Evening star., 1925-06-07


very pleased about itv
m not. The gentleman OF her
cnolce combines Jail record with an
unfoly thirst for liquor
ana one more trained nurse Is lost
Co the cause of science" Dorcas mur-
INJURED, lightly.
Yes" Again it seemed an effort
Iof MIN to remove his eyes from her
race. I'm doing some work up there
IN the north end" he said. "Fasctnat-
ing people, those Italians I like 'em.
ana get some of the worst cases.
Why"
When you're treating a sick per-
son, you certainly like him to be sick,
uoht your Dorcas commented, cut
ting short any description of all
ments.
I've never been able to cultivate a
very good bedside manner for neurotic
ladies' Gregory admitted Your
Lucia Sears for example"
thought she'd interest youp'
but she doesn't in the least. / like
'em healthy-like you"
On, do you like me?" she demand
ed softiy. You know. rather
thought you didn't
He moved back uneasfIy. ooh
you're all right. You've got more
backbone than most of EN-"
m beginning TO suspect that
you re a cave man" she accused him
ou want a woman as Is a woman
this mate stuff. A squaw-'
she flushed, and Gregory March, find
ing comfort In her embarrassment
grinned.
"A sauaw!" he repeated, watching
her blush deepen. After you've
knocked about in the jungles a bit
you see the advantages of It. When
ever | come back to what is known
as c1VllfZation I'm always dumbfound-
ed that no bird has started a rights
Tor men campaign. They're all so
woman-ridden. these men of yours.
Take Everett. Mother, sisters-hes s
entirely feminfzed. I'd like to see the
good old days when the ladies left
the dinner table and the men
Were men," completed Dorcas,
trifle viciously
Gregory said: 'It seems to me that
the sexes--nale and she-are losing
equally in dignity. You women, with
your Me, too attitudes, Even if you
can't bear letting the men out of your
sight for an hour. you ought at least
TO pretend you can get along without
You know said Dorcas stiff1y, IT
think you're being rather insulting"
She sat erect, eyes hard and angry
and Gregory found himself again
thinking of that Indian ancestress
who had become legend in the Ryder
family.
Gregory March wasn't conscious of
any deliberate intention; there was
merely the poignantly vivid impress
sion of this girl before him-this girl
so slim and straight and so COM
pletely what woman should be. She
had risen from her chair and Gregory
rose, too, and kissed her squarely
upon her mouth. There was a breath
less, tense moment Of waiting before
Dorcas spoke in the most chillingly
clipped tones Gregory had ever heard
Really. Mr.. March, she said. as
though she were speaking down TO
him from a height-from, perhaps, the
second-class promenade deck to the
steerage-"you do that sort of thing
so badly Your jungles may have
taught you some things, but"
She shrugged and was still seemingly
disinterested in any attempt to dis
engage herself.
Gregory March stared at her. In
that instant when he had taken her
into his arms it seemed as though all
his life had been leading to that very
act. For a second longer, a second
that seemed interminable, he stood
with his arms awkwardly about Dor
cas-his arms, Gregory March s
arms-about porcas Ryder, Dorcas
Ryder, no longer the living descenda Mt
of an Indian girl, but Dorcas of the
Back Bay Ryders; Dorcas. who would
inherit in less than a month a mil
lion dollars; Miss Ryder. who had
been finished in Europe, who was
so shortly to come out"
Good heavens"' said Gregory
March, and with violence which
tinged upon panic he thrust her back
into her chair and belted from the
library.
nICkIE EVERETT was not entire
ly a fool, and he was mystified
and even a little wary of Dorcas's s
| new attitude toward him. her polite
ness, her-it was almost friendliness,
And while Dorcas expressed burn
ing and consuming rage by this un-
wonted serenity, Gregory March gave
vent to his emotions by signing a con-
tract TO go, as doctor, with n copper
| mining concern to South America
Dorcas beard that news without I
visible flicker of interest: in fact, its
| only effect upon her was such
gentleness toward Dickie Everett
that he cast aside his doubts and re-
solved 20 ask her to marry him that
evening.
You're so pretty, Dorcas,' he said,
| moving to the couch beside her.
oh" said Dorcas.
He waited, waited until the moment
should seem entirely propitious. talk
ing lightly. picking up her hand end
holding it in his before he kissed her.
His emotion was one of deepest fatal
ify che n1Isbed him
Good heavens, Dickiev' she said.
Really, you are entirely too pro-
f1cient. my dear. You kiss a girl
like some little mechanical toy that's
wound up with key-one, two, kiss,
II I've got to be kissed at all. I'd
| rather have it done by some one a
little less sure of how it's engineered
in our best society! I'd as soon kiss
mothers Peke.'' She blushed sud
denly as at some recollection, and
walking across to the table picked up
magazine. 'Oh, Dickie, you bore
me so! Do go away" She waited
Until the outer door slammed before
she closed her fingers about the little
blue china ash tray on the table and
hurled 1t against the brick hearth of
| the fireplace.
"Oh, what a lifer walled Dorcas,
aloud, disgustedly.
Gregory March lifted his hat and
fell into step at Dorcas' side. For
| half block they were silent, Gregory
looking down at her in an amusement
which he half felt. There was a
heavenly safety in the remembrance
of that signed contract. Dorcas
looked up at him abruptly.
you know, I've been thinking over
some of the things you said the other
| highland maybe was partly
wrong /"