other things as well they were there in the newspapers the magazines and the books on the when all was said bum mv da had a mighty � one to touch as it touched hers the gate u life z more daylight between them listening to the wistful and impassioned simplicity of his speech was after all a woman with a woman s sex vanity and it was this vanity that was pleased by the fact that such a man turned in his need to her and there was more that passed through her mind � sensations of and loneliness and shadowy armies of vague feelings and and deeper and and the of forgotten generations into being and fluttering anew and always and subtle and potent the spirit and essence of that a thousand and forever for life it was a strong temptation just to ride man in the hills it would be that only and nothing for she was firmly convinced that his way of life could never be her way on the other hand she was vexed by none of the ordinary feminine fears and that she could take care of herself under any and all circumstances she never doubted then why not it was such a little thing after all she led an ordinary life at best she ate and slept and worked and that was about all as if in review her existence passed before her six days of the week spent in the office and in back and forth on the the hours stolen before for of song at the piano for doing her own special for sewing and mending and casting up of meagre the two evenings a week of social diversion she permitted herself the other stolen hours and saturday spent with her brother at the hospital and the seventh day sunday her day of solace on s back out among the blessed hills but it was lonely this solitary riding nobody of her acquaintance rode several girls at the university had been persuaded into trying it but t si s burning daylight or two on hired livery they had lost interest there was who bought her own horse and rode for several months only to get married and go away to live in southern after years of it one did get tired of this eternal riding alone he was such a boy this big giant of a who had half the rich men of san afraid of him such a boy she had never imagined this side of his nature how do folks get married he was saying why one they meet two like each other s looks three get acquainted and number four get married or not according to how they like each other after getting acquainted but how in thunder we re to have a chance to find out whether we like each other enough is beyond my we make that chance ourselves i d come to see you call on you only i know you re just or boarding and that won t do suddenly with a change of mood the situation appeared to absurd she felt a desire to laugh � not angrily not but just it was so herself the he the notorious and powerful gambling and the gate between them across which poured his of people getting acquainted and married also it was an impossible situation on the face of it she could not go on with it this of meetings in the hills would have to there would never be another meeting and if denied this he tried to her in the she would be compelled to lose a very good position and that would be an end of the episode it was not nice to contemplate but the world of men especially in the cities she had not found particularly nice she had not worked for her living for years without losing a great many of her illusions we won t do any or hiding about it daylight was we ll ride around as bold as daylight i you please and if anybody sees us why let them if they talk � well so long as our are straight we needn t worry say the word and bob will have on his back the happiest man alive she shook her head pulled in the mare who was impatient to be off for home and glanced significantly at the shadows it s getting late now anyway daylight hurried on and we ve settled nothing after all just one more anyway � that s not asking much � to settle it in we ve had all day she said but we started to talk it over too late we ll tackle it earlier next time this is a big serious proposition with me i can tell you say next sunday are men ever fair she asked you know thoroughly well that by next sunday you mean many then let it be many he cried while she thought that she had never seen him looking say the word only say the word next sunday at the she gathered the reins into her hand preliminary to starting good night she said yes he whispered with just the faintest touch of yes she said her voice low but distinct at the same moment she put the mare into a and went down the road without a backward glance intent on an analysis of her own feelings with her mind made up to say no � and to the last instant she had been so resolved � her lips nevertheless had said yes or at least it seemed the lips she had not intended to consent then why had she her first surprise and bewilderment at so wholly an act gave way to consternation as she considered its consequences she knew that v s r burning daylight ing daylight was not a man to be with that under his simplicity 