The Washington times., 1922-04-09

He hated Mrs. Caldecot as much
as he loved her. Only just now a
certain obstacle was forcing Itself
upon his relentlessntss. He'd been
pursuing her 30 long; was he ge,.
ting tired? Tired of her? Oh, no.
The quality OF Britford's passion
was the same as the quality of his
mind; he was capable of love with.
out end ~ of effort without end !;
desire and determination were twin
In his character. Only he began to
see that he might fail.
So now, standing at his window.
Stephen Britford was conscious of
disbursement. IL he had been
old, II unsuccessful II might not
have been 80 had, for then he might
have been completely hopeless and
would have been dominated by ma.
tsrisl cares. wondering how to
make living or seeking a cure for
gout. He had not this good fortune.
He thought, Tive done all can"
For a moment Stephen Britford
felt small. Small, too, seemed his
successes, and his reputation aid
not help him.
Stephen Britford walked about
the room again. and almost at once
revolt rose In him against this
sense of humiliation. He couldn't
get her. Couldn't hef He could go
on, yes; he could do that. and per-
haps he'd wear her down in the end.
II enraged him to think that he
should be repulsed, and ne could
not help wishing that he had been
born in another period. when he
could have hired some ruffians,
packed her into chaise and driven
her of 10 0retna Green.
He put aside this fancy. WHAT
was the use OF thinking OF siGh.
teenth century ways two hundred
years later? He was wretched Just
then. He hated her having He'd 10
him few days ago, when she told
him that she was going away for
the weekend. while he himself saw
her cross Bond street on the Satur.
day afternoon. Just to avoid him!
Oh. he didn't mind her lying; in.
deed, he liked that. In his view, II
made her more feminine; II made
her weak. Instead Of facing him
with a mo" she had avoided him.
There was a little hope In that, for
II meant that she was q little afraid
unless. and he could hardly bear
to think Of that, unless he merely
bored her and sh, wanted grace
fully TO avoid argument. Who could
tslif Certainly she had been keen
ing out OF his way lately. They had
met at the houses OF mutual friends,
for that could not be helped, but
she had made her excuses. Yes,
she was keeping out of his way.
Il was then that once more wild
eighteenth century idea began -
weigh upon Britford's mind. II be-
gan tdly. As II playing with men,
ortes of old-fashioned plays, he told
himself that, after all, people did
get kidnapped, that they did get
shut up In lonely castles, that they
did get compromised. II was all
very well pretending that the TWEEN.
tieth century was entirely domf.
mated by good form and municipal
bylaws; q bsrrister knew better.
At that moment his thoughts
were directed along q double line.
One part of his brain was enjoying
scenes where Mrs. Caldecot was
decoyed, bound and gagged; scenes
upon Italian bridges, from which
she passed into a cellar by the Arno.
where awaited q friar with q wed.
ding ring. The other half of Brit
ford's mind remained calm and
legal, begged him not to be q fool,
and reminded him that there could
be no question of q wedding ring.
since Mrs. Caldecot was married.
The romantic half retorted that
from its point OF view that was moth.
ing, added that II would hnd Calde-
cot and quietly shoot him. The
legal half replied that this was not
done by X. C.'s. and the confused
argument continued.
When At last Britford returned
TO his desk he, however, indicated
that he was disturbed. Good form
and legal habits, these could not be
set aside; he felt little ridiculous :.
ne huoW QuIt6 well tn0t ne was not
going to abduct Mrs. Csldecot; but
what he did know, though he did
not face II plainly, was that out OF
these ideas, out OF his new despair
was arising, not acceptance of his
condition, but q new determination,
q novel capacity for violence and
deceit.
He did not know what he wanted
to do; he had no plan; he had even
no intention Of making a plan. But
his thin mask looked harder than
ever; his eyes even calmsr and
stesdier. II was a. II the mans
natural resolution were concen.
trated more and more round q sin
gle idea. Once he had loved his
career and Mrs. Csldecot; he had
gone on loving, caring for his career
more than he did. and for Mrs. Cal
decot immessurably moro. Then,
by imperceptible degrees, he had
grown accustomed to the success
which he had secured, bat he cou'd