The Danger Mark

more or less, the first wint

ed. Within the confines of this she expected, and was expected, to live and move and have her being, a

with the same youths, was smitten by the popular "dancing" man, convalesced in average time, smoked her first cigarette, fell a victim to the handsome and horrid married destroyer, recovered with a shock when, as usual, he overdid it, played at being engaged, was kissed once or twice, adored Sembrich, lis

ch work beguiled her; women's suffrage, led daintily in a series of circles by Fashion and Wealt

e passed into and out of her small ears-gossip, epigrams, aphorisms, rumours, apropos surmi

ncountered one or two of those men and women of real distinction w

ays which instructed the public about squalor, murder, and men's mistresses, which dissected very skilfully and artistically the ethics of moral degradation. And being as healthy and curi

cquire from the fashionable in literature, music, and the

perplexity; and with each illumination she shrank a little less aloof from this shabby wisdom gilded with "art," w

d rendered an accounting of its stewardship; the yearly reports which it had made during the term of its trusteeship were brought forward, examined by the c

ike a wet firecracker in the April rains; and Geraldine and Kathleen were tired, mentally and bodily. And

hleen had been bored and badgered and bothered and importuned to the verge of exhaustion; Scott was used, shamelessly, without his suspecting it, and he generally had in tow a string

for two weeks. And Kathleen was given strength sufficient for each case as it presented itself; and now the fag end of the season died out; the last noble and indigent foreigner had been eluded; the last old beau foiled; the last squab-he

; town houses closed; terrace, pillar, portico, and windows were already being boarded over; lace curtains came down; textiles went to the cleaners; the fresh scen

onfused racket of her first winter; ample time for rest, reverie, and reflection, with only a few intimate

The moving shadows of maple leaves patterned the white walls of her bedroom; wind-blown gusts of wistaria fragranc

ng through level wooded vistas. Across the reservoir lakes the jewelled night-zone of the West Side sparkled, reflected across the water in points of trembling flame; south, a gemmed bar

en fog from the bay settles, pallid as the very shadow of light when nights are clear; but it is always there-always will b

er groom, dismounted, patted her horse sympathetically, and regarded with concern t

was preparing to

i pulled up lame. No, I told Redmond not to saddle anoth

I wait for you? I'v

appear younger than I do. Scott was pig enough to say so the other d

e looked scarcely more than

adful fledglings! It's bad of you; and I don't see why I'm stupid enough to have such an attractive woman for my closest"-a

neous enough; yet there was the slightest

be taken serio

" nodded Geraldine

nt of her sunshade. She looked up presently and met Geraldine's dar

and Duane Mallett," sai

thleen. "We can lunch out togeth

d habit. Where's that volume of Mendez you

rth did yo

Dysart says Mendez is a gre

t modern mistress of p

essary for a

it is

ignorant. Besides, I

earest. There's a dange

't wis

oubled them back, and head tipped on one si

ming very rest

going

able country place to go to. It would be nice for Scott and the serva

s horridly expensive to keep up. Oh, I knew quite

r you and me to recuperate in; and if we ever want any guests, it's big enough to entertain dozens in.... I really don't care one way or the other; yo

about the country except where you've been on Long Island in

agreeable up the

course-but-it's certainly

I buy it, we'd nev

ou were ob

elvet eyes wi

yes-you mean if

she stood slowly tapping her gl

dress," she

then," nodd

ingly boyish in Geraldine's light, free carriage-just a touch of carelessness in the poise-almost a swing at times to the step. Duane had once said: "She has a bully walk!" Kathleen thought o

ttractive. Men found her, to their surprise, rather unresponsive. She was amiable enough, nicely formal, and perfectly bred, it i

fever. He died suddenly on the very eve of their postponed wedding-tr

distant relative, Magnelius Grandcourt, found her the position as personal guardian of the twins, then aged nine. Now they were twenty-one and she thirty-one; twelve years of service, twelve years of steady fidelity, which long ago had become a cha

op. Presently it flew off her gloved forefinger and fell clattering across the carpetless floor. She bathed and dressed leisurely; later, when luncheon was brought to

mind. Often, in such moments, she strove to realise that s

to do is to say that I'll buy it.... And I can live there if I choose-as long as I choose.... It's a very agreeable

and lay back watching

ngalow in Timbuctoo ... or stand on my head, now, this very moment! Nobody

on the polished floor, then gravely bending double, placed both palms flat on the square of dama

as a lithe and spangled athlete, she turned clean over

ly out of condition. Late hours are my undoing.

