T have to pretend to like it."
"I came to see YOU."
"How youthfull of you!" I replied, in stinging tones.
He sat down on a Bench and stared at me.
"What's got into you lately?" he said. "Just as you're geting to be
the prettiest girl around, and I'm strong for you, you--you turn
into a regular Rattlesnake."
The kindness of his tone upset me considerably, to who so few kind
Words had come recently. I am compeled to confess that I wept,
although I had not expected to, and indeed shed few tears, although
bitter ones.
How could I posibly know that the chaste Salute of Eddie Perkins
and my head on Carter Brooks' shoulder were both plainly visable
against the rising moon? But this was the Case, especialy from the
house next door.
But I digress.
Suddenly Carter held me off and shook me somewhat.
"Sit up here and tell me about it," he said. "I'm geting more
scared every minute. You are such an impulsive little Beast, and
you turn the fellows' heads so--look here, is Jane Raleigh lying,
or did you run away and get married to somone?"
I am aware that I should have said, then and there, No. But it
seemed a shame to spoil Things just as they were geting
interesting. So I said, through my tears:
"Nobody understands me. Nobody. And I'm so lonely."
"And of course you haven't run away with anyone, have you?"
"Not--exactly."
"Bless you, Bab!" he said. And I might as well say that he kissed
me, because he did, although unexpectedly. Sombody just then moved
a Chair on the porch next door and coughed rather loudly, so Carter
drew a long breath and got up.
"There's somthing about you lately, Bab, that I don't understand,"
he said. "You--you're mysterious. That's the word. In a couple of
Years you'll be the real thing."
"Come and see me then," I said in a demure manner. And he went away.
So I sat on my Bench and looked at the sea and dreamed. It seemed
to me that Centuries must have passed since I was a light-hearted
girl, running up and down that beech, paddling, and so forth, with
no thought of the future farther away than my next meal.
Once I lived to eat. Now I merely ate to live, and hardly that. The
fires of Genius must be fed, but no more.
Sitting there, I suddenly made a discovery. The boat house was near
me, and I realize that upstairs, above the Bath-houses, et cetera,
there must be a room or two. The very thought intriged me (a new
word for interest, but coming into use, and sounding well).
Solatude--how I craved it for my work. And here it was, or would be
when I had got the Place fixed up. True, the next door boat-house
was close, but a boat-house is a quiet place, generaly, and I knew
that nowhere, aside from the dessert, is there perfect Silence.
I investagated at once, but found the place locked and the boatman
gone. However, there was a latice, and I climbed up that and got
in. I had a Fright there, as it seemed to be full of people, but I
soon saw it was only the Familey bathing suits hung up to dry.
Aside from the odor of drying things it was a fine study, and I
decided to take a small table there, and the various tools of my
Profession.
Climbing down, however, I had a surprise. For a man was just below,
and I nearly put my foot on his shoulder in the darkness.
"Hello!" he said. "So it's YOU."
I was quite speachless. It was Mr. Beecher himself, in his dinner
clothes and bareheaded.
Oh flutering Heart, be still. Oh Pen, move steadily. OH TEMPORA O MORES!
"Let me down," I said. I was still hanging to the latice.
"In a moment," he said. "I have an idea that the instant I do
you'll vanish. And I have somthing to tell you."
I could hardly beleive my ears.
"You see," he went on, "I think you must move that Bench."
"Bench?"
"You seem to be so very popular," he Said." And of course I'm only
a transient and don't matter. But some evening one of the admirers
may be on the Patten's porch, while another is with you on the
bench. And--the Moon rises beyond it."
I was silent with horor. So that was what he thought of me. Like
all the others, he, to, did not understand. He considered me a Flirt,
when my only Thoughts were serious ones, of imortality and so on.
"You'd better come down now," he said. "I was af.