The suggestion plunged him under a quick disquieting flood of emotion. One of his precious ideals citadeling womanhood crumbled with intuitive rapidity. A warm inner lash flushed his neck and cheeks. Beyond this betrayal, which was of short duration, he showed no sign of this delicious incarnation of his remotely fantasied passion, this focalizing on the solid earth of an ethereal hunger and its satisfaction. His arms rounded her; he brought his lips down to her level; her own, moist and cool, opened within his. The ecstatic sensation closed his eyes. She slapped him lightly on the cheek. "That's enough, now, you big boy!" All that evening he kept his eyes on her, and managed a pilfered caress just before leaving. Her eyes laughed at him. "Do you know, Pelham, I'm not sure I'll wish you on Jane, after all!" He began to time his visits to the Meade house so that they found Lyman away. One cool dusk--Lyman was in Philadelphia for the week--he veered carefully to something that was worrying him. "Nell--my sister--swears that the crowd are talking about us, Dorothy." "Wants to wean you?" She laughed mellowly, the fluffy crown of curled gold dancing, as if sharing the mirth. "They've talked about Lyman for years, now; it hasn't slowed him. I like you far too much, boy dear, to give you up for idle tongues." "I hate to have them mention _you_." He twitched restlessly. "You know what you're doing to me, Dorothy. I've been straight ... so far. You're setting me on fire. This is a slippery hill to keep straight on; I might skid." "Meaning?" She achieved two passable smoke rings--the effort after them was her chief motive in smoking--and idly planned a gown, tinted like the furnace-glowing sky, with twined gray smoke-wreaths in couples and trios--grouped figures that blent into one, then idly drifted apart. "Kissing's only excuse is as a prelude to love's physical finale," he answered straightly. The dusk hid her wry face, as he continued, "Lyman's in the way. You say you still love him." "Yes...." She paraphrased, with a show of pondering, something she had read in a showy woman's magazine. "He can't help being what he is. None of us can change the material, though we may alter the pattern, or dye the goods.... Much good that would do." "The lady turned philosopher!" His hand caressed her fluffy short sleeve caressingly. "So ... you won't take me for a lover." "Hardly," she laughed with sober hunger, grieving at youth's lack of subtlety. "You're setting me on fire," he repeated with somber relish. "You'll drive me to some other woman, or ... women. You'll lose me either way; you wouldn't want me then; and I----this can't last always." "I'll run the risk, boy."