The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-08

tive-the one thing 10 save US BOTH"
4 He stopped abruptly as he had be
gun, and a painful silence filed the
room. Then, as before, Eve moved in
sinctively toward him, but this time
her steps We're slow and uncertain
Nearing his side, she put out her hand
as If for comfort and support and, feel
ing his fingers tighten round il, stood
| for moment resting in the contact
II understand" she said at last very
slowly. Il understand. When will you
take me to him?'
For a moment Loder said nothing
not daring to trust his voice Then he
| answered low and abruptly. Now
he said. Now, at once. Now, this
moment, If l may. And-and remem-
Der that / know what it costs YOU
AS if imbued with fear that his cour-
age might fail him. he suddenly re-
| leased her hand, and, crossing the room
! to where a long, dark cloak lay as she
| had thrown it on her return home he
| picked it up, walked to her side and
| silently wrapped it about her. Then.
| still acting automatically, he moved
| to the door, opened it and stood aside
while she passed out into the corridor
In complete silence they descended
the stairs and passed to the hall door.
There Crapham, who had returned to
his duties since Loder's entrance, came
quickly forward with an offer of serv-
ice.
But Loder dismissed him CURLY, and,
with something of the confusion bred
Of Chilcote's regime, the man drew
back toward the staircase
With a hasty movement Loder step
ped forward and opening the door
admitted a breath of chill air. Then
on the threshold he paused. 1t was his
first sign of hesitation-the one instant
in which nature rebelled against the
conscience so tardiIy awakened. He
stood motionless for moment, and it
is doubtful whether even Eve fully
fathomed the bitterness of his renun-
ciation-the blackness of the night that
stretched before his eyes.
Behind him was everything; before
him nothing. The everything symbolic
ed by the luxurious house, the eagerly
attentive servants. the pleasant atmos-
phere of responsibility; the nothing rep
resented by the broad public thorough
fare, the passing figures, each uncon-
scious of and uninterested in his exist
ence. As an interloper he had entered
this house; as an interloper-a mas
querader-he had played his part, lived
his hour, proved himself; as an inter-
loper he was now passing back into the
dim world Of unrealized hopes and I'M
achieved ambitions
He stood rigidly quiet, his strong fig
ure silhouetted against the lighted hall,
his face cold and set; then, with a
touch of fatality, chance cut short his
struggle.
An empty hanson wheeled around
the corner Of the square. The cabman,
seeing him, raised his whip in query,
and involuntarily he nodded an acqui-
escence. A moment later he had helped
Eve into the cab.
Middle Temple lane,'' he directed,
pausing on the STEP
Middle Temple lane is opposite Cliff
ford's inn," he explained as he took his
place beside her when we get out
there we have only to cross Fleet
street"
Eve bent her head in token that she
understood. and the cab moved out
into the roadway.
Within a few minutes the neighbor-
hood of GroSvenor square was eXchang-
ed for the noiser and more crowded
one of Piccadilly, but either the cab |
man was overcautious or the horse was |
below the average, for they made but |
slow progress through the more crowd |
ed streets. To the two sitting in ST. |
lence the pace was well nigh unbear- |
able. With every added movement the |
tension grew. The methodical care |
with which they moved seemed like |
the Tightening of Il string already |
strained to breaking point, yet neither
spoke, because neither had the courage |
necessary for the words.
Once or twice as they traversed the
Strand. Loder made movement as if
to break the silence but nothing fol-
lowed it He continued to lean for
ward with a certain logged stiffness,
his clasped hands resting on the doors
Of the cab, his eyes staring straight |
ahead. Not once as they threaded their
way did he dare to glance at Eve,
though every movement every stir of
her garments, was forced upon his
by his acutely awakened |
senses
When at last they drew up before
he dark .archway of Middle Temple
ane he descended hastily, and as he
mechanically turned to protect Ewes
iress from the wheel he looked at her
ully for the first time since their en-
erprise had been undertaken. AS he
ooked he felt his heart sink. He had
to see the marks of suffering
N her face, but the expression he saw
something more than mere
mental pain.
All the rich color that usually deep
ned and softened the charm of her
'eauty had been erased as if by a
ong illness. and against the new pal
or of her skin her blue eyes, her
lack hair and eyebrows seemed |
tartlingly dark. A chill colder than
emorse, chill that boriered upon
ctual fear touched Loder in that
noment. With the first impulsive
GESTURE he had allowed himself, he
ouched her arm
Eve he began unsteadily. Then |
De word died off his lips
Without q sound almost without q |