stretched her arms.

"That's all," she concluded. "I've told you everything, which
I've never done before to any one. And it's your turn now."

"Not much of a turn, Saxon. I've never cared for girls--that is,
not enough to want to marry 'em. I always liked men
better--fellows like Billy Murphy. Besides, I guess I was too
interested in trainin' an' fightin' to bother with women much.
Why, Saxon, honest, while I ain't ben altogether good--you
understand what I mean--just the same I ain't never talked love
to a girl in my life. They was no call to."

"The girls have loved you just the same," she teased, while in
her heart was a curious elation at his virginal confession.

He devoted himself to the horses.

"Lots of them," she urged.

Still he did not reply.

"Now, haven't they?"

"Well, it wasn't my fault," he said slowly. "If they wanted to
look sideways at me it was up to them. And it was up to me to
sidestep if I wanted to, wasn't it? You've no idea, Saxon, how a
prizefighter is run after. Why, sometimes it's seemed to me that
girls an' women ain't got an ounce of natural shame in their
make-up. Oh, I was never afraid of them, believe muh, but I