ighted
me up inside, like the sun or a searchlight. That's the way it landed on
me, but I guess I ain't up much on poetry, miss."

He broke off lamely. He was confused, painfully conscious of his
inarticulateness. He had felt the bigness and glow of life in what he
had read, but his speech was inadequate. He could not express what he
felt, and to himself he likened himself to a sailor, in a strange ship,
on a dark night, groping about in the unfamiliar running rigging. Well,
he decided, it was up to him to get acquainted in this new world. He had
never seen anything that he couldn't get the hang of when he wanted to
and it was about time for him to want to learn to talk the things that
were inside of him so that she could understand. _She_ was bulking large
on his horizon.

"Now Longfellow--" she was saying.

"Yes, I've read 'm," he broke in impulsively, spurred on to exhibit and
make the most of his little store of book knowledge, desirous of showing
her that he was not wholly a stupid clod. "'The Psalm of Life,'
'Excelsior,' an' . . . I guess that's all."

She nodded her head and smiled, and he felt, somehow, that her smile was
tolerant, pitifully tolerant. He was a fool to attempt to make a
pretence that way. That Longfellow chap most likely had written
countless books of poetry.

"Excuse me, miss, for buttin' in that way. I guess the real facts is
that I don't know nothin' much about such things. It ain't in my class.
But I'm goin' to make it in my class."

It sounded like a threat. His voice was determined, his eyes were
flashing, the lines of his face had grown harsh. And to her it seemed
that the angle of his jaw had changed; its pitch had become unpleasantly
aggressive. At the same time a wave of intense virility seemed to surge
out from him and impinge upon her.

"I think you could make it in--in your class," she finished with a laugh.
"You are very strong."

Her gaze rested for a moment on the muscular neck, heavy corded, almost
bull-like, bronzed by the sun, spilling over with rugged health and
strength. And though he sat there, blushing and humble, again she felt
drawn to him. She was surprised by a wanton thought that rushed into her
mind. It seemed to her that if she could lay her two hands upon that
neck that all its strength and vigor would flow out to her. She was
shocked by this thought. It seemed to reveal to her an undreamed
depravity in her nature. Besides, strength to