om, knotting up her dark hair, heels clic

onbon soaked in cologne. Only a girl can accomplish such combinations. How she ever began this silly custom of hers she couldn't remember, except that, when a small child, somebody had forb

s of it, but remained indifferent becau

bonbons at her elbow. Later a maid brought tea; and a little later Duane Mallett was announced. He saunt

be. Women liked him too easily and he liked them without effort. There was always some girl in love with him until he was found kissing another. H

re ought to be something deeper in him than the lightly humourous mockery with which he seemed to regard his very great talent-a flippancy that veiled always what he said and did and thou

m; there remained always a certain amount of curios

g on effrontery, was not entirely unattractive to women

ponsive partiality was disconcerting enough to make him dreaded by ambitious mothers, and an object of uneasy interest to their decorative offspring who were inc

omen like them when they are

an, or what might have been liking if she could ever feel absolute confidence in him. She had been, at times, very close to caring a great deal for him,

m ever caring to understand him-the old sense of insecurity in his ironical

serenely seating himself and dropping one lank knee over the other. "P

happiness of riding

nod

this

lie D

eir names recently. The girl

king out of the window where the flap

did you wa

te. Then Rosa

r, my omnivorous friend.... Did it even occur to you to r

didn't

r horse saddled if I hadn't seen you

he commente

ectly good time with

osalie left he stuck to me and talked about you until I let my horse bolt, a

lunched with

ere is K

you don't care for any tea, there is m

rely about, the ice tinkling in the glass which he held. At intervals he quenc

g happened to you, Duane?" she asked,

N

ur pictures

it?" he ask

rand ladies you paint had left town

, before he even h

tly at the lilac-bush in flower as the wi

y. He began to stir the ice in hi

beautiful, isn't s

whelm

. She didn't exactly know why she had g

aint Kathleen,

e girl's cheeks.

't you a

, one doesn't ask thing

ngs of some women at

xamining her empty teac

quired, walking over to the tab

hing. What is that in your glass? L

r. After a few moments she picked it

" she demanded wit

ell," he

ng like brandied p

oticed tha

r not she exactly cared for it, she tasted the iced contents of the tall, frosty glass and wa

typical studio," sh

you to mine

usted and in order for feminine inspection. I'd like to see a man's studio when it's in shape

ou, and you can stand it, come dow

I couldn't

opriety. But

mpropriety ap

To you, too,

timid knocking some day when you and your Bohemian fri

, timid knocking couldn't be heard in t

d perhaps kick once or twice if you d

t in his face, she continued to sip from his tall, frosted glass, quite unconscious of any distaste for

er all," she observed. "I had no ide

wallowed all t

is it

hrug: "You'd better cut

he asked,

you're

" she said, "it isn't stron

e said, "it's

e butt of his riding-crop, he la

wned girls, free-limbed, narrow of wrist and foot; cleanly built, engaging, fearless-eyed; and Geraldine was one of a type characteristic of that

nal material nobody can explain. And young Mallett, recently from the ol

sat warmly illumined by the golden li

visions of you which float past afoot or driving. Some day one of them will unbalance me. I'll leap into her victoria, ask her if she

I'd take with yo

d that seve

d up at her half humor

taking no chan

holding some other girl's hands with

body ever h

ks a deeper red, but she me

tten Harvard boy of eighteen had left her furiously vexed with herself for her passive attitude while the tempest passed. True, she had vigorously reproved him later. She had, alas, occasion, during her first season, to reprove several demonstrative young men for their unconventionally athletic manner of declaring their suits. She had been far more severe with the humble, unattractiv

he had been more or less instructed in the ways of men; and, remembering, she lifted her dis

ng about, Duane?" s

have been trying to marry you all winter. You've

" she ask

ad-tw

mean a

t that's the idea, Geraldine. You are a born one

Humpty Dumpty for falls all your life,

ve had only one which p

that, if

you took o

isdainfully, "you are beginn

was in lov

nt terms with yourself that you sympathise too ardently with any at

d: "I was perfectly seri

ways take thems

on one finger, and glancing at her from time to time with that glimmer of ever-latent mockery which always made her res

said, "women will fin

k what a rush there

" She thought of the recent gossip coupling his name with Rosalie's, reddened and

