The Washington times., 1922-03-12

oSeu eomlruo euo tov0o Ior tWOuty
years. She oouldny imagine he
next twenty without somsthinG Ike
that. What else was she good fort
Being Z pure woman. she was s
little ashamed Of herself She had
MAYER deliberately tried 70 attrGet
man: she had bean impsccably
faithful to the two abe had known:
she had yielded to Rodbourns be-
cause she needed him only - much
% he needed her; some might have
called her immoral. but she had the
soul Of . young lady. Only she was
also human and vain.
So she was very gisd when. after
those two days. Stephen rang MP
and asked her to dinner. They went
to . private room at famous res
taurant. This did not frightsn her.
for they had often done It before.
stephen being one Of those men
who IKE to be very ven served By
Z special attendant, and he had
never profted by the situation to
the extent Of the slightest tamil
iarity.
Ten years before she had told
herself that she could trust Stephen.
told herself 90 with . little resent
ment. So they had . very good
dinner, and Mrs. Caldecot felt 30
unhappy that perhaps she took q
little too much to drink. Stephen
was In q cheerful mood. and she
wanted to respond TO It; 1t was that
that caused her to add benedictine
with the cUffee. Generally she
avoided liqueurs, and this small dose
had some effect. After . moment
she saw Britford . little mistily. He
was quite normal, was chatting SIM
ply about Q play he had wanted her
to see: he was not real toher. and
talked Of things that had happened
long ago. somewhere else. Sud-
denly he said: =.
.Well. that was nice stun. wasn't
TT This n the first time I've seen
YOU drink II. Claire" She smiled
stupidity. and hs went on: Upon
my word. Claire. believe you're
tight. Oh. do be tight; won't you
get up and try skirt dancer
Mrs. Caldecot rose to her feet.
After all, why not! Why not be
giddy and gay? But almost at once
the sense Of forlornness returned to
her. She made Q picture OF herself
skirt dancing. like an old print OF
the eighties, faded and dusty.
touched with blue mold at the
edges. So suddenly her loose-lipped
smile vanished; falling upon the
chair she buried her face In her
hands and burst into horrible, shak-
ing sobs. For a moment Britford
stared at her. He had not expected
this and It embarrassed him. He
had brought her to the restaurant
with intentions. He loved her as
he always did. and would get her
WI IN he could; he-
Then he had to get UP and 30 to
her, for this was frightful.
Don't" he said timidly. putting
a hand on her shoulder.
Mrs. Caldecot did not look mp. II
one hand had not been pressing
against her mouth she would have
filed the room with screams. She
was crying in a way that Britford
did not understand, in q horrible,
animal way, shaking violently as
she wept and not trying to talk. but
expressing herself in horrible
means, broken by gasps for breath.
"Claire!" said Stephen. Don't
do that" SEEKING her by the
shoulders he took her into his arms
She did not resist, but he could not
draw her hands away from her face.
and still she shook in his grasp,
until at last he led her to the sofa.
forced her to lie down. He leaped
to the table to get some water. and
as he turned the eobs stopped. Mrs.
Caldecot sat up, her back to him.
as II trying to hide her swollen face.
The stiffness OF her attitude terri
fed him, thawed the glacial coat
OF his good manners. He threw him.
self on his knees by the sofa, threw
his arms about her. tried to force
her to turn round.
Don't" she said in weak, even
voice Don't look at me. Stephen"
He was surprised TO find himself
fervent What do care!" he said
As she turned she let her head fall
upon his shoulder. II fell heavily,
fell with a suggestion Of complete
powerlessness Britford felt as he
had felt half his life-that he loved
this woman, that she had for him
something that no other woman
had that he wanted her happiness
as much as his own, wanted to pro-
tect her and cheer her; he was all
warmth But he could not release
his emotion; the compassed habits