The Washington times., 1922-03-12

fCowttsSs6 from Pe9s 49,
WAYS smDtisa his pooksts and
staksd svssythins hs had-+axi fare
and coppsrs. everything: when hs
fsvofSd . woman ~ Kissed her
with . dsbonair laugh. - she OK.
psctsd Prince Hal did. bending
down from his horse and chucking
1 village maiden under the chin.
OF course, Britford hadn't Q
chance against him. But he 40
ceptsd her decision. remained her
friend. went on seeing her. Toward
the end, when all London knew how
Godfrey treated her. Britford quiet
" repeated that he loved her and
asked her to 60 away with him.
But he did II 80 simply. He was
Offering her something terrific. hts
whole career. But he didn't mako
anything Of that. He behaved as
A. he we're making her deed OF
gift Of his future. She couldn't do
1t. Like him ~ she did. respect
him a. she must. he didn't move
her. Nor did he move her during
the nve years OF her loneliness At
ter Godfrey deserted her. He was
always there. ssdulous. attentive.
Once or twice she felt that there
was some IRE behind those monkish
gray eyes, bSt he wouldn't let 1t
out; It smoldersd and glowed, per-
haps, but there was no spark. 50
still he remained her friend. stu
her friend when he realized that
Rodbourne had succeeded where he
had failed. And now again. Oh,
he was no Major pobbin; there was
in his pursuit something relentless
and cold. It was as II he took his
case from the Kings Bench to the
Court of Appeal. from the Court of
Appeal to the Lords. And she knew
that II he were beaten IN the Lords
he'd ria up yet another case on .
Different basis. Well. II was hattsr-
ing in Q way. as are many irritating
affairs. No, she really couldn't be
bothered. SO. ~ she went out. she
wrote another letter, accepting.
At dinner Britford behaved ex.
actly as usual. He had not changed
much in twenty years. That was
the terrible part Of 1t. He had al
ways been slight, formal, elegant,
with quietly hard gray eyes under
q good. high brow; perhaps the
flesh was q little tighter drawn on
the bones. but the hair was only
spattered with gray. Like his pur'
suit. Britford endured forever. Hs
gave her q very good dinner. as he
always did His car was found
easily because 1t stood at the right
place. They went to the theatre
and there we're NO mechanical dill.
culties at all.
Britford was not one of the men
who must wave at the programme
girl. And he behaved perfectly.
She felt that he knew all abou.
Rodbourne, probably that he knew
everything that happened in her
house, and that he had added the
new facts to her file But he said
nothing about It; he talked agree
ably as usual about the things Of
the day; he gave her some details
of only one case that he was con.
cerned with, which happened to be
a rather spicy divorce. She knew
that he had probably selected that
case in the morning, knowing II
would interest her. She could hear
him asking his clerk TO remind him
OF the cases that we're coming on
30 that he might pick the one
ideally suited. Just as he might Sc
lect the right brand OF sauterne.
Heavens! What bill he must have
against her!
She was rather frightened OF him
as they drove back, for this was
obviously the moment when he
would begin his fourth series Of tao.
tical advances. Instead OF this he
congratulated her on her frock. dis
cussed It with good taste and ler
her 60. She was not exactly dis
appointed. but surprised Hitherto
Britford had never played her; per
haps he didn't care for her any
more. This kept her awake little
while. She did not want the burden
of Britford's affection. but. aban
doned as she was. in a way for the
second time, she terribly wanted
the reinsurance that alone men
could give her. She didn't want to
realize that perhaps even now age
and old habit we're insuring her
against approach,
She was very miserable for the
next few days II even Britford
didn't care for her any more. per
haps nobody would, for in him IL
was almost a custom to make love
to her. Oh. she didn't want him to,
she didn't want anybody to. but she
still wanted them TO want to Shed
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