How can you be so unsympathetic? Is it impossible for
you to comprehend the unseen link that binds John and me? I rummaged
the book store until I found a charming little edition of 'Marshall's
Geologist's Pocket Companion,' covered with beautiful brown limp
Russia leather-- I thought the Russia binding was so inspirational--
with a sweet little clasp that keeps it closed-- typical of our hands
at parting. On the fly-leaf I wrote: 'To J. L., in remembrance of many
interesting conversations with his friend, K. K.' It only needed
another K to be emblematic and political, a reminiscence of the olden
times, when you people of the South, Dorothy, were making it hot for
us deserving folks in the North. I hadn't time to go through the book
very thoroughly, but I found many references to limestone, which I
marked, and one particularly choice bit of English relating to the
dissolution and re-consolidation of various minerals I drew a
parallelogram around in red ink. A friend of mine in a motor launch
was good enough to take the little parcel direct to the
'Consternation,' and I have no doubt that at this moment Jack is
perusing it, and perhaps thinking of the giver. I hope it's
up-to-date, and that he had not previously bought a copy."
"You don't mean to say, Kate, that your conversation was entirely
about geology?"
"Certainly not. How could you have become imbued with an idea so
absurd? We had many delightful dalliances down the romantic groves of
chemistry, heart-to-heart talks on metallurgy, and once-- ah, shall I
ever forget it-- while the dusk gently enfolded us, and I gazed into
those bright, speaking, intelligent eyes of his as he bent nearer and
nearer; while his low, sonorous voice in well-chosen words pictured to
me the promise which fortified cement holds out to the world; that is,
ignorant person, Portland cement strengthened by ribs of steel; and I
sat listening breathless as his glowing phrases prophesied the future
of this combination.
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