The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-03

thing in the gesture that attracted IsO-
der. Looking ut him more attentively.
he saw what his own feelings and the
others conventional dress had blinded
him to-the almost piteous panic and
excitement in his visitors eyes.
Something's gone wrong" he said.
with abrupt intuition.
Chilcote started "Yes-no-thnt Is,
yes" he stammered.
Loder moved around the table.
Something's gone wrong" he repeat
ed. land you've come to tell me-"
The tone unnerved Chilcote He sud
denly dropped into a chair. Tit
wasn't my faultr' he began. IL have
had horrible time,'
Loder's lips frightened. YES" he
said. yes. / understand
The other glanced up with a CLEAN
of his old suspicion. Twas all my
nerves. Loder"-
"Of course. Yes. of course" Lo-
der's interruption was curt.
ChiIeote eyed him doubtfully Then
recollection took the place of doubt.
and a change passed over his express
sion "It wasn't my fault" he began
hastily. "On my soul. it wasn't. 1t
was Crapham's beastly fault for show
Ing her into the morning ROOM
Ltader kept silent. His curiosity had
Jared into sudden life at the others
words, but he feared to break the shat
tered train of thought even by word.
In the silence Chileote moved I'M
easily You see," he went on at last.
when / was here with you IL felt
strong. II He stopped.
Eyes. yes. When you were here with
me you felt strong"
Yes, that's it. While / was here l
felt / could do the thing. But when
went home-when l went up to my
rooms Again he paused. passing his
across his forehead.
when you went up to your rooms?"
I.oder strove hard to keep his control.
ITO my room?- oh, II forget
about that. / forget about the night
He hestated confusedly. "Ali l re-
member is the coming down to break
fast next morning-this morning at
II o'clock
Loder turned to the table and poured
himself out some whisky. YES" he
acquiesced in a very quiet voice.
At the word Chilcote rose from his
seat. His disquietude was very evil
dent "Oh, there was breakfast on the
table when / came downstairs-break-
fast. with flowers and horrible, daZ-
zling glare Of sun. 1t was then, Loder,
as l stood and looked into the room,
that the impossibility Of 1t all came to
me-that 1 knew. couldn't stand it
go on"
Loder swallowed his whisky slowly.
His sense of overpoweriag curiosity
held him very still, but he made no
effort to prompt his companion.
Again Chilcote shifted his position
agitatedly. 1T had to be DONE" he
said disjointedly. Il had to do it-then
and there. The things were on the bu-
reau-the pens and ink and telegraph
forms. They tempted me-"
Loder laid down his glass suddenly.
An exclamation rose to his lips, but he
checked it.
At the slight sound Of the tumbler
touching the table Chilcote turned, but
there was no expression on the others
face to alright him.
"They tempted me-" he repeated has
lily '"They seemed like magnets; they
seemed to draw me toward them. 1
sat at the bureau staring at them for
long time Then a terrible compulsion
seized me-something you could never
I caught up the near
est pen and wrote just what was in my
mind. It wasn't a telegram, properly
speaking. 1t was more a letter. l
wanted you back, and / had to make
myself plain. The writing of the mes
sage seemed to steady me; the mere
forming of the words quoted my mind.
l was almost cool when I got up from
the bureau and pressed the bell''-
1.-The bell!''
CONTINUED Monday