If only he could talk 。 。 。 〃
〃Oh； talk！ Talk！〃 Villa pleaded with Michael； catching both sides of his head and jaws in her hands and swaying him back and forth。
〃Be careful； madam；〃 Jacob Henderson warned。 〃He is a very sour dog； and he don't let people take such liberties。〃
〃He does me；〃 she laughed； half…hysterically。 〃Because he knows me。 。 。 。 Harley！〃 She broke off as the great idea dawned on her。 〃I have a test。 Listen！ Remember； Jerry was a nigger…chaser before we got him。 And Michael was a nigger…chaser。 You talk in beche…de…mer。 Appear angry with some black boy； and see how it will affect him。〃
〃I'll have to remember hard to resurrect any beche…de…mer；〃 Harley said； nodding approval of the suggestion。
〃At the same time I'll distract him；〃 she rushed on。
Sitting down and bending forward to Michael so that his head was buried in her arms and breast； she began swaying him and crooning to him as was her wont with Jerry。 Nor did he resent the liberty she took； and； like Jerry； he yielded to her crooning and softly began to croon with her。 She signalled Harley with her eyes。
〃My word！〃 he began in tones of wrath。 〃What name you fella boy stop 'm along this fella place？ You make 'm me cross along you any amount！〃
And at the words Michael bristled； dragged himself clear of the woman's detaining hands； and； with a snarl； whirled about to get a look at the black boy who must have just then entered the room and aroused the white god's ire。 But there was no black boy。 He looked on； still bristling； to the door。 Harley transferred his own gaze to the door； and Michael knew； beyond all doubt； that outside the door was standing a Solomons nigger。
〃Hey！ Michael！〃 Harley shouted。 〃Chase 'm that black fella boy overside！〃
With a roaring snarl； Michael flung himself at the door。 Such was the fury and weight of his onslaught that the latch flew loose and the door swung open。 The emptiness of the space which he had expected to see occupied； was appalling； and he shrank down； sick and dizzy with the baffling apparitional past that thus vexed his consciousness。
〃And now；〃 said Harley to Jacob Henderson； 〃we will talk business 。 。 。 〃
CHAPTER XXXV
When the train arrived at Glen Ellen； in the Valley of the Moon； it was Harley Kennan himself； at the side…door of the baggage…car； who caught hold of Michael and swung him to the ground。 For the first time Michael had performed a railroad journey uncrated。 Merely with collar and chain had he travelled up from Oakland。 In the waiting automobile he found Villa Kennan； and； chain removed； sat beside her and between her and Harley
As the machine purred along the two miles of road that wound up the side of Sonoma Mountain； Michael scarcely looked at the forest…trees and vistas of wandering glades。 He had been in the United States three years； during which time he had been kept a close prisoner。 Cage and crate and chain had been his portion； and narrow rooms； baggage cars； and station platforms。 The nearest he had come to the country was when chained to benches in the various parks while Jacob Henderson studied Swedenborg。 So that trees and hills and fields had ceased to mean anything。 They were something inaccessible； as inaccessible as the blue of the sky or the drifting cloud…fleeces。 Thus did he regard the trees and hills and fields； if the negative act of not regarding a thing at all can be considered a state of mind。
〃Don't seem to be enthusiastic over the ranch； eh； Michael？〃 Harley remarked。
He looked up at sound of his old name； and made acknowledgment by flattening his ears a quivering trifle and by touching his nose against Harley's shoulder。
〃Nor does he seem demonstrative；〃 was Villa's judgment。 〃At least； nothing like Jerry；〃
〃Wait till they meet；〃 Harley smiled in anticipation。 〃Jerry will furnish enough excitement for both of them。〃
〃If they remember each other after all this time；〃 said Villa。 〃I wonder if they will。〃
〃They did at Tulagi；〃 he reminded her。 〃And they were full grown and hadn't seen each other since they were puppies。 Remember how they barked and scampered all about the beach。 Michael was the hurly…burly one。 At least he made twice as much noise。〃
〃But he seems dreadfully grown…up and subdued now。〃
〃Three years ought to have subdued him；〃 Harley insisted。
But Villa shook her head。
As the machine drew up at the house and Kennan first stepped out； a dog's whimperingly joyous bark of welcome struck Michael as not altogether unfamiliar。 The joyous bark turned to a suspicious and jealous snarl as Jerry scented the other dog's presence from Harley's caressing hand。 The next moment he had traced the original source of the scent into the limousine and sprung in after it。 With snarl and forward leap Michael met the snarling rush less than half…way； and was rolled over on the bottom of the car。