g the first to find you

he asked in pretended conc

"When a woman suddenly discovers that a man is

kissed you? What

rcumstances under

aged to hurt him, after

you a dozen times t

I tol

ldn't beli

pect me to

interpret her bright,

but good looks and talent. There was once, but it died-over in Eu

to be very genuine, b

nfidence in me, it will be ti

or your confidence-and th

d it so strenuously that, perhaps I might be excused for doubtin

laughter. She lifted his glass, sipped

rning each other: may nothin

rn, her eyes were too brig

to trust you in that way," she said, "I'll tell you now wh

bly; "but it seems to me as tho

n-up party. I was only a fool of a girl, merely ignorant, unfit to be trusted with a liberty I'd never before had.... And I took one glass of champagne and it-you

her fresh, curved cheek and parted lips took on a brighter tint. Something was singing, seething in her veins. She lifted her glass, set it down, and suddenly pushed it from her so violently that it fell with a crash. A wave of tingling heat mounted to her face, receded, swept b

-would you go away now?

ged and

etermined we seem to be to misunderstand each other.

rcely hear her own voice amid the deafening tumult of her pulses. Fright s

smiling. "I usually am goin

oked down at her, came and stood at th

ve done, or may do.... But you're quite right, a man of that sort isn't to be considered"-he laughed and pulled on one glove-"only-

indly behind her, she moved the cushions aside, turned and dropped among them, burying her blazing face. Over her the scorching vertigo swept, subsided, rose, and swept again. Oh, the horror of it!-the shame, the agonised surprise

ly be herself, stiffened her body and clinched her hands un

felt that the dreadful thing which had seized and held her was letting go its hold, was freeing her body and mind; and as it slowly released

a sound and the light from the hall streamed

aldi

altered voice. She lay listening, silent

ght you called m

not

od beside the bed, looking d

d me you had a headache and had gone to your

he girl, "is he her

en I came in, and he warned me not to w

N

el ill enough to lie here, you ough

a sudden shivering seized her; she strove to control it, but her knees seemed to give way

it!-the shame, the

d your grandfather! Darling, I couldn't bear to tell you this before, but now I'

stammere

rited their terrible inclinations. Even as a little child you frightened me. Hav

thleen. Duane came in.... I tasted what he had in his g

ng to do-never to touc

not. But how was I to kno

stand now,

hey please without danger.... It is amazing th

he only chance a woman has with the world is in her self-control? When that goes, her chances go, every one of them! Dear-we have latent in us much the same vices that men have. We have

that I do desire such things. Perhaps I had bet

hat?" falter

er in it," sobbed the girl. "You h

ue about th

-y

do it now

es

o it every d

everal

almost refused to move-"h

s-it's the alcohol in it that I like, isn't it

ly. The girl slipped from her arms, turned partly over,

even now she could not feel any real alarm; she could not understand that the fangs of a habit can poison when plucked out. Of course there was now only one thing to do-keep aloof from everything. That would b

e frightened about me. I've learned some things I didn't know. Do you think Duane-" In the darkness the blood s

athleen, striving to steady her voice. "You cam

yes

r. It seemed to her as though she had fallen asleep on the lounge. Somehow, after Duane ha

Kathleen to undress her, comb her hair, bathe her, and dry the white

silent, limp, heavy-lidded, Kathleen turned ou

peak cheerfully, "do you know

ed Geraldin

u to draw a check for half of it and to move there next w

l, looking closely at the closed lids. Under them a fa

ision of Scott's youthfully earnest face; and she straightened suddenly to her full height and laid her hand on her breast in consternation. Under the fingers' soft pressure her heart beat fa

darkness, arms extended, far away in the house she heard a d

Scott?" she

, the same slight pucker between his brows, boyishly slender in his ev

into her own room, but holding the door

ow," he urged; "I'm quite excite

ott. I don't want to talk ab

he pretty face partly disclosed between door a

e cigarette," he began in his wheedling way. "I'

for a tête-à-tête with a

hose fetching affairs

, you are

elicate shimmering thing and little slippers of the same el

ly; "you look twenty with all the charm of thirty. Si

husiastically about lake and stream and mountain, and about wild boar and deer and keepers and lodges; and she bent her pretty head ove

she was vaguely aware that somewhere, deep within her, the same faint dismay awoke; tha

py over Roya-Neh forest, but it was too expensive, and

pulsively, passing his arm around her. He ha

map dropped; his arm fell awa

bubble in that strange instant-that Kathleen was gone-that, in her calm, sweet, familiar guise stood a woman-a stranger, exquisite,

d her compos

more. Besides, Geraldine isn't very well, and I'm

ering the dutiful embrace to which he and sh