The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-08
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
INTO THE PRIMITIVE"
BY Robert Ames Bennett.

Ter. Professor Rayburn was there
when we were talking about IT,,
and so we asked him to go along,
but we told him he must take a
girl. And he said, 4 wonder IL
your sister Prudence wouldn't go?
| have only met her once, but per-
haps on your recommendation,
Miss Fairy
81 said | was sure you would
go, and SO you'll have to do it.
It's a great honor, Prue, for all
the upper-class girls. and even
the unmarried women on the Fac.
are crazy about him."
Professor Rayburn! OF the
Fac" gasped Prudence. "Oh. |
wouldn't know what to say to a
professor, you know! What is his
line?"
Bugs" cried Fairy. Hes the
biology man. And this is his first
year here, and he's very brilliant
they say"
But bugs! walled Prudence.
What do | know about bugs!
Anyhow, the very pictures of them
in the twins books make me nerv-
GUS. You can just tell him | don't
feel qualified to CO."
You've got to CO." said Fairy
sternly, for l said you would.
He's going to phone you this aft
ernoon and ask you himself"
After all, Prudence looked for
ward to the little outing in the
glorious October woods. On the
eventfM day her face was SO
bright, her eyes so starry, that
Fairy felt a twinge of something
like envy.
The three young couples struck
off briskly down the road, creek
ward, and Prudence followed Sc
dately with her professor.
II don't know anything about
bugs" she said comfortably. 81
am very common and unbrilliant.
Fairy says you are perfectly hor-
ribly clever"
She glanced up when she heard
his exclamation, and laughed at
his rueful face. "Oh, that isn't
Fairy's expression. She thinks
brilliant and clever people are
Just adorable. 1t is only | who
think them horrible"
Even Prudence could see that
this did not help matters.
Il do not mean that" she
stammered. 81 am sure you are
very nice indeed, and we are go
ing to be good friends, aren't we?
But | am such a Ounce myself that
| am afraid of real clever people.
They are so superior. And so un-
interesting, and-oh, l do not
mean that, either"
Prudence laughed at her predic-
ament
II may as well give it up. What
| really mean is that you are the
incest smart person | ever saw
except my own family, mean"
She smiled up at him deliciously.
Does that make it square?"
More than square" he said.
But the only thing that really
counts today is whether we are
going to be real good friends, as
you suggested. We are, aren't
WEI"
Yes" agreed Prudence, dimp-
ling. Il like men to be my friends
nice men, l mean. But it isn't
always safe. So many start out to
be good friends, and then want to
be silly. But It's perfectly safe
with YOU"
do you think me so unmanly
that | couldn't fall in love he
asked.
"Oh, of course you'll fall in
love-" laughed Prudence. But
not with me-that was what l
meant. / couldn't imagine bug
gy professor-on, beg pardon!
But the twins are so silly and
they began calling you the buggy
professor. But they do not mean
any harm by it. Are your feelings
hurt" she asked anxiously.
Not a bit. I think the twins
and | will be tremendously good
friends. I'm quite willing to be
known as the buggy professor.
If Professor Rayburn had con-
tinued along this interesting and
fruitful line of conversation, all
would have been well.
"l3ut it came just like a clap Of
thunder" said Prudence to Fairy
as they talked things over that
night. Il was thinking he was as
nice and interesting as IL he didn't
know one thing to his name. when
That's how 1t hap
peued!"
Fairy wiped her eyes. Go
on" she urged. What hap
pened?"
He stopped right in the middle
of a sentence, something that I
was awfully interested in, and
said, Look, Miss START Then he
got down on his knees and began
cautiously scraping away the
sticks and leaves. Then he fished
out the most horrible, woolly,
many-legged little animal | ever
saw In my life. He said 1t was a |
giminythoraticus billyancibus. and
he was as tickled over It as though
he had Just picked up a Million
dollar diamond. And what do you
suppose the weird creature did
with II He wrapped 1t in cou-
pie OF leaves. and put his hand