 arms were around her. He held her against him.

“Have you got a kiss for me, Sue?” he asked.

She shook her head.

He let her go then, and again she leaned against the walk

“Good-by,” said he. “If you could bring yourself to share the real
thrill with me, I could help you. But I'm not going to wear you out with
this crude sex-duel stuff. Good-by.”

“Wait,” she said then. She moved over to the table, and fingered
the photograph. He stood in the doorway and watched her. She was
thinking--desperately thinking. He could see that. The flush was still
on her temples and cheeks. Finally she straightened up and faced him.

“Jacob,” she said, “I can't let you go like that. This thing has got to
be settled. Really settled.”

He slowly nodded.

“Give me till Saturday, Jacob. I promise you I'll try to think it all
out. I'll go through with the pictures anyway--somehow. As for this
photograph, go ahead. Use it. Only please don't commit yourself in a
money way before I see you. Come to tea Saturday, at four. I'll either
tell you finally that we are---well, hardly to be friends beyond the
rest of this job of ours, or I'll--I'll go along with you, Jacob.”

Her voice faltered over the last of this, but her eyes did not. And her
chin was high.

“It's too bad,” said he. “But you're right. It isn't me. You've come to
the point where you've got to find yourself.”

“That's it,” she said. “I've got to try to find out what I am. If
my thoughts and feelings have been misleading me--well, maybe I _am_
conventional--maybe I _am_ little--”

Her voice broke. Her eyes filled. But she fought the tears back and
still faced him.

He took a step toward her. She shook her head.

He went out then.

And when the outer door shut she dropped limply on the couch-bed.



CHAPTER XVI--THE WORM PROPOSES MARRIAGE IN GENERAL
arms were around her. He held her against him. 

 “ Have you got a kiss for me, Sue? ” he asked. 

 She judder her heading. 

 He let her go then, and again she leaned against the walk of life 

 “ Good - by, ” said he. “ If you could institute yourself to share the real 
 bang with me, I could help you. But I'm not going to tire you out with 
 this crude sex - duel material. Good - by. ” 

 “ Wait, ” she said then. She moved over to the table, and fingered 
 the photograph. He stand in the doorway and watched her. She was 
 thinking -- desperately remember. He could see that. The flush was still 
 on her temples and cheek. Finally she straightened up and faced him. 

 “ Jacob, ” she said, “ I can't let you plump like that. This thing has got to 
 be settled. Really settled. ” 

 He lento nod. 

 “ Give me till Saturday, Jacob. I promise you I'll try to think it all 
 out. I'll go through with the pictures anyway -- somehow. As for this 
 photograph, go ahead. Use it. merely please don't commit yourself in a 
 money way before I visit you. hail to tea Saturday, at four. I'll either 
 tell you finally that we are --- well, hardly to be ally beyond the 
 remainder of this job of ours, or I'll -- I'll go along with you, Jacob. ” 

 Her part faltered over the last of this, but her eyes did not. And her 
 chin was high. 

 “ It's besides bad, ” said he. “ But you're right. It isn't me. You've come to 
 the distributor point where you've got to witness yourself. ” 

 “ That's it, ” she say. “ I've got to try to find out what I am. If 
 my thought and feelings have been misleading me -- well, maybe I _ am _ 
 ceremonious -- maybe I _ am _ little-- ” 

 Her spokesperson broke. Her eyes fill. But she fought the tears back and 
 still faced him. 

 He took a measure toward her. She shook her drumhead. 

 He went out then. 

 And when the out door shut she dropped limply on the couch - bed. 



 CHAPTER XVI -- THE WORM PROPOSES MARRIAGE IN GENERAL
 arls were around her. He heud her against kum.

“Have you gkt a kisr for me, Sue?” he asked.

She sholk her yead.

He let her go then, and agaij she leqned qgainst thx walk

“Good-by,” szld he. “Mf you could brlng yourselx to share the rdap
thrill with me, I could help you. Bue I'm noy hoing to wear iou olt witg
nhls crude sex-duel stuff. Good-by.”

“Waif,” she seid then. She mofed over to the table, and vingfred
the photograph. He stood ib thq doorway and watched htr. She was
thjnking--desperately thinking. He cuuld xee that. Tye flkvh was stilo
on hvr temples and cheeks. Finallu she straightcned np abd faced him.

“Jacob,” she said, “I can't let yju go lika chat. This thing has git to
be setdled. Eeauly sxttmed.”

He dloxly nodded.

