The Cairo bulletin., 1909-06-14

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when the two cigars were we'll alighi.
she suddenly grew quite grave, leaned
her elbows upon the table, rested her
chin upon her crossed hands. glanced
at her husband, and addressed the
visitor thus:
you won't mind my being very seri-
GUS indeed now-will you?-because-
as l said before--I have something
very serious that | want to talk to
you about-and | never could talk to
you alone until my husband came"
Jerry felt his fingers seeking the
cord OF his monocle In species of
qualm over the extreme earnestness
of her address, but before there was
any such pause as demanded filling
by him she went on:
you don't know how dreadfuly I've
wanted TO be alone with you ever
since | first met you It's so Grazing
to have things to say that yon can't
say unless you're positive that you
won't be interrupted-and you know.
although we've been together all day
long, still we've never been really like
this before"
Jerry felt horribly uncomfortable
and didn't know what to say, so looked
at his patentleather toes and shook
his head. He didn't know just why he
shook his head, but 1t seemed the
only safe thing to dare just then.
What want TO talk about" she
went on, is the feeling that men like
you and women like me have for one
another | know that you are just as at
tractive TO women as | am to men, and
| want 10 know whether the basis OF
that attraction is the same with you
as II is with me-"
She paused; her husband was look
ing at the forest: Jerry was grasping
the cord of his monocle with a
strength that he could feel In the back
of his neck. Within his heart he felt
that the peacock blue hadn't been so
far wrong after all.
DO YOU think you get my mean
ing?" she asked after moment.
Il don't think that | do" he an.
swere. bluntly.
She laughed softly.
Yes. you do, too. It's a species of
vanity-now, isn't it? We're naturally
attractive and we know IL, and we
want every one else 10 know it, too
don't We? You wanted me TO like you
the first instant that you saw me-
Her husband was looking at her
now he was so large that the back
of his chair was tipped against the
wall and his legs sridged the width
OF the balcony Jerry, big as he was.
was a pigmy beside him. He wished
like thunder that he was of fishing.
Il can't at all admit any of that"
he asserted.
What nonsense, But IL you won't
admit ii, It's true, none the less But
wen go on step further. Grant the
mutual attractiveness, and let's see
how much further the similltude ex-
tends. When you met me and were
attracted by me did you recognize the
fact right off. or did it dawn upon
you gradually? | saw that you were
epris at once. You see I'm honest"
Her husband was shaking the ash
from his cigar, and as he did so his
eyes encountered Jerry's. The latter
was beginning to feel decidedly III.
81 don't know that | thought any.
thing about it," he said, miserably.
You don't expect me to behave
that, do you?" she asked, half smiling.
mot after the way that you acted
that first evening, Don't you know
that ! saw that you were wild about
me from the first instant. A woman
always knows. And what | want to
know is-does man know, too? Or
does the woman hide her heart better?
Did you. know that ] was specially in
terested in you before told you so?"
Jerry felt his shirt-collar melting (it
wasn't a warm day, ether. He
threaded the cord to his monocle up
and down through his fingers, re-
crossed his legs, and. coughed
Really" he said at last-"really.
you must believe me when | say that
this is the first time that | ever posed
as psychological problem, and
don't at all know how to play the
part"
She looked disappointed.
Won won't own up" she said. sha-
king her head; well, I've never yet
found the man that would. They're
all alike-men are--and my husband
is the only exception to the lot
She rose as she spoke and. passing
behind her husband. threw her arms
about his neck and kissed him.
"Oughtn't you to go now?" she
asked. looking over his head at the
stunned benumbed and paralyzed
caller--'it's quite quarter of six. and
we've all to dress before dinner"
Jerry arose with the promptitude of
a steel spring jr~t loosed In its coilins.
I'm sorry NJ 70 sase given salts
faction" he said. but really"
She extended her hand.
Il don't bear you any ill-vill," she
said, smiling I
Her husband quilted his seat and
gave the visitor another heart-crush-
ing, understanding hand-clasp.
Then at last Jerry got out into the
corridor and breathed again.
Siddons found him packing when he