The San Francisco call., 1905-03-05

revealed the clear rapid rush OF water
over huge stones and logs that looked
like living things, great punches OF
maidenhair springing from dripping
boulders, the dark, mysterious per-
spective Of the creek.
Give did not wonder II he would lose
his head. He had no intention OF keep
ing 1t.
"Sit down." she said, arranging her
self on fallen pine and leaning
against a redwood. Give made him
self as comfortable as he could and she
gave him permission to light his pipe
The lace mantilla, In spite OF brush
and briar, still clung to her shoulders
She looked very lovely and womanly.
why did you bring me here?" he
asked. You told me the other night
that you would never trust yourself
alone with me. This Is equivalent to
saying that you want me to make love
to you. ] am quite ready"
How brutally abrupt you are.
don't want you to make love to me.
meant to tell you before we started
that I did not expect it. Most women
do, know. and 1t must be such a re-
lief to man to be let off occasionally"
She opened and closed her large fan,
with graceful motion OF the wrist.
and then turned and looked straight at
him.
1T have never walked alone with a
man in this forest before" she said;
neither at night nor in the daytime.
1t would have been spoiled for me if I
had.''
He pulled at his pipe. "You are a
very brave woman. If what you say
is true. what Is your reason for bring
ing me here?"
.''I felt desire to do 50. and always
obey my whims."
You know that my vanity Is touched
to the quick. But will you tell me
why you are doing all you can to turn
my head if you don't want me to
make love to you?"
II do want you to-"
Give laid down his pipe.
No! 1t would be a pity to let It go
out, and 1t might set my forest on fire.
Do let me finish. Women are not like
men, A man is fascinated by a wo-
man, and his one impulse is to get
her, and without loss of time; a woman
may have the same impulse, but the
dislike Of being won too quickly, the
desire to be sure of herself. above all,
the wish to make the man more serious
all these things hold her back. So 1
don't want you to make love to me to-
night"
Which means that I may later?"
L QOu KNOW. 4QdL Will depend on
good many things, one OF which is
whether break my engagement with
Schuyler Van Rhuys or not. I have
some slight sense Of honor"
Give colored hotly, and for the mo-
ment his aIdor left him.
Are you thinking OF breaking It
off?"
: Somewhat"
Is it true that you have been en-
gagged fifteen fir1aS2o
mo; only eight. I have not yet dis
covered that there are fifteen interest
ing men in the world. 1 have only met
nine
You can natter charmingly. But
you say you have a sense OF honor.
What would you think of a man who
deceived and Tilted eight girls?"
1T is quite different with a man:
women are so helpless. But when a
woman has the reputation of being
hckle, men know what to expect and
propose with their eyes open. AS a
matter of fact, there is not an atom OF
the fiirt in me; of coquetry, perhaps,
for / have an irrepressible desire to
please the man who has pleased me.
To most men I am clay. am doing
all / can to fascinate you, and / shall
continue to do so. / engaged myself to
each Of those eight men. honestly be-
Heving that / could love him-that I
had found companion. If 1 ever suf-
fered the delusion that any one OF
them was my grande passion the delu-
sion was brief. Still. gave up all idea
OF that some years ago. With each Of
those men / set myself honestly to get
into sympathy, and to love him. OF
course you will understand that I had
been more or less fascinated in each
case. If man has not magnetism for
me, he might have every other quality
m fol nd he
tract my passing attention. Well, I
could not find anything in any one of
them to get hold of. One cannot love
a clever mind. nor personal magnet
ism. nor charming trick OF manner,
nor a kind heart; nor all There IS
something else. One hates to be senti-
mental, but suppose what those men
have lacked is soul Our men don't
seem to have time for that 1t isn't in
the makeup of this country. Perhaps
/ haven't it; but, at all events. have
a mental conception Of it, and know
that it is what I want
Give pulled at his pipe for mo-
ment.
Are you talking pretty nonsense"
he asked. "or do you mean that?"
She turned her head away angrily
you are just like other men," she
said. Il have always been laughed or
stared at by every man have ever had
the courage TO DrOach the subject TO.
was a fool to speak to you. 1t is two
or three years since / let myself go
like this
IT am not laughing. It Is a very Sc
rious subject; the most serious in life.
Girls and men and minor poets are al
ways prating of IL, but it is a good
subject to keep quiet about until you
understand it"
Don't you think understand about
it?"
'I think you will some time-yes,
,seeesessss . ssssssssssss,