The Press., 1905-03-15
ADAM
Blu KEITH GORDON
...COpuriuht. 1904. bu Frances Wilson.

~
diant landscape Its all very well I
say that a woman. if she have not
hump upon her back. may marry whoI
she will. but how would she go abou
itY'
The scratching OF a match broke til
summer stiffness, and her meditation
were suddenly precipitated from tn
general to the concrete. She glancet
where q mans form bulked in one o
the huge wicker chairs. With his hant
| forming a screen he was lighting
fresh cigar. seemingly oblivious to ev
erything in life except that and thu
Engineering Journal. which lay in hi
lap.
| He was her brothers best friend
and she had known him for years. no
with much satisfaction, it must be con
fessed. since he was VIGOROUSLY q
mans man." living in a mans world
and regarding the rustic of feminine
skirts with something of the same feel
ing that he did the humming of mos
quito.
But he was good to look upOn-so
good that a sudden, quick resentment
shot through her heart at his indiffer-
ence. 1t assumed the likeness of per
sonal affront sort of insult to her
sex. 1t would serve him right if some
girl would just make up her mind to
marry him and do it. too. before he
knew what he was about.
Meanwhile he had tossed away the
match and picked up the Journal again
as imperturbably as if he were alone.
pair of half indignant eyes watching
him with combination of pique and
amusement.
1t certainly would serve him right,
her thoughts ran on. If some lady
would just wind him round and round
her finger. make him fetch and carry
at her beck and call. reduce him to a
perfect mush of sentiment. Something
in her steady gaze caused him to move
uneasily. then look up.
Did you speak?"
He had the perfunctory manner OF a
person who knows he must keep guard
over himself or he will be guilty of
some remissness. A heroic resolution
to do his duty was visible in his face.
NO" she drawled. II didn't speak.
But If you don't mind very much
think I will. I'd like to ask you, for
instance. if you have ever had a la.
dies dayT
"a ladies' day." he repeated help
lessly. shaking of his eyeglasses with
a characteristic movement. while his
tormentor watched him as If he had
been some sort of a specimen that she
had impaled upon a pin. Then light
dawned upon him.
You mean such as they have at the
clubs-a day when the place is given
up to your sex and other matters go
to the wall? Well. no. don't know
that ever have had"
Don't you think IT is timer" she
ventured.
Possibly" he admitted. but he still
held the Journal in a way that sug-
gested a well nigh unconquerable de-
sire to return to it. She stretched out
her hand. Reluctantly he handed it
over.
did 1t ever occur to you" she asked
"that the creature who tempt
ed Adam so successfully. who is Mt
the bottom of everything, as it were,
must be as-as intricate as your old
problems?'
81 have always considered Adam
weak" was his evasive an
swer. Men aren't like that nova
days"
At these boastful words a resolution
that had'been taking form in her mind
became full fiedged. She was inspired
with the sense of a mission. Her
neglected sex should find an avengcr
In her.
You think you wouldn't have eaten
Of the apple. them"
There was q new note in her voice.
It was at the same time a challenge
md an appeal
As II 1t were something absolutely
new 1t came to his mind that girls were
helpless creatures. and wave
Of tenderness for the sex swept over
him. Still he was very positive that he
wouldn't have eaten the apple. and
something in the soft. babyish. yet de
pendent way in which she looked at
him caused him to explain at great
ength why. dill. IL. ... .a
HAS talked fifteen minutes by the |
:lock," she was thinking in high glee. |
,ut outwardly she was all deferential. |
honey sweet attention.
I'm sure he wouldn't have yieldes
{ he'd been like your was her earnest |
comment when he finished speak ng, |
md at the words he was conscious of /
pleasant expansiveness, a caress ,g |
ense of satisfaction as delightful as it |
vas unusual. 1t was as If he. were /
growing taller. broader and more Sc
'erely strong before her very eyes.
go back to your reading. I'm not |
Soing to bother you another minute"
'he jumped up and. laying her hand on
lis arm. finished ingenuously: you
lon't mind my bothering you. do you
girl gets so tired of woman talk! A
hat like this is like plunge in cold
tream." And she vanished into tho
Iouse and scurried to her room. where
he threw kiss to her image i'm the
Will t-lc Ou uOlD$
Tell for le~'nncr. my love"
Down on the broad piazza tie Gla..
ad returned t. the closel,~ - -:
nins before him. but after II half hour
@ gave uD.
I'm staler' he murmured. throwing
le paper on the table. Wonder
here's she gone? Never be- 1re real
ed how interesting she Is. d Il girl.
lad ever had ladies' day? Umph.
hat was funny And he smiled ut
lie recollection of it.
For the next two Or three days she
Foi- ed him as much IS pos .:Ee
Il must eis'e him plcIty of l'uc." size
eel ed craf:,ly. AM ne q. let him
lspect that he's taken tie bait"
On the third day Ls proposed a long
amp to her.
You dSn't want a silly thing like
e." she protested, with modest self