The Danger Mark

robbing with physical fatigue, she had n

she gave her heart to him with her lips, left her tremulo

; a few big, widely scattered stars watched her. For a long while she stood there trying to quiet the rapid pulse and fast breathing; and at length, with an ex

f. "Is this what it is doing to me

s began groping about in the darkness, and pre

through the open window. After a while she sat up nervously and tossed the cigarette from her. Like a falling s

searching in the darkness behind her. There came a tinkle, a vague violet perfume, and the s

sill; and with a quick, frightened intake of breath, lips still wet and scented, and the fire of

in her hands, striving desperately to recollect the circumstances; she sprang to her feet and paced the darkened room, trying to understand. A terrified and childish surprise posses

; little flashes of alarm assisted her. Then a sort of delicate madness took pos

indenting her breast, the clamour and tum

to vein. No, she would not be afraid. It could never happen again. She would be on her guard after this.... Besides, the forgetfulness had been so momentary

d up the little crystal flask from the dresser-an

relic; an imprisoned fluid glimmered with pale-violet light-some scented French distillation which Ro

curiously. Then, on deliberate i

I must begin now. If I should touch this it would be excess.... I would like to, but"-she fl

ing stars. When at last she stretched herself out on the bed, d

d at nine o'clock, followed by Geraldine's maid with the breakfast-tray, the girl still la

arply, and cast a rapid glance around the room. Then she went over to the dressing-table and lifted Rosal

you, Ka

, de

she passed the backs of her fingers across her lids, laughed sleepily

in my sleep. Come here," she said, stretch

ead down, linking bot

er guess what miracle ha

...

to marry Dua

r face against Kathleen's cheek, then released her with a laugh

laimed, startled, "

her hands loosely clasped. Geraldine's bro

the hot colour stained her from brow to throat. Kathleen bent forward swiftly and caught her

out me," she sa

e you told him

scarlet swept

are not afraid. I promised him-" And her voice failed as

romised me, too-" And

th which ended like a sob; and again she was in Kathleen's arms-struggled from them only to drop her head on Kat

he spoke in a h

t I was doing last night-that was all. Duane knows my danger-tendency

him until you

ectly certain

do? What have I in life besides you and Scott?... And lately, dearest-I must speak as I feel-something-some indefinable const

ere is

ith me, dear

silent for

I have been-worried. I

t yourself, y

And a little

loves you, that is all

couldn't sleep very much, and I-I simply couldn't tell you how unhappy they were making me-and I-sometimes-now and then-in fact,

old me-let me sit with you, talk, read to you-lo

ie made me so wretched. And there seemed no use in my trying to be different from others, and I thought I might as well be as rotten as everybody.

swore as fashionably as I knew how! I scorched my tongue with cigarettes; I sat in Bunny Gray's room with the door bolted and let him teach m

aldi

wanted to

defiantly at Kathleen, but the child's mouth quivered b

wrong and I say, 'Oh, fluff!' I mean swearing, so I thought I'd do it.... And almost every woman I know smokes and has her favourite cocktail,

e hid her face in her hands for a moment, then flu

own. I don't want to go any closer to the danger line than I've been. And, oh, I'm so ashamed, so humiliated-I-I wish I could go to Duane as-as clean and sweet a

I've been horribly

e you g

up very straight in bed, serious, sombre-e

ything like that"-pointing to Rosalie's gift-"should make me restless-annoy me, cause me d

's sake, keep clear of anything with even the faintest odour o

gave it

is i

crême de somet

girl's tightly cla

marry him until you cleanse yourself, until you scour yo

don't intend,

Let sufficient

ong? A

me with fear is this habit you have formed of caressing danger-this childish trifling with something which is still asleep in you-with all that is weak and ignoble. It is there-it is in all of us-i

ess and wicked. But truly, truly, I won't. I-darling, you mustn't cry-please, don't-because you are making me cry. I cried in my sleep, too.... I oug

ced. Do fix my tray, dear, while I'm in the bath-and ring for my maid.... And when you go down you may tell Duane to wait for me on the

t a note to h

ly Man in

he S

intertwined within the circumscribed outlines of a symbol popularly supposed to represent a human heart, your industry will be

lie, fresh as a blossom, and absurdly like a schoolgirl with her low-cut collar, sn

