Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-03

tets up sympathy"-a slender hand moved swiftly Into the light and picked up the ball-"and makes my eyes see the pictures in your mind. Now, will you please take oft your ringsY'
 The very naturalness of the request 1isarmed hfm. It was a risk. But, as Chilcote had said, risk was the salt of life!
 "Tm afraid you think me very troublesome" The voice came again, delicately low and conciliatory.
 For brief second Loder wondered uncertainty how long or how well Chil- cote knew Lady Astrupp; then he dis missed the question. Chilcote had never mentioned her until tonight, and then casually as Lady Bramfell's sister. What coward he was becoming in throwing the dice with fate! Without further delay he drew off the rings. slipped them into his pocket and re- placed his hands on the smooth table top.
 Then, at the moment that he replaced them, peculiar thing occurred.
 From the farther side of the dark partition came the quick, rustling stir of a skirt and the slight scrape of a chair pushed either backward or for ward. Then there was silence.
 Now, silence can suggest anything from profound thought to imbecility, but in this case its suggestion was nil. That something had happened, that some change had taken place, was as patent to Loder as the darkness of the curtain or tie band of light that crossed the floor, but what had occasioned 1t, or what it stood for, he made no at- tempt to decide. He sat bltingly con scious of his hands spread open on the table under the scrutiny of eyes that were invisible to him, vividly aware of the awkwardness of his position. He felt with instinctive certainty that a new chord had been struck; but a man seldom acts on instinctive certain ties. If the exposure of his hands had struck this fresh note, then any added action would but heighten the dilemma. He sat silent and motionless.
 Whether his impasslvity had any bearing on the moment he had no way of knowing: but no further movement came from behind the partition. What ever the emotions that had caused the sharp swish of skirts and the sharp scrape of the chair. they had evidently subslded or been dominated by other feelings
 The next indication of life that came to him was the laying down of the crystal ball. It was laid back upon the table with a slight jerk that indicated . decision come to; and almost simul taneously the seer's voice came to him again. Her tone was lower now than 1t had been before, and It's extreme ease seemed slightly shaken whether by excitement, surprise or curiosity 1t was impossible to say.
 You will think 1t strange" she be- gan. You will think Then she stopped.
 There was a pause, as though she waited for some help, but Loder re- mained mute. In difficulty silent tongue and cool head are usually haan,s houf waanons
 His silence was disconcerting. He heard her stir again.
 You will think it strange" she be- gan once more. Then quite suddenly she checked and controlled her ,sice. You must forgive me for what I am going to say" she added in con- pletely different tone, but crystal gag ing is such an illusive thing. Directly you put your hands upon the table I felt that there would be no result, but I wouldn't admit the defeat. Women are such keen anglers that they can never acknowledge that any fish, how ever big, has slipped the hook" She laughed softly.
 At the sound of the laugh Loder shift ed his position for the first tune. He could not have told why, but 1t struck him with slight sense of confusion. A precipitate wish to rise and pass through the doorway into the wider spaces of the conservatory came to him, though he made no attempt to act upon it. He knew that, for some inex- plicable reason, this woman behind the screen had lied to him-in the controll- ing of her speech, in her change of voice. There had been one moment in which an impulse or an emotion had al- most found voice; then training. in- stInct. or it might have baen diplomicy, had conquered, and the moment had passed. There was riddle in the very atmosphere of the place-and he abom- hated riddles.
 But Lady Astrupp was absorbed in her own concerns. Again she changed her position. and to Loder, listening it seemed that she leaned forward and examined his hands afresh. The sensation was so acute that he withdrew them involuntarily.
 Again there was confused rustic. The crystal ball rolled from the table. and the seer laughed quickly. 0beying Q strenuous impulse. Loder rose.
 He had no definite notion of what he expected or what he must avoid. He was only conscious that the pavilion. with Its silk draperies. its scent of