Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-05

fever OF excitement. Hot with hope one
moment. cold with fever the next. he rush
| ed with restless energy into every task chat
presented itself-only to drop It as speedily.
Twice during the morning he drove to the
| entrance OF Clinord's Inn. but each time his
| courage failed him and he returned to
| Grosvenor SQuare-to learn that the ex-
pected message from Loder had not come
In the afternoon he took his place In the
| at worst 1t was scarcely more than an ex-
aggeration of what his state had been for
| months. and made but little obvious diff
| ference in his bearing or manner.
| l nthe afternoon he took his place In the
| house, but, though 1t was his first appear
ance since his failure of two days ago. he
| drew but small personal notice. When he
| chose. his manner could repel advances
| with extreme effect. and of late men had
| been prone to draw away from him.
| In one Of the Hobbies he encountered
Fraide surrounded by a group of friends.
| With his usual furtfve haste he would have
passed on. but. moving away from his
party. the old man accosted him. He was
always courteousiy particular in his treat
ment Of Chilcote. as the husband of his
Better, Chilcote?" he said. holding cut
his hand
At the sound of the low. rather formal
tones. SO characteristic of the OLD states
| man. a hundred memories rose to Chilcote' $
mind hundred hours. distasteful In the
living and unbearable in the recollection
| anu WITH LIem the new HASH VI HOpt, Lie
new possibility Of freedom. In sudden
rush of confidence he turned to his leader.
Il believe I've found remedy for my
nerves" he said. ,''I believe I'm going to
| be a new man." He laughed with a touch
! of excitement.
Fraide pressed his fingers kindly. That
is right" he said. That's right. l called
| ut Grosvenor Square this morning, but Eve
told me your illness Of the other day was
| not serious. She was very busy this morn
| ing-she could only spare me quarter of
an hour. She Is indefatigable over the So
cial side of your prospects, Chilcote. You
| owe her a large debt. A popular wife
means great deal to politician.
The steady eyes of his companion dis
| turbed Chilcote:
| He drew away his hand.
| Eve is unique he said. vaguely.
| Fraide smiled. That Is right" he said,
again. Admiration is too largely excluded
| from modern marriages" And with a
! courteous excuse he rejoined his friends.
| 1t was dinner-tim before Chilcote could
desert the house. but the moment depart
| ure was possible he hurried to Grosvenor
| Square.
AS he entered the house. the hall was
| empty. He swore irritably under his breath
| and pressed the nearest bell Since his
momentary exaltatlon in Fraide's presence,
| his spirits had steadily fallen until now
| they hung at the lowest ebb.
| AS he waited In unconcealed Impotence
| for an answer to his summons, he caught
| sight of his man Allsopp at the head of
| the stairs.
Come herer he called. pleased to find
some one upon whom to vent his irritation
| 'IIas that wire come for meg
! mo, sir. l inquired five minutes back
| Inquire again."
| Yes, SIR Allsopp disappeared.
| A second after his disappearance the bell
| of the hall door whizzed loudly.
| .Chilcote started. All sudden sounds, Ike
all strong lights, affected him. He half
| moved to the door, then stopped himself
| with a short exclamation. AT the same In
| slant Allsopp reappeared.
| Chilcote turned on him eXcftedly
What the devils the meaning OF this?
| he said. "A battery of servants In he
| house and nobody to open the hall door"
| Allsopp looked embarrassed. "Crapham is
| coming directly, sir. He only left the hall
| to ask Jeffries-''
| he exclaimed. Go and open the door
yourself"
Allsopp hesitated. his dignity struggling
with his obedience. AS he waited, the bell
| sounded again.
'cDid you hear met" Chilcote said.
Yes. sir Allsopp crossed the hall.
AS the door was opened Chilcote passed
| his handkerchief from one hand TO the
other In the tension of hope and fear; then,
| as the sound of his own name in the shrill
| tones of telegraph-boy reached his ears,
| he let the handkerchief drop to the ground.
Allsopp took the yellow envelope and car
| ried 1t to his master.
| "a telegram, SIR ne said. And the
boy wishes to know II there is an answer"
| turned aside with elaborate dignity.
| Chilcote's hands were so unsteady that he
| could scarcely insert his finger under the
| flap of the envelope. Tearing off a corner,
smoothed out the flimsy pink paper.
! The message was very simple, consisting
| of but seven words:
Shall expect you at IL tonigllt.-Loder."
| He read 1t two or three times. then he
looked up mo answer" he said. mechan-
ically; and to his own ears the relief In
his voice sounded harsh and unnatural.
Exactly as the clocks chimed IL Chilcote
| mounted the stairs to Loder's rooms. But
this time there was more OF haste than OF
uncertainty in his steps, and, reaching the
landing, he crossed 1t In a couple of strides
and knocked feverishly on the door.
| 1t opened at once. and Loder stood be-
fore him.
The occasion was peculiar. For mo-
ment neither spoke; each involuntarlly look
ed at the other with new eyes and under
changed conditions. Each had assumed
fresh standpoint in the others thought
The passing establishment. the half-imper-
sonal curiosity that had previously tinged
their relationship. was cast aside, never to
be reassumed. In each. the other saw HIM
self-and something more.
AS usual, Loder was the first to recover
himself.
II was expecting YOU" he said Wont
you come in?
words of the night before, but his voice
had different ring; just as his face. when
he drew back into the room, had a different
expressions suggestion of decision and
energy that had been lacking before. Chill
cote caught the difference as he crossed the
Threshold and for bare second d flicker
of something like jealousy touched him. But
the sensation was fleeing.
II have to thank you" he said. holding
out his hand. He was too well bred to
show by a hint that he understood the
drop in the others principles. But Loder
broke down the artifice.
Lets be straight with each other. since
everybody else has to be deceived, he said.
taking the others hand. You have nothing
to thank me for, and you know it. It's a
touch of the old Adam. You tempted me.
and fell. He laughed. but below the laugh
ran a note of something like triumph-the
curious triumph of man who has known
the tyranny of strength and suddenly APP
preciates the freedom of a weakness.
You fully realize the thing you have pro-
posed?' he added. in a different tone. Its
not too late to retract, even now.
Chilcote opened his lips, paused, then
laughed in imitation OF his companion; but
the laugh sounded forced.
my dear fellow he said at last, Il
never retract."
sNayer7'