perished with the heat last nigh

her

oked up: "Are you

an appoi

u going to let

ice; I really have an ap

step nearer, laid both han

ou really going to let me drift

? Besides, you are

were very nice t

me.... But I told you how matters

thought about it all night long; I find tha

: "Nor do you re

uld c

ders; he smilingly disengaged them, salu

n't," he said-

onfronting him with that gaily auda

or not he is in love with a wo

nt an hone

eas

ficiently attractive, a m

iciently a

es

ries, the other must pretend to.... And then they make their adieux very

d: "I sup

re no novice, a

a novice,

't it, considering these lonely years-considering what he ha

y admirabl

and early precepts make mountains out of what is really very simple travelling. If a woman ceases to love her husb

holesome sort of

smiled at him-"and I'd prefer to fall honestly and disgracefully in love with you-if you'd give me the opportunity." There was a pause. "Otherwise," she concluded, "I shall content myself with doing a mischief to your sex whe

"isn't there anything except playin

ithout it. I've l

ve done pretty

if you cared for a woman who cared for you. There's no

vely: "You

to care for me-even for that reason

not," he sai

changed subtly, then the colour came

t into all sorts of mischief. The blac

ndcourt's bulk appeared among the trees along Hurryon

y young man who was fishing with earnestne

sidering him. "I want to do real damage. He

If a man of that slow, plodding, faithful species ever is thoroug

e eyes sparkl

ter not play hob with Dela

ed his line in a bush! He'll fall into that pool if he's not-mer

he trees as she spoke; Duane cal

rb him. It's not good sport; he's

th, however, crossed Grandcourt's, and as she stepped upon the footbridge she glanced down, where, wading gingerly in mid-stream, De

her. He attempted to take off his cap, slipped, wa

ge," he informed her eagerly; "he ran downstr

probably raise him if you ra

enerally manage to raise hell with every pool before I get a

ere was a quick pang of pain in her s

I got you?" he

"and you had better come up and get this hook o

e; she flinched, but made no sound, as he freed her from the hook

d contemplating with dismay the damage he had accomplished; "otherwise," he added, "w

ed. "But I suppose this sort of t

. "I suppose you won't bother to forgive me, but I'm te

hichever way she turned, he managed to get underfoot, until, thoroughly

ou want to embrace me? I wish you wouldn'

ed up into h

don," he said.

reat Danes are exceedingly desirable property, you know.... Did you wish to be for

n that wound, if you'll let me

ised and sore and lonely and desperate? Oh, don't try to understand-what a funny, confused, stupid way you have o

les began to amuse her; she leaned back against the

a slight, healthy suspicion that you were

but the colour di

he verge," he co

't you fa

use you married Jack D

that

erceived the jest, and

salie. "Was that all that prevented you from

said. "Wasn't i

torn the skirt hopelessly! What a devastating sort of creature you are, Delancy! You used to step on my slippers at dancing school, and, oh, Heaven! how I hated you.... W

uth tightened. All of the clumsy boy in him had vanished; she had never troubled herself to look at him very closely, and it surprised her to see how wo

are going?" she repea

in part

going somewhe

ppose

direc

hink

lies. Do you think," she demanded, amused, "that it is particularly civil of

the reel-guide, shifted his creel, buttoned on the landing

a boy, had from you a single word which did not in some vague ma

he faltered

rate me. It is a legend that I am thick-skinned and stupidly slow to take offence. I am not offended now.... Because I

the hand-rail behind her, and as she comprehended the passio

to say to me?" he asked

-n

I take my

eyes and regarded him with

ever really hurt you?" she aske

shook his head, and his pleasa

to," he said. "It's

horrid and disagr

her experience among men. What, after all, was there about him that a woman should treat with scant consideration, impatience, the toleration of contempt? His clumsy manner? His awkwa

had neglected to know him, if this brief revelation of hi

y that the painful colour rose to his hair again, and he sto

g at you, Delancy; I am thinking about it with-with a certain re-" She was going to say regret, but she substituted "re

ly checked and halted, as though by some fear that his own power might break loose and smash things. That seemed to be the root of his awkwardness-un

the sunlight, very deeply preoccupied with the contents of his fly-book; she leaned back on the sun-scorched railing of the bridge, bathing-suit tucked under one arm, listening to the melody of the rushing stream below. It seemed almost like the intima

she asked, dreamily conscio

asked so naturally that a sudden glow of confidence

ook at yo

fumbling with tufted silks and feathers, until she untangled a most alluringly c

we tr

nly," h

the bark of the big beech, raise

as they sauntered away toward the Gray Water. And