The Washington times., 1922-03-19

at him. There was so much uncer-
tainty, unhappiness In the bright
blue eyes, that he, too, suddenly
grew silent. That look seemed to
say to him. "Why do you torture
me? Why have you done me some
harm I don't understand? You. q
man, to little girl like met"
He felt guilty and glanced toward
the bridge table to see II their con.
fusion was observed; but. fortu-
nately, at Cantrel Court bridge waa
played on the lines Of q bargain
sale, In the midst of controversy
and denunciation; mistakes two
hands old were dragged out and
flung into the new one.
81 think it's clearing up" he said,
looking toward the window. II
think l see the moon" Obediently
Patricia looked toward the embra-
sure where the window was set.
"Yes," said Rodbourne, getting up.
81 don't think it's raini g." He went
toward the window; as II drawn by
habit of response rather than by
desire, Patricia followed him.
They were thus slightly isolated.
for the embrasure jutted forward
about three feet. For q moment
they stayed there together, looking
into the blackness of the night
where the skyline was indicated
only by q darkness almost as great.
They were disturbed and die not
know how to end their disturbance.
Each wanted to speak, and each
was afraid Of saying something that
mattered. So for some moments the
tension grew, until at last the man,
more active, more impatient, had
to speak. II say, they'll be hours
over their rubber. Nobody's got a
game yet. They're making sucn
. noise"
Eyes, they are, rather" said Pa.
tricia, land I've got such a head
ache"
WELL" said Rodbourne hesitaf-
ing, '1et's-why not 90 into the
garden-room for a moment?"
"Oh, l don't know"
do come. There's a fire."
II think ought to 90 to bed"
said Patricia. As she said this she
moved him. She was SO pretty that
night. She wore the sort Of LITTLE
frock which the dressmaker at Ply.
mouth supplied to the backwoods
Of the county, q silly little frock Of
cream muslin, much too high both
at the back and a front. And she
had run something that looked like
silver tape round the decolletage,
giving q final touch Of chastity to
the skirt by interpreting rosebuds
in the ruche at the bottom. And
yet 1t wasn't hideous. 1t was innO-
cent, childish. The cream enhanced
tho Wilderness of the skin; the high
decolletage brought out the slim
ness of the neck. She stood before
him. her head q little thrown back,
50 very helpless that he felt once
more that desire to protect her and
make her happy. So strong did this
grow that rather roughly he said
again:
Come along" and she followed
him.
Az soon Is they reached the gar
den-room Patricia sat down before
the fire, her hands clasped about her
knees, and stared into the flames.
Rodbourne did not sit down. He
stood by her side. looking at the
downcast, curly head.
She was such a little thing. and
he was immensely tempted to bend
down suddenly and press his lips
upon her neck, just where the dark
tendrils of hair shaded into down.
Yes, he could do that, reconQuer
her.
He thought, Cant go on like
this. Must say something" But
he could not find anything to say:
all active ideas were in him obliter-
ated by his blind desire to obtain
once more from her the caresses
which would make him forget.
Still Patricia did not move; her
attitude suggested that she was
worn out, that she had lived that
day in a turmoil of excitement
which her slight physique and her
emotional experience were UNIT to
meet. The attitude was so pro-
nounced that Rodbourne under
stood 1t. The girl was exhaust
ed, but now it was not pity that
he felt, nor protective desire; 1t
pleased him to think that he had
brought her to this point, that it
was love for him reduced her; his
understanding made her his.
So, as II to concentrate his tri-
umph, to make 1t manifest to him
self. he suddenly gave way to that
temptation. Throwing his arms
round the slim body he pressed his
lips Just where he had aimed his
eyes-upon the slim bent neck.
As the first physical excitement
passed sway he expected her either
to struggle or to respond, but not
to stay, her head still bent, her
hands still unstirred, rs II she were
saying to him, kiss mo II you want
to; It doesn't matter"
His male pride revolted against
th{s Naad{pO IN q firm him self no