Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-28

came downstairs, Crnpham met me in the
! halt He told me that Lillian Astrupp had
he had shown her Into the morning room"
The morning rocr? Loder suddenly
| stepped back from the table. The morn
| ing room? With your telegram lying on
| the bureau?'
His sudden speech and movement STAR
tied Chi!cote. The blood rushed to his face,
then died out. leaving IT ashen. Don't do
| itr' "e eO '''' Oe"'
With an immense effort Loder controlled
| himself Sorry he said. Go onr'
Il m going on! / tell YOU I'm going on.
l got horrid shock when Crapham told
me- Your story came Gathering through
| my mind knew Lillian had come to see
YOU knew there was going to be q
but the telegram The telegram
chiicote paid no heed 10 the interruption,
He was following his own train OF IDEAS.
Il knew she had come to see you'll knew
| there was going to be scene When I
| got 10 the morning room my hand Wac
shaking so that could scarcely turn the
handle; then, as the door opened | could
as wellr'
Ever
Yes 1 don't think I was ever so glad
to see her in my life" He laughed almost
Historically. II was quite civIl 10 her. and
she was-quite sweet to me" Again he
Loder's lips frightened.
You see IT saved the situation. Even IL
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 Lillian told me why she'd
called She wanted me to make a fourth
ma IN theater party at the 'Arcadian' to.
lieved that 1 said yes," He paused and
laughed again unsteadily.
In, In ms tense anxiety, Loder ground his
heel into the noor. Go ont" he said,
Don't! Chilcote exclaimed I'm going
OIL m going on lie passed his handker-
chief across his lips. I'VE talked for ten
minutes or so, and then Lillian left I went
with her to the hall door but Crau,an, Was
there too-so l was stln safe She laughed
ana chatted and seemed In high suirlts an
we crossed the hall, and she was still smil-
ing as she waved to me from her motor.
But then, Loder-then. as l stood In the
man. IL all came TO me suddenly. / remem.
nered that Lillian must have been alone
Ia the morning room before Eve
found her! l remembered 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. / ran to the
pureau-but the telegram wasn't therer'
Gomez"
here" .
For moment they confronted each other
Ihen. moved by sudden impulse Loder.
pushed Chflcote aside and crossed the room
An instant later the opening and shutting
or doors, the hasty pulling out of drawers
ana moving or boxes, came from the bed
room.
Chilcote, shaken and nervous stood for
minute where his companion had left him.
at last, impelled by cudiosity. he too crossed
the narrow passage and entered the second
room.
The full light streamed In through the
open window; the keen spring air blew
IreshIy across the house tops; and on the
window sill band of grimy, Joyous SPAR
rows twittered and preened themselves In
the middle of the room stood Loder His
coat was off, and round him on chairs and
moor lay an array of waistcoats, gloves and
ties.
For space Chilcote stood in the door,
way staring at him; then his lips parted
and he took a step forward. "Loder-" he
said, anxiously. 'Loder, what are you go-
ing to do"
Loder turned. His shoulders were stiff
his face alight with energy I'm going
back. he said. ito unravel the tangle Won
have made"
(To be continued tomorrow)