
block。 The district is theatrical； the inhabitants； the bubbling froth of half a
dozen nations。 The atmosphere is Bohemian； the language polyglot； the
locality pre… carious。
In the court at the rear of the alley lived the candy man。 At seven
o'clock be pushed his cart into the narrow entrance； rested it upon the
irregular stone slats and sat upon one of the handles to cool himself。 There
was a great draught of cool wind through the alley。
There was a window above the spot where be al… ways stopped his
pushcart。 In the cool of the after… noon； Mlle。 Adele； drawing card of the
Aerial Roof Garden； sat at the window and took the air。 Gen… erally her
ponderous mass of dark auburn hair was down； that the breeze might have
the felicity of aid… ing Sidonie； the maid； in drying and airing it。 About her
shoulders the point of her that the pho… tographers always made the
most of was loosely draped a heliotrope scarf。 Her arms to the elbow
were bare there were no sculptors there to rave over them but even the
stolid bricks in the walls of the alley should not have been so insensate as
to disapprove。 While she sat thus Fe1ice； another maid； anointed and
bathed the small feet that twinkled and so charmed the nightly Aerial
audiences。
Gradually Mademoiselle began to notice the candy man stopping to
mop his brow and cool himself be… neath her window。 In the hands of her
maids she was deprived for the time of her vocation the charming and
binding to her chariot of man。 To lose time was displeasing to
Mademoiselle。 Here was the candy man … no fit game for her darts； truly
but of the sex upon which she had been born to make war。
After casting upon him looks of unseeing coldness for a dozen times；
one afternoon she suddenly thawed and poured down upon him a smile
that put to shame the sweets upon his cart。
〃Candy man；〃 she said； cooingly； while Sidonie followed her
impulsive dive； brushing the heavy auburn hair； 〃don't you think I am
beautiful？
The candy man laughed harshly； and looked up； with his thin jaw set；
while he wiped his forehead with a red…and…blue handkerchief
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〃Yer'd make a dandy magazine cover；〃 he said； grudgingly。 〃Beautiful
or not is for them that cares。 It's not my line。 If yer lookin' for bou… quets
apply elsewhere between nine and twelve。 I think we'll have rain。〃
Truly； fascinating a candy man is like killing rab… bits in a deep snow；
but the hunter's blood is widely diffused。 Mademoiselle tugged a great coil
of hair from Sidonie's bands and let it fall out the window。
〃Candy man； have you a sweetheart anywhere with hair as long and
soft as that？ And with an arm so round？ 〃 She flexed an arm like Galatea's
after the miracle across the window…sill。
The candy man cackled shrilly as he arranged a stock of butter…scotch
that had tumbled down。
〃Smoke up！〃 said he； vulgarly。 〃Nothin' doin' in the complimentary
line。 I'm too wise to be bam… boozled by a switch of hair and a newly
massaged arm。 Oh； I guess you'll make good in the calcium； all right； with
plenty of powder and paint on and the orchestra playing 〃Under the Old
Apple Tree。〃 But don't put on your hat and chase downstairs to fly to the
Little Church Around the Corner with me。 I've been up against peroxide
and make…up boxes be… fore。 Say； all joking aside don't you think we'll
have rain？〃
〃Candy man；〃 said Mademoiselle softly； with her lips curving and her
chin dimpling； 〃don't you think I'm pretty？〃
The candy man grinned。 〃Savin' money； ain't yer？ 〃 said be； 〃by bein'
yer own press agent。 I smoke； but I haven't seen yer mug on any of the
five…cent cigar boxes。 It'd take a new brand of woman to get me goin'；
anyway。 I know 'em from sidecombs to shoelaces。 Gimme a good day's
sales and steak…and…onions at seven and a pipe and an evenin' paper back
there in the court； and I'll not trouble Lillian Russell herself to wink at me；
if you please。〃
Mademoiselle pouted。
〃Candy man；〃 she said； softly and deeply； 〃yet you shall say that I am
beautiful。 All men say so and so shall you。〃
The candy man laughed and pulled out his pipe。
〃We