promising. I _fought_ you meant promising. I fought all night you meant
promising. Darlin'." The last word was a sentence all by itself.

Kathleen raised her eyebrows when we came out with the bird in the cage.

"This isn't quite the moment," I said with dignity; "it's best to let her
get it first and realise afterwards."

"Let's all go to Crown Hill now," said Veronica in a voice that admitted of
no denial.

* * * * *

We were on Crown Hill. Veronica had hugged the cage to her small bosom all
the way, making little reassuring noises to its occupant.

"Now," said Kathleen, "hadn't you better begin? Isn't this the psycho--you
know what moment?"

I took a deep breath and began.

"Veronica," I said, "listen to me for a moment. If you were a little
bird--"

But she wasn't listening to me. She had held up the little wooden cage,
opened the clasp of the door and, with a rapt smile on her small shining
face, was watching the "frush" as he soared into the air with a sudden
burst of song.

We none of us spoke till he had vanished from sight. Then Veronica broke