FLAMING
YOUTH
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Which opinion she later expressed, in slightly modified terms, to the subject of it. “Oh, well, Jimmy
understands,”
responded
Dee neg-
ligently. “T don’t believe any man understands. I don’t believe you understand anything about it yourself.” “Don’t I!” muttered Dee. Pat stared with all her big eyes. “Well, do you?” “Pat,” said the other, fidgetting with an unlighted cigarette—she had taken to smoking, although it was bad for her golf, since her engagement—“you’ve kissed men.” “What if I have?” retorted Pat, instantly on the sullen defensive. ‘Everyone does. You have.” “Men have kissed me. It’s different.” “Tl cable the Emperor of Japan it’s different,” chuckled the slangy Pat. “What do you get out of it?” “You’ve got a nerve to ask me that; you, an engaged girl!” “I’m asking because I don’t know.” “Tell you one thing, then,” said Pat earnestly. “I wouldn’t marry any man that couldn’t make me know.” Dee murmured something that sounded like “Might just as well.”
Thus interpreting it the younger sister returned: “Yes; you might. You’re different.” Ds “I’m not different. I always thought I was, unt 7 “Until!” cried Pat in great excitement.
“Until what?
Who’s the man? And when did it happen?” “It never happened.” “Then you’re a dam’ fool,” replied the other with conviction. “If I was crazy about a man I bet I’d kiss him if it was only for—for experiment.”
