for it. Almost everybody wants the same thing --
plenty and pleasure, but they're afraid of the price;
they are afraid of it alive and when they will be
dead. Women set such a store on what they call
their virtue, and men tend so much to the opinion
of others, that they don't get anywhere."

"Don't you set anything on your -- your virtue?"

"I'd make it serve me; I wouldn't be a silly slave
to it all my life. If I can get things with it that's
what I'm going to do."

Gordon Makimmon found these potent words
from such a pleasing woman as Meta Beggs. Any
philosophy underlying them, any ruthless strength,
escaped him entirely. They appealed solely to him
as "gay," highly suggestive. They stirred his blood
into warm, heady tides of feeling. He moved over
the smooth covering of pine needles, closer to her.
But with an expression of petulance she rose.

"I suppose we must look for Buckley," she observed.
Gordon had completely forgotten Buckley
Simmons' presence at the camp meeting. The
school-teacher, swaying slimly, led the way over the
path to the plateau.

They saw Buckley Simmons at once: he was
talking in an excited, angry manner to a small group
of men. A gesture was made toward Gordon and
his companion; Buckley turned, and his face flushed
darkly, Gordon, stood still, Meta Beggs fell be-

[[195]]

p194 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p195w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p196

v?