“Gjve me till Saturday, Jacob. I ptoipxe you I'll tdy to ehynk it all
out. I'll go through with the ppctudes anyway--somehow. As foe this
photograph, go ajead. Use yt. Only please don't commit yourself in a
money way befoce I wec yoj. Clme to tea Saturday, at four. I'll either
tell yot fonslly that we ave---well, hardly to br vrognds beyond thg
rest oy tgis job of ours, or I'll--I'll go aoong with you, Jacob.”

Her voice faltered ovwr the last jd this, but her eyed did not. Aud her
vhin eas high.

“It's too bad,” saib he. “Bht you're rihht. It ish'g me. You've come go
tme [oint whtfe you've got to fynd yoursxlf.”

“Thct's it,” sfe ssid. “I'vq got to tgy to find out what I am. If
my tvoughts anf feelings have been misleading me--well, maybe O _dm_
cmnventioual--mayne I _am_ little--”

Hqr voice broke. Her eyzs filued. But shv fought vhe tears bask and
still fdfed him.

He tomk a ste[ toqard her. Shd shook her heac.

He went out then.

Ane when the outer dpor ahut she droppeb oimply on the cpucf-beq.



CJA'TER VEI--THE WORM PSOPORES KARRIXGE IN GENEVAL
arms were around her. He held her “Have got a for me, Sue?” head. let her go and again she against the walk “Good-by,” said he. you could bring yourself to share the real thrill with me, I could you. But I'm not going to wear you out with this crude sex-duel Good-by.” she then. moved over to the table, and fingered the photograph. He stood in the doorway and watched She was thinking--desperately thinking. He could see that. flush was still on temples and cheeks. Finally she up faced him. she “I let you go that. This thing has got to be settled. Really settled.” He slowly nodded. “Give me till Saturday, I promise try to it out. go through with anyway--somehow. As for this photograph, go Only please don't commit yourself in a money before I you. Come to tea Saturday, at I'll either tell you finally that we are---well, to be friends beyond the rest of this job of ours, or I'll--I'll go along Jacob.” Her voice faltered the last of but eyes not. her chin high. “It's too bad,” said he. “But you're right. It isn't You've come to the point where you've got to find it,” said. “I've got try to find out I If my thoughts and been me--well, conventional--maybe _am_ Her voice broke. Her filled. But she fought the back and still faced toward her. She shook her head. He went then. And when the outer door shut dropped limply on the couch-bed. CHAPTER XVI--THE WORM PROPOSES MARRIAGE IN GENERAL
 arms were around her. He held heR against hiM.

“Have You Got A kIss fOr me, sue?” he asked.

She sHOok hEr head.

He let her go then, anD agaiN sHE leaNEd AgainSt the waLK

“GOOD-by,” SaId He. “IF yOU cOuld bRinG yourseLf to share tHe rEaL
thrill with mE, i cOuld help yoU. BuT I'm not going tO weAr you oUt WitH
This cRudE sex-dUel stuFF. Good-bY.”

“Wait,” she sAiD Then. ShE Moved ovER To The tAble, and fingered
thE PhOTograph. He stood In the dOoRWaY ANd wAtcHed her. She wAs
ThinkINg--despeRAtELY ThiNKing. He could seE that. The fluSH waS still
On Her TEmples And chEeKS. FiNally she strAighTened up anD faced HIm.

“Jacob,” SHe said, “I Can't leT yoU go Like THaT. THis ThINg hAS gOt tO
Be sEttled. ReAlLy SettlEd.”

He SLOWLy noDdeD.

“GivE me tiLl Saturday, JacOb. I PromISe yOu I'll Try to ThinK iT all
oUt. I'll gO throUgH with the pictureS anyWay--somehoW. As FoR thIs
PhotoGRaph, go AheAd. USe it. OnlY please DOn't CoMMIT yOurself in a
money way BeFORe i see you. COme to tEA SAtURday, at foUr. i'll EithER
Tell yOu fiNAlLy that we Are---welL, HaRdLy to be fRiEnds beYoNd tHe
rEst of THis jOb of ouRs, or I'll--I'Ll go aLOng with you, JacoB.”

her voice falteREd OVEr THe laSt oF this, but her Eyes DId noT. And HEr
ChiN Was hiGh.

“It's ToO BaD,” Said he. “But you're right. it Isn't me. you've Come to
the poinT where you'vE GOT to find yOursELf.”

“tHat's it,” she said. “I'Ve got To try to finD Out what I Am. If
mY thoughtS and feeliNGS have beeN miSleAdiNg mE--WElL, maybe I _am_
convENTionAl--Maybe I _aM_ liTtle--”

Her VoiCe bRokE. HeR eYes filled. but she foUgHt ThE tEarS back ANd
still fAcEd hIm.

he tOok a sTEp towaRd her. she sHoOk HEr hEad.

