Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-13

uOWuSed1IS OTdpuuul mcl ulc III lAc hall. He told me that Lillian Astrupp had called and wished to see me and that he had shown her into the morn ing room"-
 The morning room?" Loder sudden ly stepped back from the table. 'The morning room? With your telegram lying on the bureau?"
 His sudden speech and movement startled Chilcote. The blood rushed to his face, then died out, leaving it ashen. Don't do that, Loderw he cried. 'T--I can't bear it!'
 With an immense effort Loder con. trolled himself. "Sorry," he said. GO onr'
 I'm going on. tell you I'm going on! I got a horrid shock when Crap ham told me. Your story came clatter- kng through my mind. I knew Lillian had come to see you. I knew there was going to be scene"-
 But the telegram! The telegram!'
 Chilcote paid no heed to the interrup- tion. He was following his own train of ideas. "I knew she had come to sec you. l knew there was going to be Q scene. When 1 got to the morning room my hand was shaking so that could scarcely turn the handle; then, as the door opened, I could have cried out with relief. Eve was there as wellr'
 "Eve?"
 "Yes. I don't think I was ever 50 glad to see her in my life" He laughed almost hysterically. T was quite civil to her, and she was-quite sweet to me- Again he laughed.
 Loder's lips frightened. us
 You see. 1t saved the situation. Even If Lillian wanted to be nasty, she couldn't while Eve was there. We talked for about ten minutes. We were quite an amiable trio. Then Lil- Han told me why she'd called. She wanted me to make a fourth In a theater party at the Arcadian tonight, and I-I was so pleased and so relieved that I said yesr' He paused and laughed again unsteadily.
 In his tense anxiety Loder ground his heel into the floor. GO onr' he said iercely. GO on!"
 "Don'tm Chilcote exclaimed. "Tm going on-rm going on." He passed his handkerchief across his lips. We talked for ten minutes or SO. and then Lillian left. I went with her to the hall door. but Crapham was there too 50 I was still safe She laughed and chatted and seemed in high spirits as we crossed the hall. and she was still smiling as she waved to me from her motor. But then, Loder-then, as 1 stood in the hail. 1t all came to me suddenly. I remembered that Lillian must have been alone in the morning room before Eve found her, I remem. bered the telegram! I ran back to the room. meaning to question Eve as to how long Lillian had been alone, but she had left the room. I ran to the bureau-but the telegram wasn't there-'
 ''Goney-
 "Yes. gone. That's why I've come straight here-
 For q moment they confronted each other. Then. moved by a sudden im- pulse. Ioder pushed Chilcote aside and crossed the room. An instant lat CT the opening and shutting of doors. the hasty pulling out of drawers and moving of boxes came from the bed room.
 Chilcote. shaken and nervous. stood for q minute where his companion had left him. At last. impelled by curios- ity, he too crossed the narrow passage and entered the second room
 The fuII Hxht streamed fn through the open ziadov. the keen spring afr blew freshly across the housetOps and on the window ali . band of srimy. Joyous sparroxs twittered and preened thenseiyes. In the middle of the room stood Loter. Ills cat vss of. and round hln co cain and 1ocr lay an amy of vsIsfroafs. f;ores and tia
 FOra space Chiicote seood tn the eoor. wsy stafins at hin. then hss Hps part cd and he tpok . sfep for~ard -Lcief.- ks said anx3ously, -Lceef. rkst are yOu z5,s to dsy
 Loder tu-1eS Hs skc1Iders vep stis. hls fscs aEgaf with enerxy. Tn eosrx back-- he sa;A -te unnvei the tane,e yos have Esde