disappointed.”
'This remark, of course, was clear enough even for me to understand, and blushing furiously, I hurried from the place.
'My mind was in a tumult of emotion as I stumbled down the marble stairs, and the thought that a “Chinaman” had been so bold as to demand the possession of me irritated me so much that I nearly collided with a number of people.
'I say “irritated', but in a few minutes my conceit came to the fore, and I thought how sad it was that it was only a yellow man that appreciated me enough to pay attention to me. Of course, it was ridiculous and I would never go there again and I laughed to myself and dismissed it from my mind.
'Well, a few days later when I went in there-'
'Just a minute!' interrupted Anna, who had introduced her hand inside my trousers and was now subjecting my prong to the sweetest of teasing manipulations in her tender palm, while I flicked the nipple of one of Grace's titties, 'I thought that you just said that you were never going back there again, Grace!'
'I did,' admitted Grace, 'but you know Anna, it would not be fair to him, the poor fellow, to leave him thinking of me; and if it did not entail anything on my part-'
Both Anna and I laughed uproariously at this, and Grace looked from one face to the other in mystified wonderment, and I, controlling my merriment said, 'Never mind us, Grace, we know exactly how you felt and how you pitied the poor fellow. Proceed, I beg of you.'
'Well,' said Grace, 'as I said, I went in there again after I had been given the jade ring, and this time there was a strange Chinaman with my friend, Mr. Mott, and I noticed that he gave me a lot of attention, but I paid no attention to either of them and, finishing my meal, I prepared to depart.
'As I paid my check, Mr. Mott asked me if I minded if he introduced me to the man, and before I had a chance to say “no” he did so, and that is how I came to know Ki-Ling.
'He was a tall, sallow man, well built and well dressed, and he bowed over my hand and acted perfectly charming. I immediately left the place, but next time I went Mr. Mott seized a chance to talk to me and told me that Ki-Ling was a very rich man and that I had impressed him very much, and if ever I was in financial difficulties he was sure that he would help me without question.
'By this time I had overcome my resentment of the yellow man, and I laughingly said in a joking manner, “And I suppose, Mr. Mott, that he will ask for full interest on his investment. Is that what you mean, my friend?”
' “No man is interested in anything that he does not derive pleasure or gain from,” said Mr. Mott gravely, “but still, my dear, I think that you may at least bear my remarks in mind.”
'I laughed gayly at him and ran out of the place and dismissed it instantly from my mind.
'And then-then came Betty Moore's party-I-'
'Oh ho!' cried Anna. 'Now I know! I know now why you-'
'Hush! Anna dear!' I said, placing a hand over her excited lips. 'Surely you do not wish to spoil Grace's story. She did not do that to you.'
Anna remained silent and Grace continued.
'And then came Betty Moore's party. I was of course invited, but I had nothing to wear. I had seen a gorgeous gown in a window downtown that I was just crazy to have, but the price, alas, was far, far outside the means of my purse. A number of times the words of Mr. Mott came to my mind, and I resolutely set them aside, but finally, I decided to go and see, at least, what he would offer. And that was the beginning of the end.
'One day, after school, I went up to his place and, no one being present, I told him that I would like to talk to him about Mr. Ling.
'He was instantly all smiles, and opening a little door behind the counter, asked me to step into a little room that was there.
'I went in, trembling as you may well imagine, and he called to one of his men and after offering me a drink of some stuff out of a bottle asked me what he could do for me.
'I was as nervous as could be, but fixing my mind on the gown and thinking of the hit that I would make, I said in a determined tone, “How much, Mr. Mott, will Ling pay me if I–I-go with him?”
' “I do not know,” he said frankly, “that I would have to see about. Do you wish me to find out for you?”
' “But,” I said, “would he want to-to do something to me? To be like boys are with girls? You know what I mean?”
' “I suppose so,” said Mr. Mott, “but that you must expect if he pays you. But nothing will happen to hurt you.”
' “But I might have a baby,” I said. “That might happen, might knot?”
' “Oh, no,” he said, “not with Mr. Ling; he would take care of that. If you wish to, I will see him and ask him and will let you know tomorrow, if you are in earnest.”
' “I am,” I told him, “and I wish you to find out.” And I rose to leave.
'To my surprise he approached me, and upon my drawing back he stopped and smiled at me.
“I will not hurt you,” he said, and still smiled at me.
' “But that was not in the bargain,” I said. “I asked you about Mr. Ling.”
' “But at least a little recompense is due the arranger,” he said. “I want nothing to do with you, at least in the way that you think. And I assure you that you will leave this room in the same state as you entered. But before I can go ahead and talk to Mr. Ling, it would be necessary that I verify certain facts-facts in relation to yourself that I am sure can in no way harm you.”
' “But what are they?” I asked, now frightened. “Tell me and I will let you know. What are they?”
' “Mr. Ling,” he said simply, “is not at all interested in soiled flowers, and by that you must know that I, myself, have no desires in that certain direction, but still I must know whether you are a virgin or not. If you are, I will go ahead; if not, dismiss the idea from your mind, as it would be out of the question.”
' “Do you mean-if I have a maidenhead?” I asked not understanding clearly what he meant.
' “Yes,” he answered, “that is it.”
' “But I have,” I told him. “I have never, never been with anyone. I can assure you of that.”
'He lifted his hands deprecatingly and leaned back to the wall.
' “I must see,” he said.
' “Must see!” I repeated, rather stupidly, I think. “You must-must look at me, there?”
' “Yes,” he said, “but if you are bashful I will extinguish the lights.”
' “Oh, no!” I said, fearing that he was at once going to put the room in darkness. “Not that, not that!” For I was sure, once the lights were out and me in the dark, he would ravish me to his will.
' “Well, then,” he said, “lie up here on the table.” And he lifted the bottle to a side table.
' “But you might do something?” I said, rather nervously.
' “I will not,” he answered, and despite my fears I allowed him to assist me on to the table and gently push me on my back. I felt him drawing up my dress and pulling my thighs wide apart.
' “Oh, oh, no,” I said, putting my hand down and trying to push him away.
' “Very well,” he said coolly, “we shall let it go and I will not call Mr. Ling.”
'The sight of that gown filtered before my eyes, and my hands gently relaxed their hold on my dress and fell lax to my sides and he resumed his operations.
'You must imagine how I felt! My dress was turned up to the waist, and my pants were unbuttoned and pulled down off over my ankles and the cool breeze of the room kissed my bare lower flesh and caused me to shiver. I hid my face under my arm to blot out the sight, and felt his fingers draw apart the lips of my slit and to my intense surprise I felt the most delicious sensation of my funny spot and an electric shock ran through my entire body.
'Wondering what this thrilling sensation could be, I raised my head, and saw Mr. Mott down in between my thighs with his lips applied to my sensitive sheath as with his hot, hard tongue he was titillating my them branes.
'Oh, what thrills and sensations ran through me! What pleasure I experienced at the touch of this tongue, the hard little sentinel of pleasure. I writhed, I gasped, I moaned, and finally I gave down my spend to be gobbled up by this yellow degenerate who fairly luxuriated in my effusion.
'Twice, thrice, this act was repeated, then, feeling weak and faint, I allowed him to assist me down from the