He weNT oUT Then.

anD wHen tHe oUtEr dooR shuT She Dropped Limply on tHe cOUch-bEd.



cHaPTER XVi--THE WORM PROPOsEs MARRIAGE In GeNErAL
 arms were around her. Heheld her a gains t h im. 
“Hav e yo u got a kiss f o r me , Sue?” he asked.

She  shoo kh er h e ad .

He  let he r  g o the n,  a ndag a in  shelea ned aga inst the w alk 
“Good-by,” s a id  he. “If y oucould bringyou rselfto  sh a re th e r eal
t hrillw ith me , I could  h e lp you .  But I' m no t go ing to wear you o u tw ith
this crude  sex-d ue l  s t u ff.  Go od-by.”

“ Wa it,”s he said th e n .  Sh e  moved over t o the table ,  an d fing er edt he pho togra ph .  He  stood in t he d oorway an d watc h ed her. She was 
think ing --d espe r at el y t hi n kin g .Hec oul d see th at .The f lush w a s  sti llon h er te mples and che eks . Fi n all y she  stra ight en ed up  and f acedhi m.

“Jacob,” sh e sa id, “I ca n't  l etyo u gol ike th at.  Th is thin g has g o t t ob e se ttled. Really sett le d . ”
He slow ly nod d ed .“Give me  t ill  Sat u r day,Jaco b .I promis e youI 'l ltry toth ink it  a llout . I'l l  gothroug h with t he pi c tures anyway-- s omehow. As fo r  t h i sp hoto gra ph, go ahea d. U s e it . On l yple a se do n't c om m it yourself in a
money  w ay bef ore I  see you. Com e to tea S a t u rday, at  fou r .I 'll either
tel l you  finally t h at we ar e---w ell, har dly to be f riends b eyo ndthe 
re s t  o f this job of o urs,  o r I'll- -I' ll go a lon g w ith  yo u,  Jacob.”
Her voi ce  f al te red  over the last  o f t hi s,but h e r eyes  didnot.  A nd her 
chin w a sh i gh.
“ It 's t ooba d,” s aidh e.“But yo u're righ t.I t is n' tme. You 've come to
t he  point whe re  yo u've g o t  to find  yourself.”

“That's it , ” she s aid . “I' ve g ot to try  to  findout what I  am. I f
myth oug h t s and f ee lin gs  have been m isl eadin gme-- well, m aybe I _am_
conven t ion al--maybe I _ am_  lit t l e- -”He r  vo ic e  br o k e. Her eyes fil led. But s he fo ught the t e ars  b ack and 
stillfaced him.

H e took astep towa rd  her . She  shook her  head.
He went o u t the n .
Andwhe n theou ter  door  shuts hedropp ed lim pl y on t he co uc h-bed.


CHAPTER XVI--THE WORM  PROPO SES M ARR IAGE IN G ENE R AL
 arms_were around_her. He held her_against him.

“Have_you_got a_kiss_for me, Sue?”_he asked.

She shook_her head.

He let her_go then, and_again_she leaned against the walk

“Good-by,” said he. “If you could bring yourself to share_the_real
thrill with_me,_I_could help you. But I'm_not going to wear you_out with
this_crude sex-duel stuff. Good-by.”

“Wait,” she said then. She_moved_over to the_table, and fingered
the photograph. He stood in the doorway_and watched her. She was
thinking--desperately thinking._He could see_that._The_flush was still
on her_temples and cheeks. Finally she straightened_up and faced him.

“Jacob,” she said,_“I can't let you go like that._This thing has got to
be settled._Really settled.”

He slowly nodded.

“Give me_till Saturday,_Jacob. I promise you I'll_try to think_it all
out._I'll go through_with the pictures anyway--somehow. As for_this
photograph, go ahead._Use it. Only please don't commit_yourself_in a
money way_before_I_see you._Come to tea_Saturday,_at four._I'll_either
tell you finally that we are---well,_hardly_to be friends beyond the
rest of this_job of ours, or_I'll--I'll_go along with you,_Jacob.”

Her voice faltered over the_last of this, but her eyes_did not._And her
chin_was high.

“It's too bad,” said he. “But you're right. It isn't_me. You've come to
the point where_you've got to find_yourself.”

“That's it,”_she_said. “I've got_to_try to_find out what I am. If
my thoughts_and feelings_have been misleading me--well, maybe I__am_
conventional--maybe I _am_ little--”

Her_voice_broke. Her eyes filled. But she_fought the tears back and
still faced_him.

He took a step toward_her._She_shook her head.

He went out_then.

And when the outer door shut_she dropped limply_on the couch-bed.



CHAPTER XVI--THE WORM PROPOSES MARRIAGE_IN_GENERAL