ve to believe in fairies to give the imagination a job,
to-day. Glad I've been an aviator; gives me some place in it all,
anyway."

"I'm glad, too, Hawk, terribly glad."

The sun was crimsoning; the wind grew chilly. The beach was scattered
with camp-fires. Their own fire settled into compact live coals which,
in the dusk of the dune-hollow, spread over the million bits of quartz
a glow through which pirouetted the antic sand-fleas. Carl's cigarette
had the fragrance that comes only from being impregnated with the
smoke of an outdoor fire. The waves were lyric, and a group at the
next fire crooned "Old Black Joe." The two lovers curled in their
nest. Hand moved toward hand.

Ruth whispered: "It's sweet to be with all these people and their
fires.... Will I really learn not to be supercilious?"

"Honey! You--supercilious? Democracy---- Oh, the dickens! let's not
talk about theories any more, but just about Us!"

Her hand, tight-coiled as a snail-shell, was closed in his.

"Your hand is asleep in my hand's arms," he whispered. The ball of his
thumb pressed her thumb, and he whispered once more: "See. Now our
hands are kissing each other--we--we must watch them better.... Your
thumb is like a fairy." Again his thumb, hardened with file and wrench
and steering-wheel, touched hers. It was startlingly like a kiss of
real lips.

Lightly she returned the finger-kiss, answering diffidently, "Our
hands are mad--silly hands to think that Long Beach is a tropical
jungle."

"You aren't angry at them?"

"N-no."

He cradled her head on his shoulder, his hand gripping her arm till
she cried, "You hurt me." He kissed her cheek. She drew back as far as
she could. Her hand, against his chest, held him away for a minute.
Her defense suddenly collapsed, and she was relaxed and throbbing in
his arms. He slipped his fingers under her chin, and turned up her
face till he could kiss her lips. He had not known the kiss of man and
woman could be so long, so stirring. Yet at first he was disappointed.
This was, after all, but a touch--just such a touch as finger against
finger. But her lips grew more intense against his, returning and
taking the kiss; both of them giving and receiving at once.

Wondering at himself for it, Carl thought of other things. He was
amazed that, while their lips were hot together, he worried as to what
train Ruth ought to take, after dinner. Yet, with such thoughts
conferring, he was in an ecstasy beyond s