"Carol, you'll think I'm a cad to say what I'm going to, after doing
what I have just done, but I'll have to risk that. You shouldn't let men
kiss you. It isn't right. You're too pretty and sweet and fine for it. I
know you don't allow it commonly, but don't at all. I hate to think of
any one even touching a girl like you."

Carol leaned forward, tilting back her head, and looking up at him
roguishly, her face a-sparkle.

He blushed more deeply. "Oh, I know it," he said. "I'm ashamed of
myself. But I can't help what you think of me. I do think you shouldn't
let them, and I hope you won't. They're sure to want to."

"Yes," she said quietly, very grown-up indeed just then, "yes, they do.
Aren't men funny? They always want to. Sometimes we hear old women say,
'Men are all alike.' I never believe it. I hate old women who say it.
But--are they all alike, Professor?"

"No," he said grimly, "they are not. But I suppose any man would like to
kiss a girl as sweet as you are. But men are not all alike. Don't you
believe it. You won't then, will you?"

"Won't believe it? No."

"I mean," he said, almost stammering in his confusion, "I mean you won't
let them touch you."

Carol smiled teasingly, but in a moment she spoke, and very quietly.
"P'fessor, I'll tell you a blood-red secret if you swear up and down
you'll never tell anybody. I've never told even Lark--Well, one night,
when I was a sophomore,--do you remember Bud Garvin?"

"Yes, tall fellow with black hair and eyes, wasn't he? In the freshman
zoology class."

"Yes. Well, he took me home from a party. Hartley took Lark, and they
got in first. And Bud, well--he put his arm around me, and--maybe you
don't know it, Professor, but there's a big difference in girls, too.
Now some girls are naturally good. Prudence is, and so's Lark. But Fairy
and I--well, we've got a lot of the original Adam in us. Most girls,
especially in books--nice girls, I mean, and you know I'm nice--they
can't bear to have boys touch them.--P'fessor, I like it, honestly I do,
if I like the boy. Bud's rather nice, and I let him--oh, just a little,
but it made me nervous and excited. But I liked it. Prudence was away,
and I hated to talk to Lark that night so I sneaked in Fairy's room and
asked if I might sleep with her. She said I could, and told me to turn
on the light, it wouldn't disturb her. But I was so hot I didn't want
any light, so I undressed as fast as I could and crept in. Somehow, f