The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-01-29

you nave them you'll no longer be
afraid of thought In its Elf, and when
you are freed OF that fear you will
find that sincerity ceases to be con-
versational bad taste. 1t becomes
rather a weapon, the only probe that
can pierce the armor OF individuals,
for of course you know that every per-
~sonality wears a shell, thick or thin.
| cl~ose-joined or loose"
She turned her eyes and looked him
up and down fieetingly. "lyhat else
will your philosophy do for me?"&he
asked.
"What elseT' he repeated. at will
make you g~loriously ipdependent-re-
duce you to the three elements of con-
tent-health, honor and an inner
flame"
Lets begin with the inner fame"
she suggested. 1T sounds mystic"
But 1t isn't" he replied. Its the
most practical thing in the world. Am
bition, illusion, youth, are a few of it's
commoner appellations, but the one
that comes nearest to im%prisoning 1t in
a phrase is, breath of life"
Andrea studied him almost impa-
tiently; inwardly she was rebelling
tremendously at finding herself so con-
tinually interested by one who was
even at the moment calmly doing her
a great wrong. If he had spoken as
didactically about his precious phil
osophy she would have found herself
at once: but he hadn't. In that point
more than in any other lay the charm
charm? Well, call it charm, anyway,
of this unusual male.
Having thought the matter out with
a view to hearing him browse some
more, she said, Cant you bring 1t a
little nearer?"
I'll try" he answered after a pause.
Breath Of life is that quality which
holds back a man from marrying for
money and urges another to the de-
sertion Of wife and children because
he's bored, that makes a preacher leap
from the pricking pinnacle of dogma
TO the heart of the Red Light district
and his own destruction, that leads the
king-bull of the herd to Impatient paths
Of lonely meditation. In short, it's
the perpetual vigilance of self at the
apparent risk Of the SOUL"
sort of sublimated egoism," re-
marked Andrea.
"Selishness, you meanY' He shook
his head. 'It's not ever on that plane:
it's so much over 1t that s~elfishness as
a quality Is merely n of the pebbles
on the beach below 1t that the sea has
been grinding down to uniform char
acteristics for a hundred years. Alive.
it's a flame; dead, 1t doesn't ever leave
"a corpse"
Andrea yawned. snow honor" she
said.
Wont you talk a ittle?" said the
man. Defining Is q great game and
I don't want to hog all the fun. Speak
for your class. What's honorg"
Andrea thought for a minute; then
she smiled. with women, it's keeping
anywhere this side of the Rubicon."
She paused.
And with meni" he urged.
with men it's the art o. not get
ting caught"
capital !" he exclaimed.
"Yes," she murmured. 81 thought
you would like those answers He
stared at her, but she kept her face
innocent of malice. "Now tell me
what honor really is"
II believe you could have told me-"
he answered. except for the fact that
your exceptionally good taste bars
sincerity. It's what is left of morality
when you're sure no one is looking"
Andrea stified another yawn. "Some
of the things you say" she gasped,
"are almost clever enough for a book
to read in bed"
Il beg your pardon. I'm sorry" said
the man and clapped his hands loudly.
A bundle under the tree, wrapped up
head and all in a blanket, resolved IT.
self into Bathtub rubbing sleep out of
his eyes; arose, seized a rope on a
pulley and hauled. The circular mos
quito net rolled up from about the
table.
"WM you go to your room and tell
me IL you have everything?' asked the