The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-26

tsntivs to Mrs. Caldecot. Mr.. Rod.
bourne especially. But then. OF
course. he was q pal Of hers. II
. would be lovely to be q pal of Mrs.
Caldecot's. Patricia envied Rod.
bourne.
For some unexpressed reason
Patricia allowed her mind to dwell
on Captain Stanhope rather than on
the other man. He really was
rather nice. though she wished he
wouldn't wear a stock. Too fanci-
full. Still, he'd made her laugh an
awful lot, and she didn't quite know
why. But stanhope was not many
years older than she. They were
together rather like kittens and she
felt vaguely shy when her thoughts
turned toward Rodbourne.
She was rather afraid OF him,
really, member of Parliament, and
everybody said he was awfully
clever. Still, he didn't talk clever.
He only said nice, ordinary things
about dogs and the weather. Only
he said them in a different way
from other people, in a solid sort
Of way, as II he felt sure of him.
self. As In the case of Mrs. Calde.
cot, Patricia felt very small and un.
formed. Also his good looks rather
disturbed her.
She didn't approve OF his looks,
really, for she had been brought up
TO think that when a man Is good
looking he must be effeminatG.
Rodbourne's regular features, his
beautiful skin, his height, his broad
shoulders, his slim hips-all that
but little too like a fashion-plate.
An impulse came to Patricia
which she at once repressed, hav.
ing been brought up as a young
lady. The night before. when the
car crawled home, Rodbourne had
insisted on making an appointment
with the chauffeur to overhaul Il
next morning, much to the annoy.
ance OF the chauffeur, but ROD.
bourne was unmanageably mechan.
ical. Ten o'clock. They'd be at
II now.
Without telling herself why, Pa.
tricia thought steadily about Cap.
tain Stanhope, but this did not
yield anything very interesting.
She was going up to town with Mrs.
Neale the day after the next, and.
wasn't 1t lovely! she was going to
first night, her first.
Patricia looked out OF the window
where hung the veil OF rain, and
told herself how lovely it would
be, with the stalls full OF celebri.
ties; that was something. And still
the temptation held her. So at
last she told herself that she was
bored, and that, as she didn't know
what 10 do, she might as we'll go
round 10 the garage and see II they
were having any success with the
car.
As she ran round the house, head
bent under the rain, she obstinately
made herself think that she very
much wanted to know whether they
could have the car that afternoon.
She wanted to go to Burleigh Abbas
TOTO buy a stamp.
She was little shy as she went,
picking between the puddles plots
Of mud which deceived her feet u
seemed such a forward thing to do.
She even paused at the edge OF the
plantation beyond which lay the
garage. The rain fell lightly; for a
moment she stood, hand against the
slender bole Of young ash, bend
ing forward and withdrawn, her
clothes twinkling with rain drops,
her face flushed and her eyes wide,
upon the end Of every stray curl a
shining bead OF water.
She was then concealed and visI.
BILE between the trees, like a wood.
nymph that hesitates for a moment
between the loneliness of her woods
and the dangers Of the satyr-haunt.
ed open. Then at last, closing her
eyes for a second and smiling with
deceptive air Of secret under.
standing, she went with long hoy.
den strides toward the chauffeur's
house and the car under its shanty.
For a moment the two men, VINO
had their backs to her, did not no.
tice her, and Patricia was able to
watch them, half-shy, half-amusel.
Rodbourne had taken off his coat
and waistcoat and rolled up his
sleeves. He looked funny like that,
for his hair was ruffled, and she
could see that he had been enthusi.
astic, for the pale.blue shirt was
stained and streaked with grease.
And, as he stood sideways to her,
she saw, with an inexpiicable little
thrill, that the white forearm, along
which ran golden down, was filthy
as that of an engine driver.
Then she chauffeur perceived her
and said, Good morning, miss
Rodbourne turned hurriedly, stani.
ing arms away from the body, smil-
ing and confused.
II seemed to Patricia then In the
immensely short interval between
that sirht and his first words
change came over her opinion. In
that instant Rodbourne ceased I,