FLAMING
YOUTH
Gx
“J suppose you wanted me to because you like me,”
he pursued.
“Wasn’t that it?”
“I don’t know. I like being petted.” “Gh! Do you? By any-old-body?”
“IT don’t know,” she repeated. once before.”
“I’ve never been but
“Did you like that better than this?” “It was different.” “Different?” His interest and curiosity were piqued: his vanity, too. “Well, I can make it different, too.” “No,” choked Pat in sudden panic as she felt his lean,
_ sinewy arms encircle her crushingly. “Don’t, Sel!” She twitched her face away from his. Immediately her alarm gave place to a stimulus of sheer delight. She had distinctly felt him tremble. An epochal discovery! For she was, herself, quite cool. She possessed then the mysterious power to arouse men out of themselves, while remaining self-possessed, to affect them in this strange manner more than she herself was moved. Pat, dear !”? whispered the youth, avid and insistent. _ He had ceased to seem formidably old to her now; she was his superior. She kissed him again, but lightly and pushed him back. “Bad bunny!” she mocked. “We ought not to, Sel.” “Oh, what’s the harm?”
“Someone might come in.” Come
outside, then.”
“Oh, let’s go back and dance. I’m afraid of you.” She gave him a sidelong glance with this gratuitous lie, Come,
I love this trot.”
They danced it out, he holding her closer than before. she letting her cheek press his from time to time. She yearned to the feeling of his young strength, yet was quite content for the time, with the experience of the
