The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-30

came.
 ''My dearest wish is the success of Berande," Joan had just said apropos of a discussion about the cheapening of freights on copra te market.
 ''Do you mind if I tell you the dear est wish of my heart?" he promptly about it. It is my dearest desire. 1t is for you some day when you are ready to be my wife"
 She started back from him as if she had been stung. Her face went white on the instant, not from maidenly em- barrassment, but from the anger which he could see flaming in her eyes.
 This taking for granted! This when I am ready. she cried passion ately. Listen to me, Mir. Sheldon. 1 like you very we'll. though you are slow and a muddler. but want you to understand once and for all that l did not come to the SolomOns to get mar ried Getting married is not making my way ill the world. It may do for some women. but not for me. thank you. When I sit down to talk over the freight oh copra don't care to have proposals of marriage sandwiched in. Besides-besides"
 Her voice broke for the moment, and when she went on there was note of appeal in it that well nigh convicted him to himself of being brute.
 Don't you see? It spoils everything. It makes the whole situation impos- sible-and-and so loved our partner ship and was proud of it. Don't you see? can't go on being your partner if you make love to me. And I was so happyr'
 Tears of disappointment were in her eyes. and she caught swift sob in her throat
 "I warned you," he said gravely. sSuch unusual situations between men and women cannot endure. I told you so at the beginning
 "Oh. yes: it is quite clear to me what you did. You took good care to warn me against every other man in the Solomons except yourself"
 It was blow in the face to Sheldon. He smarted with the truth of it, and at the same time he smarted with what he was convinced was the injus- tice of it. A gleam of triumph that T fGkered in her eye because of the hit she had made decided him.
 'It is not so one sided as you seem to think it is." he began. 'T was do- ing very nicely on Berande before you came. did not want you to stay. I wasn't in love with you then. I want ed you to go to Sydney. to go back to Hawaii. But you insisted on staying. You virtually"-
 He paused for softer word than the one that had risen to his lips, and she took it away from him.
 Forced myself on you-thats what you meant to say" she cried. the flags of battle painting her cheeks. "Go ahead. Don't mind my feelings"
 "All right. won't" he said deci- sively, realizing that the discussion was in danger of becoming a vituperative, schoolboy argument. "You have in- sisted on being considered as a 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 nything-remembert that-and for the same reason you should not blame me for anything.
 You can't help being yourself. You can't help being a very desirable crea- ture so far as am concerned. You have made me want you. You didn't intend to; you didn't try to. You were so made, that is all. AndAI was so made that I was ripe to want you. But can't help being myself. l can't by an effort of will cease from want ing you any more than you by an eff 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 fool. 1 understand some things. really think it would be good idea for me to marry Noa Noah or Adamu Adam or Lalaperd there or any black boy. Then I 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. I want''
 Sheldon laughed in spite of himself and far from any genuine impulse to laugh.
 You are positively. soulless," he said savageAy.
 Because I've soul that doesn't yearn for man for master?" she took up the gauge. Very we'll. then. am soulless, and what are you going to do about it?'
 Il am going to ask you why you look like woman? Why you have the form of woman. the lips of a woman, the wonderful hair of a woman? And I am going to answer because you are woman. though the woman in you is 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 a smile to her own lips against herself.
 I've got some more to say to you," Sheldon pursued. T did try to protect you from every other man in the Solo, mons and from yourself as we'll. 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 alI You went your own will ful way just as though didn't exist wrecking schooners. recruiting on Ma