The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10

ttV T1HAT DO you suppose
AA adam and Eve talked
Y Y about?" inquired the girl
IN the Hongkong chair
with a yawn. as she settled her Burne-
Jones proportions a trihe more luxu-
riously in the barbaric splendor of the
pillows and clasped her large, shape
" hands above the shadowy darkness
OF her head.
Love" replied the man with la
comic promptness. There wasn't any
thing else for them 10 talk about, so
far as I can see"
Miss Chesterton's glance slowly de-
tached itself from the enchanting pic
ture OF turquoise water and topaz
islands afforded by the oval opening
IN the curtain OF vines that screened
the veranda and rested coolly upon
him.
There was the weather. she ar
gued sweetly. and the birds and
flowers"
You forget that Adam was a
man. observed her companion. with
Just prerequisite stress upon the last
word.
A silence followed. in which the ap-
palling beauty OF a California August
held them spenbound. Miss Chester
ton drew a sharp breath. Then she
resumed the conversation once more.
"An men don't." was her some
what tncoherent remark.
Dinsmore had the air of a man sud
denly recalled to consciousness from
a state OF suspended animation.
Don't what?"
She flushed and looked injured. AL
ready the objectionable sin loomed
large IN the perfect beauty of their
small. quiet world.
Don't forget what ones talking
about" she retorted crisply.
BE gave an amused laugh. You
mustn't lay Il up against me-" was
his contrite plea You see. feel like
fy caught in the amber. Like-like
by Jove, it's too beautiful"
She nodded understandingly and
again q silence fell unbroken save by
g Wislul bird note.
Meantime, slowly and painfully
measuring every inequality with its
yellow. 3elly-like length. slug crawl
ed steadily along the garden path and
UP and over, step by step, until it
gained the veranda where the two
were sitting.
Neither Of them perceived the new
conner. though it was a fine, large
specimen. fully eight inches long and
as large around as ones thumb, of the
sort sometimes sought for by East
erners who like TO carry the proof
OF their stories back with them. 1t
made its way along the floor of the
veranda and up one Of the wicker legs
OF Miss Chesterton's chair as # it rec
ognized the woman as unerringly as
did the serpent Of old.
little scream broke the stiffness.
Coming back from a dreamy, sensu-
Gus contemplation Of the passion
flowers that hung like Jewels among
the duslzy rafters of the porch. Miss
Chesterton's startled glance fell upon
the long, fat, glutinous snail stretched
out upon the arm of her chair. as if
enjoying a welI-earned rest after the
prolonged trip from its home at the
roots OF the clump Of Gala lilies.
Gracious" she exclaimed, as Dins-
more leaned toward her questioningiy.
How on earth did it get here?"
History repeats itself" was his
meaning reply, IS he watched the in
truder, whose horns pointed upward
IN an aggressive fashion. I hope you
are impressed by the fact that its
errand Is evidently with you. You viii
notice that il Is perfectly contented
there, and by the way it opens that
little circular window in the side of
its head / should think it was listen
Ing for what you might have to say"
For a moment they watched the
slug curioUsly. Then a droll thought
ughtened her face like a flash of sun
shine and Dinsmore waited for an ex-
planation
Il was thinking Of Eve" she said
softly. THE sight Of the serpent must