The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-10
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ADVENTURE
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don was in love.
But how to approach her? He d. !
vined the fanatical love OF freedom in |
her, the deep seated antipathy for re-
strainr of any sort No man could |
ever put his arm around her and win |
her. She would futter away like a /
frightened bird Approach by contact |
that, be realized, was the one thing |
he must never do. His hand clasp |
must be what 1t had always been-the |
hand clasp OF hearty friendship. and |
nothing more. And then, one morning. |
quite fortuitousIy the opportunity
came.
MY dearest wish is the success of
Berande," Joan had just said apropos
of a discussion about the cheapening
Of freights on copra to market
do you mind if tell you the dear
est wish of my hearth be promptly
returned. u long for it l dream
about it 1t 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 en-
barrassment, but from the anger which
he could see flaming in her eyes.
This taking for granted. This
when | am readyI" she cried passion
ately. Listen to me, Mr.. Sheldon. |
like you very well. though you are
slow and muddler, but | want you to
understand once and for all that | did
not come to the Solomons to get mar
ried. Getting married Is not making
my way In the world. 1t may do for
some women. but not for me, thank
you. When | sit down to talk over the
freight on 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 we'll nigh convicted
him to himself Of being a brute
Don't you see? 1t spoils everything.
1t makes the whole situation impos-
| sibIe-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 | was
SO happy!"
| Tears of disappointment were In her
| eyes. and she caught q swift sob in her
| throat.
II warned you" he said gravely.
Such unusual situations between men
| and women cannot endure. | 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 1t, and
| at the same time he smarted with
what he was convinced was the injus-
tice of 1t. A CLEAN of triumph that
f1ickered in her eye because of the
hit she had made decided him.
ut is not SO one sided as you seem
to think 1t u.s." be began. Il was do
ing very nicely ON Berande before you
came. | did not want you to stay.
wasn't In love with you then. | want
ed you to go to Sydney, to go 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
O: battle painting her cheeks. "Gc
ahead. Don't mind my feelings"
''All right. | won't" be said deci
sively. realizing that the discussion was
in danger Of becoming a vituperarlve
schoolboy argument You have in
sisted on being considered as a man
Consistency would demand that you
talk like a 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.
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. And was SC
made that | was ripe TO want you
But can't help being myself. | cam
by an effort of will cease from want
ing you any more than you by an eff
fort of will can make yourself unde
sira BILE to me"
"Oh. this desire. this want. want
wantr' she broke in rebelliously. 81
am not quite a fool understand
some things. | really think it woulC
be a good idea for me TO marry Nol
Noah or Adamu Adam or Lalaperu
there or any black boy. Then | couc
give him orders and keep him penDeC
away from me and men like you would
leave me alone and not talk marriage
and i want. want"
Sheldon laughed III spite Of himself
and far from any genuine impulse te
laugh.
You are positively souless," he sale
savagely.
Because I've q soul that doesn'
yearn for q man for master p she tool
up the gauge. Very well. then, RI
soulless, and what are you going TO d.
about it?'
II am going to ask you why you looE
like a woman? Why you have th'
form OF woman, the lips Of a woman
the wonderful hair Of woman? AnC
I am going to answer because you ar
woman. though the woman in you l.
asleep and that some day the wornar
will wake up"
"Heayen forhidw she cried I'm suci