Sudden Jim

It may be reproduced in less degree psychologically. For instance, the boy on his way to the woodshed with his father and a razor-strop knows it; the young man about to

of them do not mingle in peace. They seem, indeed, to have a most lively

ertain amount of curiosity-incited anticipation of a second meeting with her, a second opportunity to glimpse her queer, disturbed, turbulent personality. Let there be no error here-Jim Ashe was not drawn toward Marie Ducharme. Quite the contrary. She was not at all

hen entered the dining-room, where the widow

the arms and the cushion into it. It'll seem sort of queer to see a

e it might be needed ag

is all right, but enough's enough. What a body can want of more 'n two is m

arme nodd

sugar?" ask

e, a process which appeared to require concentration. Jim didn't blame her for stirring it or for doing anything else which would

te of exasperation in her voice. Jim was glad he had not taken a swal

for an instant into Jim's eyes. "Nobody's g

icious. I almost never bite strangers. Still,

cestor who had served Frontenac. She finished her coffee and toast and egg slowly, aros

tches to come against her ear. Seems she might 'a' acted a leetl

worry you, M

a child and a Philadelphy lawyer couldn't make her out as a woman. She's been gittin' worse. Marie's a good girl, Mr. Ashe-better 'n a lot of these mealy-mouthed, bowin

, the trouble is that sh

and thinks too much, and some of the things she says would fair shock you out of your shoes. If I thought she me

The widow seemed to have no such scruples. Indeed, she was willing at all times and seasons to discuss anybody, absent or present, and to put into frank and

t past his patience. I mind my first husband shakin' me once. I was young, then, with notions. Dun'no's anythin' ever

f modern life," Jim suggested, with a twinkle in his eye.

t a woman run him. All this here talk about emancipatin' wimmin makes me sick to my stummick. Wimmin don't need e

er would agree with y

y idee is that wimmin don't git settl

iving the vote to

ections," said the widow. "Don't hurry of

said Jim, passin

. Jim's first thought was to pass on without pau

rme," he said. "Can't we declare an arm

, with no interest. "I simply don't l

under the same roof and eating at the same table. If we could agree on a truce or a pretense that we are not distasteful to each other-merely while

ight to take whatever

hat urge to quick action which had come upon him several times since his arrival in Diversity, of that spirit w

hat you said to me the other day is an indication of what is really going on inside you. The matter is out of your hands

iness to be there to hear-to know. You let me talk

hey are, what is the sense of putting in your time making them worse? Pretty soon you'll talk and think and gloom yourself into doing something that'll smash the china. So I'm going to meddle. Of course I don't know you, and I haven't any personal

he replied her voice was low, not cold, not friendly. Ji

" she

ecent-so Mrs. Stickney

nowhere else. And I sh

ough for a

t dare to pry into my affairs. Don't

o interfere. Humanity gives it to him. It's silly to think I have the right to save your life from a physical danger, but haven't the right to save you from the other kind. You say it's none of my business. It is my business. What threatens any human being is the business of every ot

ng? You haven't lived yet. I'm a dozen years older than you-in knowing what the world is. You talked idealistic nonsense the other day about the good there is in the wor

. Stickney about woman's sphere. She says every woman ought to be boss

has the right to demand that she be put in a condition where she can protect her treasures, material, physical, spiritual. And how can she do it as things are? Less than half the world-in trousers-holds the majority in captivity, exercising the rights of conquerors. You make laws to bind us. Men make laws respecting the peculiar problems of women-when men know less of women and their prob

not altogether healthily, but keenly. Di

d the more I think, the more I comprehend, the worse the handc

e water after you. We'll take altruism out

ing, moved to

to act toward each other like ordinarily po

said over h

shake han

ut, carrying herself lightly, with

ting girl who had fought her way alone to such ideals as she possessed. With her will she thought she had molded her own soul. She did not know that souls are never subject to finite processes; she did not know that each soul is a single drop from the great ocea

man, not an advanced woman, but a primitive woman, an atavism, fight