The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-02-08

The nymph was left in the arms Of
her young satyr. But only for a mo
ment. Out of that grip she broke in
a fury-real or pretended-and came
TO earth breathless, with flushed
cheeks and flashing eye.
You give yourself strange Iiber-
ties, young Randall" said she, and
boxed his ears. 'fWho babe you
here?"
Il II thought you called
me-" said he, grinning. nc whit
abashed by either blow or look. Come
now, Nan. Confess IT."
II called your" She laughed in
d%ignantly. "'Tis very likely! Oh,
very likely!"
You'll deny it, Of course, being a
woman in the making. But 1 heard
you" And hes quoted for her, sing
ing:
Hey, young love! Ho, young love!
Where do you tarry?"
81 was hiding on the other side of
the wall. I came at once. And all 1
get. for my pains and the risk to a
fairly new pair of breeches is a blow
and a denial"
You may get more if you remain"
ct hope so. l had not come else"
But it'll be as little to your lik.
ing"
That's as may be. Meanwhile
there's this matter of a blow. Now
a blow is a thing 1 lake from nobody.
For a man there is my sword .. . :"
Your swordt!' She abandoned her.
self to laughter. And you don't even
own a penknife."
"Oh, yes I do. I own a sword. It
was a gift from my father today-a
birthday gift. I am 10 today, Nan"
'How fast you grow! You'll be a
man soon. And so your father has
given you a sword?" She leaned
against the bole Of a tree, and sur
veyed him archly. THAT was very
rash of your father. You'll be cut
ting yourself, 1 know"
He smiled, but with a little less of
his earlier assurance. But he made
a fair recovery.
You are straying from the point"
1.-The point Of your sword, sweet
sir?"
1.-The point of my discourse. 1t was
concerning this matter of a blow. II
you were q man 1 am afraid l should
have to kill you. My honor would de-
mand no less"
with your sword?" she asked him
in~nocently.
with my sword, of course"
Ugh. Jack the Giant-Killer in a
cherry orchard! You must see you
are out Of place here. Get you gone,
boy. I odon't think 1 ever liked you,
Randall. Now I'm sure OF it. You're
a bloody-minded fellow for all your
tender years. What you'll be when
you're a man 1 dasn't think"
He swallowed the taunt
And what you'll be when you're a
woman is the thing l delight in think
ing. Wen return to that. Meanwhile,
this sblow e"
"Oh, you're tiresome."
You delay me. That is why. What
1 would do to a man who struck me
I have told you"
But you can't think l believe you"
This. time he was not to be turned
aside.
THE real question is what to do to
a woman" He approached her.
When 1 look at you, one punishment
only seems possible"
He took her by the shoulders in a
grip OF surprising frmness. There
was sudden alarm in those eyes of
hers that hitherto had been SO mock
ing.
Randall she cried out to stop
his purpose.
Undeterred he accomplished it.
Having kissed her, he loosed his hold.
and stood back for the explosion
which from his knowledge Of her he
was led to expect. But no explosion
came. She stood Imply before him.
all the raillery gone out of her, whilst
slowly the color faded from her
cheeks. Then it came flowing back
in an all-suffusing flood, and there
was a pathetic culver at the corners
of her mouth, a suspicious brightness
in her dropping eyes.
Why, Nam" he cried, alarmed by
phenomena so unexpected and I'M
usual.
"Oh, why did you do that?" she cried
on a sob.
I've been wanting to do it this
twelvemonth," said he simply "And
1 shall want to do it again. Nan. dear.
don't you know how much I love you?
Don't you know without my telling
you? Don't your"
The fervent question chased away
her trouble and SUNRISE
to fill its place. A moment she stared
at him, and her glance hardened. She
began to show signs of recovery.
THE declaration should have pre-
coded the the ~affront."
But I love you. Nan! Tve~said So"
ne expostulated.
You're too p%recocious, young Ran
2al. 1t comes, 1 suppose, OF being
given a sword to play with. I shall
have to speak to your father about 1t.
You need manners more than a sword
at present"
The mink was skilled in the art of
Furnishing. But the lad refused to be
put out Of ~countenance.
Nan, dear, I'm asking you to marry
me-"
She jumped at that. Her eyes di-
lated. "Lordr" she said. What con-
descension! But d'you think 1 want a
child tied to my pron-strings?"
I am going away, Nan-tomorrow,
very>early. 1 came to say good-by."
Her eyelids fickered and in that
moment a discerning glance would
have detected a CLEAN Of alarm from
her blue ewes. But there was no hint