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days。 On a cruel summer day； a man could stand in the pool； his head shaded by pines； and forget about the heat and humidity of Georgia。
The Place had other advantages。 There was a wide flat rock to the right of the pool； with enough room for one person at a time to stretch out on it and get some dappled sunlight。 To the left of the pool； facing up the steep hill； there was a clearing well matted with pine needles。 For two people； the clearing was the perfect size for an opened quilt and a picnic。 Best of all； The Place was secluded and private。 Located on the eastern edge of the Gaylord farm； the wooded section merged with a Georgia state forest。 The only direct access to The Place was across Wright Gaylord's property。 and nobody in his right mind would have trespassed on Wright's land。
Two hours before； Mary Elizabeth and I had arrived at the pool； hot and dusty from trudging across the cultivated fields。 We had stripped immediately and jumped into the water。 After splashing each other and wrestling playfully in the icy water； we had allowed the sun to dry us thoroughly before we made love on the quilt stretched flat on the bed of pine needles。 There had been no protest from Mary Elizabeth； despite my long absence。 Her natural； animal…like approach to sex was really miraculous in view of her strong religious views。 I sometimes wondered if she ever connected the physical act of love with her real life。
I don't believe she thought consciously of sex at all。 If she did； she must have thought of it as 〃something Frank and I do at The Place；〃 but not connected with conjugal love or as something out of keeping with her straitlaced Methodist beliefs。 Perhaps it was only habit。
I had never managed to make love to Mary Elizabeth anywhere else。 She had been seventeen the first time； with just the two of us at The Place。 It had been an accident more than anything else。 Afterward I had been ashamed of myself for taking advantage of her innocence。 But the first time had led to the second； and all during that never…to…beforgotten summer we had made daily pilgrimages to The Place。
I have never underrated Mary Elizabeth nor underestimated her intelligence； but the situation was unusual。 After all； Mary Elizabeth was a college graduate now； and a teacher of high school English…she surely must have known what we were doing。 But we had never discussed sex。 I had an idea that the subject would be distasteful to her； and she had never brought it up on her own。 And yet； every time I came home we headed for The Place like homing pigeons long absent from their coop。 I had a hunch； and I had never pressed my good fortune； that as long as Mary Elizabeth never thought about it； or discussed it； we could continue to make love at The Place forever。
Once； and only once； I had asked Mary Elizabeth to drive to Atlanta with me for a weekend。 She had been shocked into tears by my reasonable proposition。
〃What kind of girl do you think I am？〃 she had asked tearfully。
pletely bewildered by her reaction； I had been unable to e up with a ready reply。 I had never brought the subject up again。 And besides； there wasn't a better spot in the world for making love than The Place。
Mary Elizabeth sat up suddenly； swung her long bare legs gracefully around； and sat on the rock facing me； dangling her feet in the water。 I was in the pool； chest deep； and I had been studying her body as she lay flat on her back。 Spreading a towel across her lap； but leaving her breasts uncovered； Mary Elizabeth looked at me sternly； and then wet her lips。
〃What about us； Frank？〃 she said at last。 〃How long do we go on like this？〃 The tone of her voice had changed。 It wasn't harsh； but it wasn't feminine either。 It was more like the voice of a young boy； on the near verge of changing。
I raised my eyebrows； watching her intently。
She cupped her breasts and pointed the long pink nipples toward the sky。 She narrowed her eyes； no longer greenish； but now a dark aquamarine； and caught mine levelly。
〃Are they still beautiful； Frank？〃 she asked in this strange new voice。
I nodded； dumbly； trying to figure out what she was driving at。
〃You're wrong。〃 She smiled wanly； dropped her hands； and her plump breasts bobbed beautifully from their own momentum。 〃You haven't noticed； but they're beginning to droop。 Not much； but how will they look in five years？ Ten years？ Nobody's ever seen them except you； Frank； but how much longer wifi you be interested？ All I've ever asked you to do is quit cockfighting so we could get married。 We've drifted along in a deadlock too long； Frank； and it's impossible for me to accept your way of life。 I thought that as you got older； you would see how wrong it is； but now you seem to be entangled in a pattern。 And cockfighting is wrong； morally wrong； legally wrong； and every other kind of wrong！ You're a grown man now； Frank！〃
I sloshed forward in the tiny pool； put my arms around her hips； warm from the sun； and buried my face in her lap。
〃Yes； you big； dumb child；〃 she said softly； running her fingers through my damp hair； 〃but I can't meet you halfway on an issue like cockfighting。 My roots are here and so are yours。 Give it up； please； give it up； and marry me。 Can't you see that you're wrong； wrong； wrong！〃 She gripped my hair with both hands and tugged my head gently from side to side。
〃I can't exist on postcards any longer； Frank。 'Dear M。E。 I'm in Sarasota。 Won the derby 4…3。 I love you。 Will write from Ocala。 F。！' In a few more weeks； I'll be thirty years old。 I want to be married and have children！ I'm tired of people snickering behind my back at our engagement。 Nobody believes it anymore。 If you loved me only half as much as I love you； you'd give it up。 Please； Frank； stay home； marry me…〃
There was a catch in her voice； and I lifted my head to look at her face。 She wasn't crying； far from it。 She was trying to beat me down again with an emotional appeal to my 〃reason。〃 I had explained patiently to Mary Elizabeth； a dozen times or more； that cockfighting was not a cruel sport； that it was a legitimate； honorable business； and I had asked her to witness one fight； just one fight； so she could see for herself instead of listening to fools who didn't know what they were talking about。 She had always refused； falling back on misinformation learned from reformers； the narrow…minded Methodist minister； and the shortsighted laws prohibiting the sport that were pushed through by a minority group of do…gooders。 If she wouldn't see for herself； how could I persuade her？
〃You're a brilliant man； Frank；〃 Mary Elizabeth continued earnestly。 〃You could make a success out of anything you went into in Mansfield。 This farm is half mine； you know； and when we're married； it'll be half yours。 If you don't want to farm with Wright； I've got enough money saved that you can open a business of some kind in town。 I've saved almost everything I've earned。 Wright doesn't let me spend a penny； and I've been teaching for six years。 And I'll help you get your voice back。 We'll work it out together； you and I； Frank。 We can get a book on phonetics and you…〃
As she constructed these impossib