Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-24
CHAPTER II.

the room and laid tile Salyer with his early cup of tea on the table beside the bed.
 For several seconds he lay with his eyes shut The effort of opening them on fresh day-the intimate certainty of what he would see on opening them
 seemed to weight his lids. The heavy, half closed curtains, the blinds severely drawn, the great room with its splen- did furniture, it's sober coloring, it's scent of damp London winter-above all, Allsopp, silent, respectful and re- spectable were the things to dread.
 A full minute passed while he still feigned sleep. He heard Allsopp stir dlscreetly, then the inevitable informa- ton broke the silence:
 Mine o'clock. sir!"
 He opened his eyes, murmured some thing and closed them again. The man moved to the window, quietly pulled back the curtains and half drew the blind. E
 Better night, sir, hope?" he ven- tured softly.
 Chilcote had drawn the bedclothes over his face to screen himself from the daylight, murky though it was.
 Yes" he responded. Those beast ly nightmares didn't trouble me for once" He shivered little as at some recollection. But don't talk-don't re- mind me of them. hate man who has no originality" He spoke sharply. At times he showed an almost childish irritation over trivial things.
 Allsopp took the remark in silence. Crossing the wide room, he began to lay out his masters clothes. The ac- tion affected Chilcote to, fresh annoy ance.
 "Confound itv' he said. I'm sick of that routine! can see you laying out my winding sheet the day of my burial. Leave those things. Come back in half m hour" -
 Allsopp allowed himself one glance at his masters figure huddled in the great bed; then, laying aside the coat he was holding. he moved to the door. With his fingers on the handle, he paused.
 "Will you breakfast in your own room, sir, or downstairs?"
 Chilcote drew the clothes more tight ly round his shoulders. "Oh, anywhere -nowherew he said. T don't care"
 Allsopp softly withdrew
 Left to himself, Chilcote sat up in bed and lifted the salver to his knees. The sudden movement jared him physically. He drew handkerchief from under the pillow and wiped his forehead. Then he held his hand to the light and studied it. The hand looked sallow and unsteady. With a nervous gesture he thrust the salver back upon the table and slid out of bed.
 Moving hastily across the room, he stopped before one of the tall ward robes and swung the door open; then. after furtive glance around the room, he thrust his hand into the recesses of a shelf and fumbled there. The thing he sought was evidently not hard to find, for almost at once he withdrew his hand and moved from the wardrobe to table beside the fire place. carrying a small glass tube filled with tabloids.
 On the table were a decanter, a siphou and water jug. Mixing some whisky. he uncorked the tube Again he glanced apprehensively toward the door. then with a very nervous hand dropped two tabloids into the glass.
 While they dissolved he stood with | hls hand on the table and his eyes fix l ed on the floor. evidently restraining | his impatience. Instantly they had 1 disappeared he seized the glass and | drained 1t at draft, replaced the bottle in the wardrobe and, shivering | slightly in the raw air. slipped back | into bed.
 When Allsopp returned he was sit ting up. cigarette between his lips. | the teacup standing empty on the salver. The nervous durability had | gone from his manner. He no longer moved jerkily: his eyes looked bright. CT, his pale skin more healthy.
 "Ah. Allsopp." he said, there are some moments in life. after all Ii Isn't all blank wall"
 T ordered breakfast in the small morning room, sir" said Allsopp. with out change of expression.
 ChIlcote breakfssted at 10. His ap- petite. always fickie. was r1rticularly uncertain in the early hours. He help ed himself to some fish. but sent away his plate untouched; then. having drunk two cups of tea. he pushed back his chair. lighted fresh cigarette and shook out the moyning's newspaper.
 Twice be shook 1t out and twice turn ed IL. but the reluctance to tx his mind upon it made him daily. The eGect of the morphis tabloids was still l<appar- erf in the greater steadiness cf his hand and ere. the regained quiet of his susceptihiiitieS. but the respite was temporary and lethzrgic. Tise early days-the days of sin years ago. when these tabloiais meant an even sweep Of thought. iucidity of brain. a balance of judgment in thought and ero-t-vere days of the past As be had said of Lexington and hss vice. the slave had b<cozne maste-
 As he foAie.I the paper in a last at- tenpt st interest the docr opened. and his secrxtzry cane a step CT two into the room
 Gooi 1ofuing sir he said Fer Hsve ne for hssnx 60 u1tiue.y-