, 1923-01-13
"Are All Men Alike"


IT wasn't until she realized one day
beyond all doubt. that the repeated
contact Of his shoulder against hers
not accidental. that a faint glow
of revulslon and anger awakened
in her. Her inner citadels OF fear
uninvaded. She had nippec
more than one amatory advance in
the bud. in her time. Her scorn was
like a saber, and had Always been
sufficient.
h got " sidewise from her chair,
with n half-twist of the torso that
was an inheritance from her basket
ball days. It freed her without OBJ
vious effort from all contact with
the over-lntimate leaning figure.
II guess that will about 90 us for
today. won't TT" she said in her quiet
and slightly reedy voice as she pro
ceeded to open a window.
But he crossed the room and tow.
above her In his bigness like
something t%aurine, alert and yet, pom
derously calm.
why are you afraid of me7' he
asked, with his eyes on the gardenia-
white oval of her cheek.
I'm not" she replied with a crisp
small laugh. I'm not in the least
afraid OF you"
a less obtuse man would have been
chilled by the scorn in her voice. But
Uhlan was too sure of his ground,
his all too familiar ground. to heed
side Issues.
ITS you who makes me afraid of
myself" he murmured, STOPPING clos
er to her.
You a tomorrow at three, / be-
lieve." she observed IN an icy voice
did II" he said in n genuinely
distracted whisper, for his mind was
not on what he said he heard His
mind, indeed. was fixed on only one
thing. And that was her utterly dc.
fensless lo%vellness.
The biackness of his pupils and
the aquiline cruelty about the corner
of his eyes frightened her,
But she did not give way to panic
to do so was not the custom of her
kind. She fought down her sudden
weak impulse to cry out, her equal
ly absurd propulsion to fight.
For she realized, that he was i'm
pervious to the weapons that had al
ways served her. The laws OF her
world meant nothing to him. 1t vas
like waking up and finding a burglar
in the house. a burglar who knew
no law but force.
So she whee.ed about. with her
head up. watching him. Instinct in
ono flash. told her what lurked be.
side her path. And her inability to
Escape 1t, TO confront It with what
it ought to be confronted with. was
maddening.
you Hunr' she said in . passion
alto small moan of misery which he
mlstook for terror. "Oh you Hunr'
He could afford TO smile down at
her, fortified by her loss of fortitude
warm with the why iohors Of mast
cry,
you adorable kidr' he cried out
catching her hand.
Don't touch mef' she called out In
q choking squeak Of anger.
And this time, as he swung her
about, he laughed openly.
You wonderful little wildcatr' he
murmured. as he pinned her elbows
close TO her sides and drew her
smothered and helpless. in under the
wing OF his shoulder.
For a or two h fought
with ali that was left of her strength
writing and twisting and painting
struggling to free her pinioned arms.
Then she ceased, abruptly, devas-
tated, not so much by her helpless
ness as by the ignominity Of her eff
forts. She went limp in his arms as
he forced her head. and with his arm
encircling her shoulders. kissed her
on the mouth.
He stopped suddenly, parplexed by
her passiveness, even suBpechnR for
a moment that she might have faint
cd. But he found himself being sur
veyed with a tight-eyed in~tentness
which shot q vague trouble through
his triumph.
ue even let his arms drop in be-
vvijderment, though tho drunkenness
had not altogether zone out Of his
eyes.
she was wiping her mouth with her
handkerchief, with a white look OF
loathing on her face. She was stu
hopping her lips as she crossed 10
tho studio eoor and swung 1t open.
"But 1 didn't say 1 vas gong" he
domurrod, frowninR above MS sIniio'
He was suro OF himself, sure OF his
mastery, auro of his technique
You are going" she said slowly
and distinctly.
He was smiling abHently os he picN-
ed up his INIT and gloves. And he
stopped in front OF her still smiling
on his way out.
srRemomber. wild bird, ] am som
inR back tomorrow no snid. "To
morrow, ut threef"
She dc not look at him,
'rYou arc not coming back shS
declared.
but no refused 10 he Hpurned,
~ am coming hack" he ealnthined
Spending more violently than he had
intended TO apeak. y am oonihg
back again, as sure as that sun -
ginning on those houHsteps u there
I'm coming back, and I'm going To
take you in my arms aBnlnt
sha went whittier than ever aB she
stood there with her hand on tho