Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-04

v.
For the space of a minute there was 81
Ience IN the room, then outside In the still
night three clocks simultaneously chimed
IL and their announcement was taken up
and echoed by half dozen Others loud
and faint. hoarse and resonant; for all
through the hours of darkness the neigh
borhood OF Fleet street is alive with chimes.
Chilcote. startled by the jangle. rose from
his seat; then. as II driven by an uncontroi-
liable impulse. he spoke again
You probably think 1 am mad" he be-
gan.
Loder took his pipe out OF his mouth. L
am not presumptious.'' he said quietly.
For a space the other eyed him silently,
as II trying to gauge his thoughts: then
once more he broke into speech.
Look here" he said. Il came tonight to
make d proposition. When l have made it
you'll first Of all jeer at it-as Jeered when
l made 1t to myself: then you'll see its pos
sibilIties-as l did; then" he paused end
glanced round the room nervousIy-"then
you'll accept it-as I did" In the uneasy
haste OF his speech his words broke of al
most unintelligibly.
tort, but Chilcote put up his hand. His face
set with the obstinate determination
that weak men sometimes exhibit.
Before 1 begin I want to say that am
not uTuhh-tDdt am neitneI mad nor
drunk He looked fully at his companion
with his restless glance. L am quite sane
quite reasonable"
Again Loder essayed to speak, but again
he put UP his hand
mo. Hear me out. You told me some
thing OF your story. I'll tell you something
of mine. You'll be the first person, man or
woman. that I have conflded in for ten
years. You say you have been treated
shabbily. l have treated myself shabbily-
which is harder to reconcile. 1 had every
chance-and chucked every chance away"
There was a strained pause, then again
Loder lifted his head
MorphiaY he said very quietly.
Chilcote wheeled round with scared ges-
ture. How did you know THAR he asked
sharply.
The other smiled TT wasn't guessing-it
wasn't even deduction You told me, or as
good as told me, in the fog-when we talked
OF Lexington. You were unstrung that night
and well. perhaps one gets over-observ-
ant from living alone" He smiled again.
Chilcote collapsed into his former seat
and passed his handkerchief across his fore
head.
Loder watched him for a space; then he
spoke. Why don't YOU pull up he said.
you are young man still Why don't you
drop the thing before 1t gets too later His
race was unsympathetic, and below the
question in his voice lay a note of hard
ness.
Chilcote returned his glance The sug-
gestion OF reproof had accentuatd his pallor
Under MS excitement he looked Ill and
worn.
You might talk till doomsday. but every
word would be wasted" he said, irritably.
I'm past praying for. by something like six
years"
Then why come here?" Loder was pull
Ing hard on his pipe. I'm not a dealer In
sympathy"
Il don't require sympathy" Chilcote rose
again He was still agitated but the agi
tation was gutter II want q much more
expensive thing than sympathy-and l am
willing to pay for it,
The other turned and looked at him IT
have no possession In the world that would
be worth fver to you" he said coldiy
You're either under a delusion or you re
wasting my time"
ChiIcote laughed nervously. Wait" he
said. Walt L only ask you to wait
First let me sketch you my position-it
won't take many words:
My grandfather was Chilcote of West
moreland; he was one OF the first OF his
day anu his class to recognize that there
was future In trade, so, breaking his own
little twiS from the family tree, he went
south to Wark and entered a shIp-owuing
firm. In thirty years time he died. the
owner OF one OF the biggest trades In Eng
land. having married the daughter OF his
chief My father was twenty-four and
still at Oxford when he inherited. Almost
his first act was TO reverse my grand
fathers early move by going north and
pieciug together the family friendship. He
married his first cousin; and then, with the
CmlcOte prestige revived and the shipping
money to back 1t, he entered on his ambi
ton, which to represent East Wark
in the conservative interest. It was big
fight, but he wou-as much by personal In
fiuence as by any other. He was an arts
tocrat but he was keen business man as
we'll The combination carries weight with
your lower classes. He never did much in
the house. but he was a power to his party
IN Wark. They still use his name there to
conture with"
Loder leaned forward lnterestedly.
Robert Chilcote?" he said. ~ have
heard Of him. One Of those fine. unosten-
tatious fgures-strong In action. little
narrow In outlook, perhaps, but ESSENTIAL to
q cou7try's staying power. You have every
reaso5 TO he proud Of your father"
Chiicote laughed suddenly. How easily
we sum up. when a matter is impersonaI!
My father may have been fine figure. but