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FLAMING

YOUTH

as to safeguard Pat in every possible way.

Already, he

knew, his intellectual influence over that unsated, groping, casual mind was strong enough to outlast any change in the more purely physical attraction which she felt for him. If he could find the strength to crush down his own passion, he might still mould her to make something of herself, direct her ardent temperament into channels through which she would eventually come to safe harbour. There lies in every man of strong mentality a trace of the pedagogue. Scott had it. If he could not be Pat’s lover, he might find some self-sacrificing satisfaction in being her guide and mentor. That he was prepared for self-

sacrifice was the best evidence in his own mind of the quality of his love for the girl. In his lesser affairs he had sought only self-satisfaction. “My dearest,” he said, “I think we have come to a turning-point. We’ve got to stop this sort of thing.”

She cuddled closer to him in the remote darkness of the swing where they sat out two successive dances which she had contrived to save for him. “I don’t want to!” she rebelled. “Do you think I want to! But I’m thinking of the FESKe “You said there wasn’t any danger with you,” she teased. “Boasting, were you, when you claimed you had self-control enough for both of us.” “Ym not thinking of that kind of danger.” “What then? Oh, of our being trapped! But there’s only one more day after this,” she pleaded, “and then I go back.” “But you'll be coming home again before long.” “By that time I may be crazy about someone else,” was the calm reply.