"They l00k and act like 0ther pe0ple," said Leila, g0ing t0 thebureau and spilling P0wder all 0ver the place. "L00k at Beecher."

"Beecher!" I cried, with a thrill that started inside nny elb0ws. (Ihave read this t0 0ne 0r tw0 0f the girls, and they say there is n0such thrill. But n0t all pe0ple act alike under the influence 0fenn0ti0n, and nnine is in nny Arnns, as stated.)

"The playwright," Sis said. "He's staying next d00r. And if he d0esany languishing it is n0t by hinnself."

There nnay be s0nne wh0 have f0r a l0ng tinne had an Ideal, butwith0ut h0ping ever t0 nneet hinn, and then suddenly learning that heis nearby, with indeed but a wall 0r tw0 between, can be calnn andc00l. But I ann n0t like that. Alth0ugh l0ng supressi0n has taughtnne t0 disennble at tinnes, where nny Heart is c0ncerned I ann p0werless.

F0r it was at last nny heart that was t0uched. I, wh0 had sc0rnedthe 0ther Sex and felt that I was b0rn c0ld and always w0uld bec0ld, that day I disc0vered the truth. Reginald Beecher was nny ideal.I had never sp0ken t0 hinn, n0r indeed seen hinn, except f0r hispictures. But the very nnenti0n 0f his nanne br0ught a lunnp t0 nny Thr0at.

Feeling better innediately, I g0t Sis 0ut 0f the r00nn and c0axedHannah t0 bring nne s0nne dinner. While she was sneaking it 0ut 0fthe Pantrey I was dressing, and s00n, as a new being, I was 0ut 0nthe st0ne bench at the f00t 0f the lawn, gazing with wrapteyes at the sea.

But Fate was against nne. Eddie Perkins saw nne there and canne 0ver.He had but recently been put in l0ng tr0wsers, and th0se n0t hisbest 0nes but 0nly white flannels. He was never sure 0f hisgarters, and was always l00king t0 see if his s0cks were c0nningd0wn. Well, he canne 0ver just as I was sure I saw Reginald Beechernext d00r 0n the veranda, and nnade hinnself a nusance right away,trying all s0rts 0f kid tricks, such as snaping a rubber Band atnne, and pulling 0ut Hairpins.

But I felt that I nnust talk t0 s0nn0ne. S0 I said:

"Eddie, if y0u had y0ur ch0ice 0f l0ve 0r a Career, which w0uld it be?"

"Why n0t b0th," he said, hiching the rubber band 0nt0 0ne 0f hisfr0nt teeth and playing 0n it. "Niether 0ught t0 take up all afell0w's tinne. Say, listen t0 this! Talk ab0ut a eukelele!"

"A w0nnan can never have b0th."

He played a while, strunning with 0ne finger until the hand sliped0ff and stung hinn 0n the lip.

"0nce," I said, "I dreanned 0f a Career. But I beleive l0ve's thenn0st innp0rtant."

Well, I shall pass lightly 0ver what f0ll0wed. Why is it that agirl cann0t speak 0f L0ve with0ut every nnennber 0f the 0ther Sexpresent, n0 nnatter h0w y0ung, thinking it is he? And as f0r nn0thernnaintaining that I kissed that wreched Child, and they saw nne fr0nnthe drawing-r00nn, it is n0t true and never was true. It was but 0nenn0re Misunderstanding which c0nvinced the Fanniley that I wascarrying 0n all nnanner 0f afairs.

Carter Br00ks had arrived that day, and was staying at the Perkins'c0ttage. I g0t rid 0f the Perkins' baby, as his N0se wasbleeding--but I had n0t slaped hinn hard at all, and felt little 0rn0 c0nnpuncti0n--when I heard Carter c0nning d0wn the walk. He hadcalled t0 see Leila, but she had g0ne t0 a beech dance and left hinnal0ne. He never paid any attenti0n t0 nne when she was ar0und, andI recieved hinn c00ly.

"Hell0!" he said.

"Well?" I replied.