Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07
VIII.

IOaiI men come pOrtentlOuS mOsHeHIS,ului
cult moments. triumphant moments. Loder
had had his examples Of all three. but no
moment In his career every eaualed in
strangeness of sensation that in which.
dressed in another mans clothes. he fitted
the latchkey for the first time into the door
Of the other mans house.
The act was quietly done. The key fitted
the lock smoothly and his fingers turned 1t
without hesitation. though his aeart. US
ually extremely steady. beat sharply for O
second. The hall doomed massive and
somber, despite the modernity OF electric
lights. 1t was darkly and extensively dec
Grated in black and brown: a frleze of
wrought bronze, representing peacosks with
outspre2d tails. ornamented the walls; the
banisters were of heavy iron-work, and the
somewhat formidable fireplace was OF the
same dark metal
Leder looked about him, then advanced
MS neart again beating quickly as his hand
touched the cold banister and he began his
ascent of the stairs But at each step his
confidence strengthened, his feet became
more firm; until. at the head OF the stairs,
as II to disprove his assurance, his ;ulses
played him false once more, this time TO q
more serious tune. From the farther end
of well-lighted corridor a maid was COM
ing straight in his direction.
For one short second all things seemed to
Whlz about him; the certainty of detection
oFerpowered his mind. The indisputable
knowledge that he was John Loder and no
other, despite all armor of effrontery and
dress, so dominated him that all other con-
siderations shrank before 1t. 1t wanted but
one word. one simple word of denunciaton
and the whole scheme shattered. In the
dismay of the moment he almost wished
that the word might be spoken and the
suspense ended
But the maid came on In silence, and so
Incredible was the silence that Loder moved
onward, too. He came within a yard of
her. and still she did not speak then, as
he passed her, she drew back respectfully
against the wall.
been immense, but with it's slackening came
a strong reaction. The expected humilia-
ton seethed suddenly to a desire to dare
fate Pausing quickly. he turned and called
the woman back.
The spot where he had halted was wildly
bright the ceiling light being directly above
his head and as she came toward him he
raised his face deliberately and waited
She looked at him without surprise or in
terest. Yes, STRIP she said
rs your mistress in?' he asked. He could
think of no other question, but 1t served
his purpose as test Of his voice.
Still the woman showed no surprise.
shes not in. SIR" she answered. But she's
expected in half an hour.
''In half an hour? All right! That's all
wanted" With a movement of decision
Loder walked back to the stair-head turn
ed to the right and opened the door OF
Chicotes rooms.
d
sage; on one side stood the study, on the
other the bed, bath and dressing rooms.
With blind sense Of knowledge and unfa-
mfliarity, bred of much description on Chill
cote's part, he put his hand the study
door and, still exalted by the omen of his
first success, turned the handle.
Inside the room there was freight and
Iamplight and a studious air of peace. The
realization of this and slow incredulity at
Chilcote's voluntary remuneration were his
first Impressions; then his attention was
needed for more imminent things.
AS he entered the new secretary was re-
turning volume to its place on the book
shelves. At sight of him he pushed it has
tily into position and turned round.
Il was making a few notes on the polit-
ical position of Khorasan,' he said, glanc-
ing with slight apprehensiveness at the
others face. He was small. shy man, with
few social attainments but an extraordinary
amount of learning-the antithesis of the
alert Blessington, whom he had replaced.
Loder bore his scrutiny without fiinching.
Indeed, 1t struck him suddenly that there
a fund of interest, almost OF excite
ment in the encountering of each new pair
of eyes. At the thought he moved forward
to the desk
THANK you. Greening, he said. " very
useful bit of work.
The secretary glanced up, slightly puzzled.
His endurance had been severely taxed In
the fourteen days that he had filled his new
post.
I'm glad you think so. SIR" he said.
hestatingly.
You rather pooh-poohed the matter this
morning. IL you remember.
Loder was taking off his coat but stop
ped in the operation.
This morning?" he said. "Oh. did I?
DID II" Then, struck by the opportunity
the words gave him, he turned toward the
secretary you've got to get used to me
Greening," he said. You haven't quite
grasped yet, can see I'm man OF
moods. you know. Up to the present you've
seen my slack side my Jared side but I
have quite another when l care to show 1t.
I'm sort Of Jekyll-and-Hyde affair"
Again he laughed, and Greening echoed the
sound diftidently; Chiicote had evidently
discouraged familiarity.
Loder eyed him with abrupt understand
ing. He recognized the loneliness in the
anxious conciliatory manner.
You're tired" he said, kindly go to
bed I'VE got some thinking to do. Good
night" He held out his hand.
Greening took it. still half distrustful OF
this fresh side to so complex man.
Good night, SIR" he said. Tomorrow,
IL YOU approve I shall go with my notes.
l hope you will have restful night"
For a second Loder's eyebrows went up,
but he recovered himself instantly. 80.
Thanks / think your hope will be full
filed"
He watched the little secretary move
softly and alphabetically to the door; then
he walked to the fire, and. resting his ell
bows on the mantel-piece, he took his race
in his hands.
For a space he stood absolutely quiet,
then his hands dropped to his sides and he
turned slowly round. In that short space
he had balanced things and found his
bearings. The slight nervousness shown In
his brusque sentences and overconfident
manner faded out and he faced facts
steadily.
With the return of his calmness he took
a long survey of the room. His glance
frightened appreciatively as 1t travelled
from the walls lined with well-bound books
TO the lamps modulated to the proper light;
from the lamps to the desk fitted with
every requirement Nothing was lacking.
All he had once possessed, all he had since
dreamed Of was here. but on greater
scale. To enjoy the luxuries of life man
must go long without them Loder had
lived seyerely-so severely that until three
weeks ago he had believed himself exempt
from the temptations of humanity. Then
the voice of the. world had spoken. and
within him another voice had answered,
with a tone SO clamorous and insistent that
it had outcried his surprised and incredu-
lous wonder at its existence and its claims
THAT had been the voice of suppressed am
billion; and now as he stood in the new at