The Washington times., 1922-03-19


wasn't reason to make an end of
something that had been going on
for eight years, just like that, 10
FIVE minutes. II wasn't fair. That
sort OF thing wasn't done. He
didn't want to be hard on Claire,
SO he wouldn't bring II up again,
but he was hurt. He wouldn't have
thought she'd have behaved like
that.
II did not then strike Rodbournc
that anything might be his fault, for
. he was entirely masculine; the
more he meditated the more he saw
himself as injured and misunder-
stood by both women. BY degrees
this transmitted itself into a sense
OF his own nobility. 1t was a pity
to be misunderstood. but In such a
world II was to be expected.
BY the time these meditations
came to an end Rodbourne had at
tanned a rather satisfied state OF
mind. There ran through 1t some
forlOrnness, but II was mainly ex.
element. He did not then think
that his parting with Mrs. Caldecot
was final, but he wasn't going to
do anything. II she made the first
move he'd be decent about It. Why,
he was very fond of her, and after
a scene like that they might call
quits. He was rather misty as 10
his future with Mrs. Caldecot, com.
bined with stimulating experiences.
And Patricia muddled things some
how, but RodbOurne's main attitude
was that henceforth he wasn't going
to stand much from anybody.
After a melancholy lunch, where,
to his embarrassment. both Patri.
cia and Mrs. Caldecot appeared.
both calm. perfectly polite, but
rather silent and looking so III
that II was almost rude. he felt 80
uncomfortable that he went out i'm
mediately after lunch.
Really. this was a bit too thick.
They looked like a pair OF ghosts,
and Mrs Headcorn noticed nothing
at all. the great, fat porpoise. Jolly
good thing he was going next day;
he couldn't stand much more OF this
sort OF thing. Soon after. he LETT
the house under rain which de.
crepitated on his macintosh; he
continued TO tell himself that this
sort OF thing was q shame. A pro-
found conviction OF the well-bred
Englishman matured In him; these
women really ought to keep up APP
pearances.
But the walk was very long and
very wet. He drank abomins BILE tea
and ate bread and margarine In a
publichouse. He discovered what
he had suspected-that his right
foot was very wet because there
was hole In the sole. On the way
back bits OF grit got through the
hole and hurt him. AS II was grow
ing darn he was MOI sure of his way;
he was directed 10 short cut by
well.meaning laborer, who appar-
emily did not know the difference
between his right and his left hand.
Finally Rodbourne arrived a.
Cantrel Court at hah.past six,
drenched. miserable, inclined TO
think that the world was rotten
place. Everybody had rotten
time. He included in this Mrs
Caldecot, who had preOccupied him
more than Patricia presumably be.
cause the walk was so wet that 1t
disposed him TO sorrow. rather than
TO the febrile expectation repre-
scented by Patricia. So, because ~
was so wet, he changed al once.
and after a hesitation came down
stairs half an hour before dinner.
Contentedly he sat down by the
fire with the lunch edition Of Lon
don evening paper. He felt very
comfortable In dry clothes. Also
there was queer bit OF news about
a split in the opposition. He didn't
believe II, but this thing was com
ing up again and again. He decided
TO ring up next day certain jour.
nalist who was supposed to know
about these things. II was then
that Mrs. Caldecot came into the
drawing room.
She had spent all the afternoon
alternating between mood o.
despair, which bade her go and lie
down on her bed and stay there,
and a mood of courage, when she
talked 10 Mrs Headcorn, and even
to Patricia Perhaps she didn't like
her as much as she had done be-
fore: she was less aware Of the
girls charm and OF her prettiness,