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ugly news to tell。 They all spoke at once； in short sentences； their voices
high with the note of hysteria。
〃Angie Hatton's beau was killed〃
〃They say his airyoplane fell ten thousand feet〃
〃The news come only last evening about eight〃
〃She won't see nobody but her pa〃
Eight！ At eight Tessie had been standing outside Hatton's house；
envying Angie and hating her。 So that explained the people； and the
automobiles； and the excitement。 Tessie was not receiving the news with
the dramatic reaction which its purveyors felt it deserved。 Tessie； turning
from one to the other quietly； had said nothing。 She was pitying Angie。
Oh； the luxury of it！ Nap Ballou； coming in swiftly to still the unwonted
commotion in work hours； found Tessie the only one quietly occupied in
that chatter…filled room。 She was smiling as she worked。 Nap Ballou；
bending over her on some pretense that deceived no one； spoke low…
voiced in her ear。 But she veiled her eyes insolently and did not glance
up。 She hummed contentedly all the morning at her tedious work。
She had promised Nap Ballou to go picknicking with him Sunday。
Down the river； boating； with supper on shore。 The small； still voice
within her had said； 〃Don't go！ Don't go！〃 But the harsh； high…pitched；
reckless overtone said； 〃Go on！ Have a good time。 Take all you can
get。〃
She would have to lie at home and she did it。 Some fabrication about
the girls at the watchworks did the trick。 Fried chicken； chocolate cake。
She packed them deftly and daintily。 High…heeled shoes； flimsy blouse；
rustling skirt。 Nap Ballou was waiting for her over in the city park。 She
saw him before he espied her。 He was leaning against a tree； idly； staring
straight ahead with queer； lackluster eyes。 Silhouetted there against the
tender green of the pretty square； he looked very old； somehow； and
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different much older than he looked in his shop clothes； issuing orders。
Tessie noticed that he sagged where he should have stuck out； and
protruded where he should have been flat。 There flashed across her mind
a vividly clear picture of Chuck as she had last seen himbrown； fit； high
of chest； flat of stomach； slim of flank。
Ballou saw her。 He straightened and came toward her swiftly。
〃Somebody looks mighty sweet this afternoon。〃
Tessie plumped the heavy lunch box into his arms。 〃When you get a
line you like you stick to it； don't you？〃
Down at the boathouse even Tessie； who had confessed ignorance of
boats and oars； knew that Ballou was fumbling clumsily。 He stooped to
adjust the oars to the oarlocks。 His hat was off。 His hair looked very
gray in the cruel spring sunshine。 He straightened and smiled up at her。
〃Ready in a minute； sweetheart；〃 he said。 He took off his collar and
turned in the neckband of his shirt。 His skin was very white。 Tessie felt
a little shudder of disgust sweep over her； so that she stumbled a little as
she stepped into the boat。
The river was very lovely。 Tessie trailed her fingers in the water and
told herself that she was having a grand time。 She told Nap the same
when he asked her。
〃Having a good time； little beauty？〃 he said。 He was puffing a little
with the unwonted exercise。
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
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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 youyou
drunken bum； you！ He'll lick you black and blue。 He'll〃
The face； with the ugly； broken brown teeth； was coming close again。
With all the young strength that was in her she freed one hand and clawed
at that face from eyes to chin。 A howl of pain rewarded her。 His hold
loosened。 Like a flash she was off。 She ran。 It seemed to her that her
feet did not touch the earth。 Over brush； through bushes； crashing
against trees； on and on。 She heard him following her； but the broken…
down engine that was his heart refused to do the work。 She ran on；
th