The Washington times., 1922-04-02

decent thing I've ever done. and II
I had to live again-with all the
misery I'm going through now. all
the misery Of the lonely years, all
the hell OF my lie with you'd do
Il again, I'd have 1t all over again.
Just to feel that / could have the
pluck once more to do the right
thing by myself. Go on, blackmail
me II you like; I'll not say l was
doing wrong"
II don't want you to. darling.
never set up as a Judge of morals.
only want you to pay up" He
grew impatient. Come on. get OF
your knees. The attitude doesn't
suit you; don't, you remember
you're longbusted. Come on, get
up. I'm not going to waste the
night over this" She rose. not 80
much obeying as revolving against
her own posture.
Are you going to pay up?" She
did not reply. 81 give you FIVE min.
utes. II get any more nonsense
from you I'm going to Bobbie first
thing tomorrow morning. And II
he doesn't pay up you'll have a writ
by the end OF the week. Do you
hear? A writ Both OF you, and I'll
see 1t gets into the papers before
the case comes on"
II was then that a new complica.
ton occurred to Mrs. Caldecot. She
realized that II this could not be
stopped-if Rodbourne. like her
self, refused to be bled-the pub
licity which would Immediately col
lect round his name, because he
was a member Of Parliament, would
reach Patricia. That would be the
end. Bob would not only lose his
seat, but he'd lose Patricia-lose
the girl for whom, in a way, she'd
sacrifed herself. She opened her
mouth to say. "I'll pay" but her
gallantry stopped her. She didn't
know why-she merely felt that she
couldn't give in. She must try
again.
"Geoffrey," she said. don't d.
that. There's something else. It's
true about Bob and me, yes; that
is to say. It was. But haven't seen
him for some months. He's going
to be married"
"Oh. no! So he's given you the
chuck"
Hes going to be married." re.
piled Mrs. Caldecot, trying to forget
Geoffrey's reply And she's such
sweet girl. They love each other,
Just as they ought, and they're going
to be so frightfully happy. Oh,
Geoff, don't do it.; she's SO young.
only twenty. For Gods sake. Geof-
fIey, don't do 1t. Bob's trying to
make a fresh start, and she-it'll
kill her. You've smashed my life
theirs. Don't get in the way OF the
little happiness they can hope for" }"
What about my happiness?" said
Caldecot Don't | count? And my
idea of happiness is two thousand
Quid Come on, pay up, and look
pleasant IL you don't-why, Clar-
rie, you give me an idea. Now I've
got the bulge on BObbie. Perhaps
he'd be glad to get out of Parlia.
ment, and he wouldn't worry about
your reputation, since he's given
you the chuck. But now there's "A
girl in the case. Oh, no! Perhaps
shan't let him off so cheap"
"Geoffrey, beg you"
And, wait a minute, you give me
another idea, you human wonder.
Look here, I'll make you a PROPOSE
tion-you give me this two thou
sands pounds that we were talking
about. But that's not the end of il.
Tomorrow morning III go round TO
Bobbie and I'll say to him. you pay
up another two thousand; II not
you'll DC correspondent Then, my
dear Clarrie, believe me, I'm think
squirm bit. II he pays, all's well;
II he doesn't pay, serve him with
writ. Then watch the Sunday
newspapers. The girl gets to hear
of it. She drops him and you get
him back. Don't you see, Clarrie,
can do you jolly good turn?
can get him back for YOU"
Mrs. Caldecot could not reply for
moment. Even from Geoffrey she
had not expected such baseness.
She did not believe that there was
a husband capable uf matchmaking
a lover into returning to his own
wife. But the peril of Patricia was
depressing her. 81 don't want your
Intervention" she said "You know
nothing about 1t. You wouldn't un-
derstand, | suppose, If | told you
that | want this marriage: that
want their happiness more than
anything in the world: that |
c0n1dnt haar that ANYTHING ehOOld