The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-02

Ilere, Win unnecessary energy, he
flung back the curtains and threw the
window wide. Then again he turned
toward the bed. He had one dominant
impulse. to waken Chilcote. to be free
Of the repulsive, inert presence tina,
chilled him with SO personal horror
Leaning over the bed. he caught the
shoulder nearest TO him and shook it
1t was not the moment for niceties
and his gesture was rough.
At his first touch Chilcote made nc
response-his brain. dulled by indul-
gence in his vice. had become q lag
gard in conveying sensations-but at
last, as the pressure on his shoulder
increased. his nervous system seemed
suddenly to jar into consciousness. A
long shudder shook him: he half lifted
himself and then dropped back upon
the pillow.
"Ohw he exclaimed in trembling
breath. '.Oh.' The sound seemed
drawn from Tim by compulsion.
It's uncanny tone chilled Loder anew.
wake up, man. he said suddenly.
wake up. It's I-Loder.''
Again the other shuddered: then he
turned quickly and nervously. 10
der?' he said doubtfuIly. "Loder?'
Then his face changed. Good God"
he exclaimed. what a reliefr'
The words were so intense. SO spon-
taneous and unexpected that Loder
took step back.
ChiIcote laughed discordantly and
lifted shaky hand to protect his eyes
from the light.
'It's-it's all right. Loder! It's all
right. It's only that THAT 1 had a
beastly dream. But. for heavens sake
shut that window" He shivered in
voluntarily and pushed the lock OF
damp hair from his forehead with
weak touch Of his old irritabiIity.
In silence Loder moved back to the
window and shut it. He was affected
more than he would own even to him
self by the obvious change in Chiicote.
He had seen him moody, restless. nerv-
ously excited, but never before had he
seen him entirely demoralized. With
a dull feeling Of impotence and disgust
he stood by the closed window, looking
unseeingly at the roofs OF the opposite
houses.
But Chilcote had followed his move
ments restlessly, and now as he watch
ed him a flicker Of excitement crossed
his face. God, Loder.' he said again,
twas a relief to see you. l dreamed
was in hell-a horrible hell, worse
than the one they preach about" He
laughed to reassure himself, but his
voice shook pitiably.
Loder, who had come to fight, stood
silent and inert.
at was horrible-beastly," ChiIcote
went on. There was no fire and brim-
stone, but there was something worse.
1t was great ironic scheme of pun
ishment by which every man was
chained to his own vice-by which the
thing he had gone to pieces over. in
stead of being denied him, was made
You can't imagine it." He
shivered nervously and his voice rose.
Fancy being satiated beyond the linn
it of safety, being driven and logged
by the thing you had run after all your
lifer'
He paused excitedly, and in the
pause Loder found resolution. He shut
his ears to the panic in Chilcote's voice, |
he closed his consciousness to the sight !
of his shaken face. With surge of de. |
lcl NC LIS liICOllcS al l. !
err all, he had himself and his own in.
terests to claim his thought. At the mo. |
ment Chilcote was wreck, with no de-
sire toward rehabilitation, but there I
was no guarantee that in an hour OF
two he might not have regained con-
troll over himself and with it the incli- !
nation that had prompted his letter OF
the day before. No; he had himself tc
look to. The survival Of the fittest was
the true, the only principle. ChilcOte
had had intellect, education, opportu
nifty, and Chilcote had deliberately cast
them aside. Fortifying himself in the
he turned from the window
and moved slowly back to the bed
Look here" he began, you wrote
Cor me last night His voice was hard
He had come to fight. .4 r-1-s-.
Chilc0e glanced up quickly. His
mouth Vas drawn and there was a new
anxiety in his eyes. "Loder!' he ex-
Come nearerv'
Reluctantly Loder obeyed. Stepping
closer to the side OF the bed. he bent
Town.
The other put up his hand and caught
lis arm. His fingers trembled and jerk.
ID. Il say, Loder," he said suddenly,
1--we had such beastly night-my
lerves, You know
With a quick, involuntary disgust
-oder drew back. Don't you think
We might shove that aside?" he asked
But Chilcote's gaze had wandered
rom his face and strayed to the dress
ng table; there it moved feverishly
rom one object to another.
"LOder," he exclaimed. do you see
can you see If there's a tube of tab
ODDS on the mantelshelf or on the
lressing tablet" He lifted himself
lervously on his elbow, and his eyes
uneasily about the room. 'I
Il had beastly night; my nerves are
orribly Jared. and l thought II
link"- He stopped.
With his increasing consciousness his
ervous collapse became more marked.
t the first moment Of waking the re-
ef of an unexpected presence had sur
counted everything else, but now, as
he by one his faculties stirred, his ,
FETCHED condition became patent.