The Washington times., 1922-04-02

VI tn0 telephone service. 6no Qlo
not listen, but as he spoke she could
not help registering the degrada-
tion Of the handsome features. AS
she observed the dry, wrinkled skin.
the air of premature decay. she
couldn't help a half-unconsctous
spasm Of pity; the dashing. the
handsome Geoffrey. to have turned
into this disreputably smart, dan.
gerous-looking creature! 1t was
tragic.
AS he grew conscious of her gaze
he became arch. We'll, my dear,
| haven't come back to talk to you
about the telephone, especially as
your ruby lips are not contributing
to the debate. There isn't much
welcome in this house for q stray
lamb, is there? Well, well, I don't
want to be hard on you. Would
you like to stand me a drink?"
How did you get in?" asked Mrs.
Caldecot, suddenly preoccupied with
this trifie.
"Oh, Clarrie, how little you know
me! How you misunderstood me!
You always have, and as they used
to say at the Lyceum, unless 1t was
somewhere else, you cannot shake
off your share Of guilt. / got in with
my latchkey."
"Your latchkey?"
why, Of course. All these years,
my dear Clarrie, I've kept my latch.
key. Just a little latchkey to re-
mind me Of you. All! always
was a sentimental cuss. II has
never left me. Before TIE rolling
ball at Monte Carlo I've fondled 1t
so that it might bring me luck. 1t
didn't. In more emotional moods,
in America, I've sat before my lonely
radiatQ, holding in my hand this
token Of the past and dreaming of
days gone by. Just a little latch
key, Clarrie. | shall write a poem
about it one day"
What do you want?" asked Mrs.
Caldecot in suddenly high voice.
He was maddening her. She felt
that this drivel had a significance
that he used II only as a sort of pre-
lude, that he was playing with her
as a cat with a mouse, that he was
enjoying himself like a vicious
schoolbcy that has played trick
What do you want?" she said
again. Good heavens! Don't l
know you! Don't I? For heavens
sake, don't make me rude"
There's no reason why you
should he rude, my dear. All
want Is to have few words with
my wife. Well, now, aren't you
pleased? Weren't you very sorry
when | was unavoidably detained
} abroad thirteen years ago? l was
unavoidably detained. She wouldn't
let me go. But you always inhab.
tied my dreams, and SO / felt /
wanted one of our dear old chats"
Look here, Godfrey, you're being
silly"
That's better" said Caldecot,
laughing for the first time.
1T isn't any better. Only you're
being silly on purpose to annoy me,
to hide something else. Don't |
know you?"
'If you did, then you would realize
that ] have an affectionate nature.
Your only complaint could be that
this nature was too generous. All
that l have come to say is Just
this: l am very fond of you"
DO you know" said Mrs. Calde-
cot, after pause, 81 can almost be-
lieve you have the-the imperti-
nence to mean 1t. You might very
well be conceited enough to think
that I'd have affection for you after
three years OF hell with you-three
years during which / had to see you
drunk, drunk in my presence, drunk
before my friends. Oh, IL It was
only that, l suppose I'd have stuck
1t out, but you think I'm going to
oh, It's ridiculous. You made me
a joke among my friends; you, who
could never let woman alone II
she was under eighty. Don't you
think | know you? Don't you think