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was that, they laugh like madmen, as if I had gone to bed with the girl and was trying to act as if I hadn't.»>

<< But you hadn't done any such thing.»

«Well, no. After all, it was the first time I'd been out with the girl. hardly knew her.»>

There was a silence. The marine rubbed his cheek. Didn't it ever happen otherwise? I mean didn't you ever meet a girl you liked to sit with in the dark and make love to, and after five minutes you felt as if you had known her, always?»>

Not that I remember.>>

The marine made a hopeless gesture. «Incredible!

The sailor said, «I guess there's something wrong with me.»>

It's fantastic, the marine said, «nineteen years old, and he doesn't remember having kissed a girl and liked it. The sailor looked confused and miserable. The marine appeared to turn the matter over in his mind. Tell me this,» he went on, how does the idea of kissing strike you?>>

<<I guess it's all right. Everybody seems to think it's great.»

But you're not so sure?»>

I don't know.»

<<Then we had best settle the matter. Stand where you are, and don't move. Now, don't become frightened, and please do not act silly. I'm going to kiss you, and you tell me whether you like it.

The sailor looked frightened. Wait a minute What's wrong? »>

«You're a boy!»

<<So what?»>

Boys aren't supposed to kiss each other.»>

Why not? Who said so?

wait! »>

There was no answer. But the sailor continued looking frightened. The marine proceeded. Now get this. I think possibly the only thing wrong with you is that you have never been kissed properly. If that is the case, then you wouldn't be in a way to know whether you do or do not like it.»> He placed his hands upon the sailor's shoulders and disregarding the knitted brows, leaned over and gently kissed his cheek. «Did you like that?»>

Below the knitted brows, the sailor's eyes, clouded with confusion, looked searchingly into his. «Yes. The marine leaned forward again, and lightly caressed the sailor's lips with his own. Tongues of fire surrounded him. «Did any of these girls kiss you like that? » «No.>>

I can't understand -->> the marine stopped, a soft, warm glow had suffused the sailor's eyes. His brow was quite smooth. Moreover, he made no move to withdraw. The marine closed his arms around him, and pressed their lips together. The sailor's arms encircled his neck.

by hr.

The Trouble About Nilo

A Story of 200 A. D.

by O. F. Simpson.

I am Agathon, aged 52, a freedman, head of the household of my employer Q. Laertius Columella in Rome. I first entered Laertius' employment as a slave thirty years ago; then I was able to do him some service in his absence over · the accounts of his Tarentine estates, and when the post of head-of-the-household fell suddenly vacant, Laertius took a chance and gave me the job, with my manumission at the same time. I do not think I have given, him cause to regret it; I myself have certainly never regretted it my master's service has been my life, and though no master is perfect to those who serve him, yet he has always treated me with justice, and it has been a fruitful partnership.

Let me tell you about him—though if you lived in Rome you would scarcely need me to do so. He is immensely rich, with various commercial interests which take him on travels all over the world. His beautiful wife died young, and he finds little to interest him in his three children, who are brought up here with everything of the best but yet lack the love and attention of their father, who devotes his time exclusively to his work.

Of one thing only is Laertius especially proud the quality and appearance of his slaves, each one of whom he chooses himself in the course of his journeys. My instructions are to receive and train only those hand-picked young men whom he sends back to me from his travels with a special password known only to him and me. He likes to be attended only by young men betwen 17 and 25 as perfect in physical form as it is possible to find. All the big slavemarkets know him by now and get ready their special prizes for him when he comes through. We have fifteen or sixteen in the house now, all from different parts of the world, yet each chosen with the discrimination of a connoisseur, and paid for at the very highest price. Laertius makes no secret to his friends. of the pleasure he takes in his «collection» of young men, and when he is in Rome his invitations to the dinner parties where these slaves are on show, serving the food and drink, are very much sought after.

Nilo whom this story is about he found in the market at Alexandria. Laertius' secretary gave me the story afterwards. Laertius was well known by now to all the dealers, as was his habit of insisting that all possible candidates should be paraded in the sun completely naked before he bought. He liked to test the youths' spirit with a pinch on their thighs, or a slap, or a slash with his stick across their calves as they stood up smartly to attention under the dealer's eye. Of course most of the slaves were cowed already and took no notice, but a few of the higher-spirited ones scowled back at him, and occasionally one of younger ones would even blush. Nilo was one of these a superb physical specimen from one of our outer possessions, Hibernia with a fair skin, a shock of reddish curls, a snub nose and attractive freckles all over his face. When Laertius slapped him, he blushed scarlet and squared up with his fists at once as if to hit back, until he heard the dealer cursing him and telling him to stand still; but Laertius was captivated by the little extra show of spirit and temper, bought him at once and shipped him back to me in Rome for training, while he went on further east into Asia on his journey.

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