Besides—just listen to this, will you—he said that I had given him such an amazing new outlook on life that he wanted to stay as near to me as he could and learn my philosophy. He had been utterly discouraged when he came, had lost his grip on things, and didn’t care a hang what became of him, but I had put new life and ambition back into him. Imagine it! My philosophy!
He had resolved to have nothing more to do with his father after he had turned him out, and dropped the name of Dalrymple, going by the name of Justice Sherman. His full name was Justice Sherman Dalrymple.
Thus ended the mystery of the scholarly sheep herder. The son of my Judge Dalrymple! I couldn’t believe it, but it was true beyond a doubt. I did know a hawk from a handsaw, after all. No wonder he had looked so sad sometimes when he thought no one was watching him, with such memories to brood over! No wonder he had acted so queerly when I told him what we had done to Antha and Anthony up on Ellen’s Isle. They were his younger brother and sister!
Judge Dalrymple was speaking to Sherman again. “So you threw your invention into the New York Harbor, did you?” he said regretfully. “It’s too bad, because some one to whom you showed it has been writing and writing to the house about it. I couldn’t forward the letter because I had no idea where you were. The Government wants to try out your invention. I never dreamed that those fool experiments you were forever making amounted to anything. I see now you were wiser than I. Come home, boy, and tinker all you like. We’ll throw the lawyer business into the discard. Could you build up your thingummyjig again?”
At this astonishing news Justice began whooping like a wild Indian. “Could I build it up again?” he shouted. “Just give me a chance. Just watch me!” He seized me around the waist and began jigging with me all over the floor.
“Save the pieces,” I panted, sinking into a chair and making a vain attempt to smooth back my flying hair.
Then I noticed that Judge Dalrymple was looking at me with eyes filled with awe, not to say fear.
“Girl, what are you?” he asked in a strange voice. “Are you Fate? Every time I come in touch with you, you work some miracle in my household. First you perform a magic in my two younger children, and then when I attempt to make some slight return for your great service and seek you out, I find that you have also drawn my other child to you from out of the Vast and worked as great a miracle in him. Are you human or superhuman, that you can play with people’s destinies like that? Under what star were you born, anyway?”
“Weren’t any stars at all,” I replied, laughing. “The sun was shining!”
O my Winnies, what a day this has been! The sun rose exactly as on any other day, without any warning of what was coming, and yet before he set the world had been turned topsy turvy for five people! Isn’t life glorious, though? Mercy, but I’m glad I was born!