The Washington times., 1922-04-16

leading up to q doggy little hat OF
black patent leather, trimmed with
q green shaving brush. She went
rather fast. so he did not at once
catch her up. Besides, he felt sure
of himself and liked to give the fox
q run.
The girl stopped for a moment to
look into a shop window; as he
passed her he whistled softly to
himself; he had caught glimpse of
one OF those exquisite profiles which
are all blunted edges--of short
nose, of pouting. wellcut lips and
obstinate little chin. To say nothing
of bright blue eyes He stopped for
a moment, gazing into the incubator
shop and at the chickens that ran
about. But his Tractised eyes were
upon the glass, SO that at last he
saw her reflection pass him. He
followed. At Oxford Circus he drew
abreast of her, looked her In the
face, but she did not seem to notice
him. This happened again twice
before they reached Bond street
There were not many people about
and Caldecot was afraid of speak
ing except In a crowd. She at
tracted him enormously. She
seemed so young and yet so de-
cided. An adorable. disobedient
child.
His opportunity came Just after
Bond street. where little crowd
was waiting for the omnibuses. In
three strides. drawing close, Calde.
cot gently seized the girl by the
elbow. Taking of his hat he said.
"How do you dof"
To his surprise the girl stopped,
and looking at him very Ncoolly said,
How much longer are you going
to follow me?"
still doomsday." replied Cslde
cot, calamity.
"Will you please go away" said
the girl. She had set her pink lips
very close and was looking at him
steadily without any embarrass-
ment. So the embarrassment bs
came his. "Oh, say; don't be so
snooty. Don't you know you're
very charming and that I'd love u
make your acquaintancef Come,
now, what shall we do with ous.
selves? Shall we go and have a cup
OF chocolate somewhere7 II won't
commit you to anything; so don't
be shy"
"Pm not shy" said the girl, but
vsy,x lnnkfuu FOR a rarlfnawnayx
Rot" said Caldecot; don't talk
like that. You wouldn't IL you
weren't baby"
Then, for a moment, he thought
that he had gained his victory, for
the girl smiled. go on" she said
kindly; "don't be silly. may be q
baby, but you aren't. Trot along;
you're old enough to be my grand
father"
II say began Caldecot. in &
sinking voice.
Please leave me alone" said the
girl. And as she moved away,
you're making a mistake; and,
anyhow--why don't you look at
yourself?" Almost at once she dis
appeared In the crowd.
Caldecot did not follow her.
What was this nonsenseH Wasn't
he surrounded with couples made
up Of fresh young things like this
and creatures who could barely
crawl? But he did not 20 to a
mirror now. He knew Il was not
age only which repelled; IL was the
fact that he looked so much older
than he was, sodden and rakish.
AS he went toward the park he
thought, "Pm down"
He sat in the park for an hour,
swinging his cane among the
blades of grass. Never were his
thoughts very coherent. He saw
himself. as lonely In life as he was
now In the park; he'd run his
course to the point Of wearing out;
he was not like other men who,
when they'd worn out their life,
had some old companion wife,
some nice children, to make them
believe that 1t didn't matter; he
was an outworn rake, and there
was nothing for him to do except
to go on, still a rake, older, more
worn, till he had to pay for what
he used to get for love; to play
nap with people picked up in the
train, because men wouldn't take
him into clubs; to become popular
In bars, where smutty stories he'd
learned thirty years before would
prove fresh to the ears Of new
generation.
Then II began to rain. He heard
the rain come, pattering upon the
.leaves like the oncoming feet OF
an army of goblins. II spattered
his face and he did not move. II
was not until the rain became
drenching that he got up TO 60
As he went he told himself that he
supposed he'd better get back to
the hotel, as rabbit thinks OF It's
hole. Vera wouldn't be back yet.
He smiled; he knew she wouldn't
come back at all. She'd packed