Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-11-20

01cketed IN nef eye because OF the
hit she had made decided him.
1T is not 30 one sided as you seem
to think It is,' he began. II was do
ing very nicely on Berande before you
came. ! did not want you to stay. l
wasn't in love with you then. want
ed you to 80 to Sydney. to 60 back to
Hawaii. But you insisted on staying.
You virtually
He paused for a softer word than
the one that had risen to his lips. and
she took it away from him.
Forced myself on yOu-that's what
you meant to say" she cried. the flags
Of battle painting her cheeks. 90
ahead. Don't mind my feelings"
"All right. l WON'T" he said deci.
sively, realizing that the discussion was
in danger Of becoming vituperative.
sch0olboy argument. you have In
sisted on being considered as man.
Consistency would demand that you
talk like man and like a man listen
to man talk. And listen you shall.
1t is not your falt that this unpleas-
antness has arisen. do not blame
you for anything-remember that-and
for the same reason you should not
blame me for anything.
"Y0u can't help being yourself. You
can't help being very desirable crea-
ture so far as I am concerned. You
have made me want you. You didn't
intend to: you didn't try to. You were
30 made. that is all. And l was so
made that was ripe to want you.
But l can't help being myself. l can't
by an effort of will cease from want
ing you any more than you by an ef-
fort of will can make yourself unde-
sirable to me.'
''Oh. this desire. this want. want.
want" she broke in rebelliously. II
am not quite a fool. understand
some things. l really think It would
be a good idea for me to marry Noa
Noah or Adamu Adam or Lalaperu
there or any black boy. Then l could
give him orders and keep him penned
away from me and men like you would
leave me alone and not talk marriage
and I want. l want
Sheldon laughed in spite Of himself
and far from any genuine impulse to
laugh.
you are positively soulless." he said
savagely.
Because I've a soul that doesn't
yearn for a man for master?'' she took
up the gauge. Every well. then. am
soulless. and what are you going to do
about it?'
II am going to ask you why you look
like woman? Why you have the
form Of a woman, the lips of woman.
the wonderful hair Of woman? And
I am going to answer because you are
a woman. though the woman in you ia
asleep and that some day the woman
will wake up"
"Heaven forbid!" she cried in such
sudden and genuine dismay as to make
him laugh and to bring smile to her
own lips against herself.
1--WE got some more to say to you."
Sheldon pursued. II did try to protect
you from every other man in the Solo,
mons and from yourself as well. As
for me, didn't dream that danger lay
in that quarter. So failed to protect
you from myself. I failed to protect
you at all. You went your own will
full way just as though l didn't exist
wrecking schooners. recruiting on Ma
laita and sailing schooners. one lone.
unprotected girl in the company Of
some Of the worst scoundrels in the
Solomons. love you for that too.
love you for all Of you. just as you
are"
She made a moue of distaste and
raised a hand protestingly.
Don't" be said. You have no right
to recoil from the mention of my love
for you. Remember. this is a man
talk. From the point Of view Of the
talk. you are a man. The woman in
you is only incidental. accidental and
irrelevant. You've got to listen to the
bald statement Of fact, strange though
It is, that love you. You are better
of and safer on Berande. in spite Of
the fact that I love you. than any
where else in the Solomons. But !
want you. as final item Of man talk.
to remember from time to time that l
love you and that it will be the dear
est day Of my life when you consent
to marry me. l want you to think Of
It sometimes. And now we won't talk
about it any more. As between men.
there's my hand"
He held out his hand. She hesitated,
then gripped it heartily and smiled
through her tears.
II wish she faltered. II wish. in.
stead Of that black Mary. you'd given
me somebody to swear for me-"
And with this enigmatdc utterance
she turned away.
ITO be Condnued)