The Washington times., 1922-04-16
Her Unwelcome Husband BY WI George

use of having amassed a fortune
unless he could throw 1t into the
lap OF the woman he loved-even
II she was reluctant
AS Britford reached the Marble
Arch he put to himself once more
the only thing that frightened him.
Suppose that after playing her
such a blackguardly trick she re-
fused to marry me?" He laughed
to himself, and once more assured
himself OF the extremity to which
he would go. No. none Of that.
After the exposure she'd swear to
marry him the day after the de.
cree was made absolute. II not
there'd be two correspondents in.
stead of one; not only himself, but
Rodbourne. and Rodbourne's young
wife should have her share. He
could pay Caldecot to do that.
No, there was no limit now. Two
men who passed him turned round,
puzzled by his convulsed features.
No, there was no limit.
Britford was ready. to smash
them all, to ruin himself, to dis
grace Claire's old lover, to break
Patricia's heart. There was no one
he would not involve. He would
have destroyed mankind. He was
ready even to befoul Mrs. Caldecot
herself, so that he might reduce
her to a creature without a will,
to a creature At to be taken and
enjoyed, even fearful, even marred,
even rebellious. No, there was no
limit now.
Such intensity could not long be
maintained: after a while, as Brit
ford went on, cooler view began
TO affect him. His resolution did
not become less, but more and
more he saw himself playing a
necessary part. Again he rehearsed
his movements, and as he so did
his determination grew greater be-
cause II was colder. II was folly
yes, folly, but wasn't he entitled to
folly after fifty years of wisdom? !?
Wasn't folly the greatest luxury
men could indulge In? The thing
for which we should thank God
when IL arises In our breast? He'd
lived by rule and the pursuit Of
justice; now he'd live by passion.
II only for a crowded night. He
might fail, yes, he knew that,
though he did not expect to do so,
for man might always fail when
dealing with the coagulated mist
that is called woman. Yes, he
might fail, but 1t was worth trying
He was in Church street now,
that was very silent. noting little
details, the tumble-down shops at
the top and the orange curtains al
an upper window. Some artist, no
doubt. But the idea that he might
fail had weakened him a little, and
he suffered a physical reaction
from his emotions.
Fail! What vas going TO hap
pen to him II he failed? He wasn't
the sort of man TO kill himself, he
knew that. One couldn't commit
suicide unless one went a bit mad,
and nc couldn't do that. He was
too old to go to the dogs properly;
one hal to start young TO do that.
No, II he failed, he'd crawl away,
he supposed, to the Riviera, golf
and water-colors. In his weakness
he again was afraid to test him.
self to the crucible of fire. After
all, he'd lived without her for
twenty years; couldn't he go on?
He stopped for a moment out.
side Kensington Church. II was
nearly two o'clock in the morning;
1t was a swan-gray night, where
shone no stars, a tender November
night warm as the cheek OF wo-
man that has been beautiful, a
Spring night hurrying to catch up
its vanished sisters. He felt rather
hot and did not know what course
to take.
A woman was coming toward
him, going slowly. He watched her
without interest, and II was only
that as she came closer that he
noticed how she dragged her feet
in little patent-leather shoes with
paste buckles, that the droop of
the shoulders, the hang of the heal
under a black picture hat, decor
ated with yellow cock-feathers, in.
dicated complete lassitude.
As she drew near him, as he
realized what she was, her whole
attitude changed. Suddenly the
body was erect, the head archly
held sideways; look OF invitation
came into fine dark eyes, young
eyes, younger than the family
puffy, rosy cheeks. She smiled
She was trying to be young
''Hullo, saucy!" she remarked,
looking toward the police station
to see IL any constable stood there
AS there was nobody about she
stopped. "All on your lonesome? p
Britford stared at her She haC
so little to do with the things h
was thinking about that he an
swered, I'm just waiting"