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148 you know. Awf’lly dainty—like a little kid. You know.”

Carl had slumped down into his chair. He was smoking his pipe and staring pensively at the flames. “Un-huh. Go on.”

“Well, I fell pretty hard. She was so—er, dainty. She always reminded me of a little girl playing lady. She had golden hair and blue eyes, the bluest eyes I ’ve ever seen; oh, lots bluer than mine, lots bluer. And little bits of hands and feet.”

Carl continued to puff his pipe and stare at the fire. “Pet?” he asked dreamily.

Un-huh. Yeah, she petted—but she was kinda funny—cold, you know, and kinda scared. Gee, Carl, I was crazy about her. I—I even wrote her a poem. I guess it was n’t very good, but I don’t think she knew what it was about. I guess I’m off her now, though. She’s too cold. I don’t want a girl to fall over me—my last girl did that— hut, golly, Carl, Janet didn’t understand. I don’t think she knows anything about love.”

Some of ’em don’t,” Carl remarked philosophi¬ cally, slipping deeper into his chair.“They iust pet.”

“That’s the way she was. She liked me to hold her and kiss her just as long as I acted like a big brother, but, criminy, when I felt that soft little thing in my arms, I didn’t feel like a big brother;