The Irish terrier； under all circumstances amenable to the control of the master as are few breeds of dogs； was instantly manifest in Jerry and Michael an Harley Kennan's voice rang out。 They separated； and； despite the rumbling of low growling in their throats； refrained from attacking each other as they plunged out to the ground。 The little set…to had occurred in so few seconds； or fractions of seconds； that they had not begun to betray recognition of each other until they were out of the machine。 They were still comically stiff…legged and bristly as they aloofly sniffed noses。
〃They know each other！〃 Villa cried。 〃Let's wait and see what they will do。〃
As for Michael； he accepted； without surprise； the indubitable fact that Jerry had come back out of the Nothingness。 Things of this sort had begun to happen rapidly； but it was not the things themselves； but the connotations of them； that almost stunned him。 If the man and woman； whom he had last seen at Tulagi； and； likewise； Jerry； had come back from the Nothingness； then could come； and might come at any moment； the beloved Steward。
Instead of responding to Jerry； Michael sniffed and glanced about in quest of Steward。 Jerry's first expression of greeting and friendliness took the form of a desire to run。 He barked invitation to his brother； scampered away half a dozen jumps； scampered back； and dabbed playfully at Michael with one fore…paw in added emphasis of invitation ere he scampered away again。
For so many years had Michael not run with another dog； that at first Jerry's invitation had little meaning to him。 Nevertheless； such running was an habitual expression of happiness and friendliness in dogdom； and especially strong had been his inheritance of it from Terrence and Biddy； the noted love…runners of the Solomons。
The next time Jerry dabbed at him with a paw； barked； and scurried away in an enticing semicircle； Michael started involuntarily though slowly after him。 But Michael did not bark； and； after half a dozen leaps； he came to a full stop and looked to Villa and Harley for permission。
〃All right； Michael；〃 Harley called heartily； deliberately turning his shoulder in the non…interest of consent as he extended his hand to help Villa from the machine。
Michael sprang away again； and was numbly aware of an ancient joy as he shouldered Jerry who shouldered against him as they ran side by side。 But most of the joy was Jerry's； as was the wildest of the skurrying and the racing and the shouldering； of the body… wriggling； and ear…pricking； and yelping cries。 Also； Jerry barked； and Michael did not bark。
〃He used to bark；〃 said Villa。
〃Much more than Jerry；〃 Harley supplemented。
〃Then they have taken the bark out of him；〃 she concluded。 〃He must have gone through terrible experiences to have lost his bark。〃
The green California spring merged into tawny summer； as Jerry； ever running afield； made Michael acquainted with the farthest and highest reaches of the Kennan ranch in the Valley of the Moon。 The pageant of the wild flowers vanished until all that lingered on the burnt hillsides were orange poppies faded to palest gold； and Mariposa lilies； wind…blown on slender stems amidst the desiccated grasses； that smouldered like ornate spotted moths fluttering in rest for a space between flight and flight。
And Michael； a follower always where the exuberant Jerry led； sought throughout the passing year for what he could not find。
〃Looking for something； looking for something；〃 Harley would say to Villa。 〃It is not alive。 It is not here。 Now just what is it he is always looking for？〃
Steward it was； and Michael never found him。 The Nothingness held him and would not yield him up； although； could Michael have journeyed a ten…days' steamer…journey into the South Pacific to the Marquesas； Steward he would have found； and； along with him； Kwaque and the Ancient Mariner； all three living like lotus…eaters on the beach…paradise of Taiohae。 Also； in and about their grass… thatched bungalow under the lofty avocado trees； Michael would have found other petcats； and kittens； and pigs； donkeys and ponies； a pair of love…birds； and a mischievous monkey or two； but never a dog and never a cockatoo。 For Dag Daughtry； with violence of language； had laid a taboo upon dogs。 After Killeny Boy； he averred； there should be no other dog。 And Kwaque； without averring anything at all； resolutely refrained from possessing himself of the white cockatoos brought ashore by the sailors off the trading schooners。
But Michael was long in giving over his search for Steward； and； running the mountain trails or scrambling and sliding down into the deep canyons； was ever expectant and ready for Steward to step forth before him； or to pick up the unmistakable scent that would lead him to him。
〃Looking for something； looking for something；〃 Harley Kennan would chant curiously； as he rode beside Villa and observed Michael's unending search。 〃Now Jerry's after rabbits； and fox… trails； but you'll notice they don't interest Michael much。 They're not what he's after。 He behaves like one who has lost a great treasure and doesn't know where he lost it nor where to look for it。〃
Much Michael learned from Jerry of the varied life of the forest and fields。 To run with Jerry seemed the one pleasure he took；