Tessie tried some of her old-time pertness of speech. "Oh, good enough, considering the company." He laughed admiringly at that and said she was a sketch. When the early evening came on they made a clumsy landing and had supper. This time Nap fed her the tidbits, though she protested. "White meat for you," he said, "with your skin like milk." "You must of read that in a book," scoffed Tessie. She glanced around her at the deepening shadows. "We haven't got much time. It gets dark so early." "No hurry," Nap assured her. He went on eating in a leisurely, finicking sort of way, though he consumed very little food, actually. "You're not eating much," Tessie said once, halfheartedly. She decided that she wasn't having such a very grand time, after all, and that she hated his teeth, which were very bad. Now, Chuck's strong, white, double row---- "Well," she said, "let's be going." "No hurry," again. Tessie looked up at that with the instinctive fear of her kind. "What d'you mean, no hurry! 'Spect to stay here till dark?" She laughed at her own joke. "Yes." She got up then, the blood in her face. "Well, _I_ don't." He rose, too. "Why not?" "Because I don't, that's why." She stooped and began picking up the remnants of the lunch, placing spoons and glass bottles swiftly and thriftily into the lunch box. Nap stepped around behind her. "Let me help," he said. And then his arm was about her and his face was close to hers, and Tessie did not like it. He kissed her after a little wordless struggle. And then she knew. She had been kissed before. But not like this. Not like this! She struck at him furiously. Across her mind flashed the memory of a girl who had worked in the finishing room. A nice girl, too. But that hadn't helped her. Nap Ballou was laughing a little as he clasped her. At that she heard herself saying: "I'll get Chuck Mory after you--you drunken bum, you! He'll lick you black and blue. He'll----"