The Washington times., 1922-04-16
(Oontlnaed from PaQe ~

lowed two dry Martins, he came
out. chewing an olive. his head In
the air, feeling already little more
secure. But this security did not
last long: a couple of cocktails be-
fore lunch merely made up his or.
dinary ration; though they warmed
him they did not give him that
lovely feeling of careless ievity
which he now obtained only very
late at night. Secure. yes; but
elated, no.
AS a taxi took him toward the west
he still viewed himself calmly. In
deed, he could not separate his
thoughts from vague anticipations
of the future. He was going to
make FIVE thousand pounds, yes.
perhaps more. Spend them, and
what then? Hold ON to Wee and
ultimately give her the bootf Take
up with some other sort OF Veer
And what thenf Get q bit older,
find the Wees no easierr And
money? II had never been easy to
get. and he guessed 1t wouldn't get
any easier. What was he going 70
do when sixty-two IL he felt like
this at fifty-two7 Cirrhosis of the
liver, which his doctor talked about,
would be long Job.
He was frightened; for moment
he even thought of investing those
ten thousand pounds-when he got
'em-in good old railway stock, OF
retiring into the country, where
he'd hunt q bit, keep some dogs.
Might breed a bit; he rather
fancied Bedlingtons; they might be
made popular IL the press was han
died properly. 1t was rather cheer.
ing, this vision of himself In riding
breeches and CATERS, going round
the garden to see IL the caulifiowers
were coming on and smoking a cigar
with the vicar over a single glass
of port. But as he made the pic
ture he knew II was not true; he
knew that he could not imprison
himself In the mud and dullness of
the country. One couldn't turn back.
When Caldecot reached the ad-
mirable restaurant which he fire.
quented he ordered another cocktail
before he selected his lunch. AS II
protesting against his doubts, he
ordered turtle soup, truite meuniere,
mayonaise of chicken, and one OF
those jolly American compounds OF
fruit and ice cream. He didn't feel
up to real meat, but he drank his
pint of Mumm. 1904. He began to
feel better. The sense of power
which always came to him when he
purchased expensive food In expen-
sive places caused him to look round
at the other lunchers, at the men
with a little air of defiance, at the
women with the eyes OF a connois-
seur. appreciating or cheapening
their charms. He leaned back over
coffee and benedictine, smoking a
long cigar. He felt like sultan.
Pretty little gal in blue over there.
Nice fair hair, like that stun you
find on the roses In the country
what's It called. blight. And she'd
got no end of a blighter with her
Caldecot laughed aloud at his own
wit and went on surveying the as
sembly. Yes, things weren't so bad.
There was light and warmth. and
there were nice things to eat that
felt velvety to your tongue, and
girls, as IL the business of the world
were to produce girl, and more
girls, fat ones that'd keep a man
comfortable, and little thin ones,
that one could crunch up in a couple
of mouthfuls, like spitted larks,
Marguerites and vamps and oda.
lisque, and nice little Frenchwomen
who knew what was what. Goshi
What a panorama
When Caldecot left the restaurant
his Homburg at the right angle,
and, swinging his mslacca cane, he
went up Regent street with q dect
sive air. He was perfectly sober
but he had taken from the alcohol
a sort Of self-security. Now he was
gentleman-at-large, with money
in HIS purse and more to come, and
though he said It himself, a fine
looking man. From time to time
he stopped to glance into a shop
window and wonder II he'd have q
dressing case or a new pair of
enamel links. Or to look approx
ingly into the eyes :! a passing
woman, who sometimes seemed un
conscious and sometimes looked
away with the absent expression OF
the woman who is noticing every
thing. He felt gay dog. He
turned round to look at girl, and
as he did so she turned. "A pool
little drab," thought Caldecot as he
went on, but II fisttered him, al
the same.
1t was just a little later, near OK
ford Circus, that Caldecot found
himself following more intently q
pair of high-heeled black suede
shoes, on which rose, graceful al
amphoras, limbs veiled In tenuoui
silk stockings. She had such neai
little back. A new coat and skir
made of that nice puce boxcloti
which took on sharp lines and pait
for pressing. Chestnut hair, curlinf