The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-12-31

sets 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 of your ringsf"
The very naturalness of the request
disarmed MIN. 1t was a risk. But. as
Chilcote had said, risk was the salt Of
life.
I'm afraid you think me very
troublesome The voice came again,
deicately low and conciliatory.
For a brief second Loder wondered
uncertainty how long or how we'll Chill
cote knew Lady Astrupp; then he dis
missed the question. Chilcote had
never mentioned her until tonight, and
then casually as Lady Bramfells sister
What a coward he was becoming IN
throwing the dice with fate! Without
further delay he drew of 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. a peculiar thing occurred.
From the farther side OF the dark
partition came the quick, rustllng 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 the 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 bitingly con-
scious of his hands spread open on the
table under the scrutiny Of eyes that
were invisible to him, wildly aware
of the awkwardness Of his position.
He felt with instructive certainty that
a new chord had been struck; but
man seldom acts on instructive certain
ties. II 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 impassivity 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
subsidized or been dominated by other
feelings.
The next indication of life that came
to him was the laying down Of the
crystal ball 1t was laid back upon the
table with a slight jerk that indicated
decision come to; and almost stimuli
taneously the seer's voice came to him
again Her tone was lower now than
it had been before, and its extreme
ease seemed slightly shaken-whether
by excitement. surprise or curiosity 1t
was impossible to say
You will think it strange" she be-
gan. You will think Then she
stopped
There was-a pause, as though she
waited for some help, but Loder re-
manned mute. In difficulty a silent
tongue and a cool head are usually
mans best weapons.
His silence was dIsconcerring. he
heard her stir again.
You will think it strange" she be-
gan once more. Then quite suddenly
she checked and controlled her voice.
"You must forgive me for what l am
going to say" she added in a COM
pletely different tone, but crystal gaZ-
ing is such an Elusive thing Directly
you put your hands upon the table 1
felt that there would be no result, but
1 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 time. He
could not have told why, but it struck
him with a slight sense of confusion
4 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 mex.
plicable reason, this woman behind the
screen had lied to HMM the controll-
/ ing of her speech, in her change OF
voice There had been one moment il
which an impulse or an emotion had al
NEST found voice; then training, in
stinct, or it might have been diplomacy
| had conquered, and the moment had
| passed. There was a riddle in the very
atmosphere Of the place-and he abom
| mated riddles.
But Lady Astrupp was absorbed IL
her own concerns. Again she changed
her position, and to Loder, listening
attentively, it seemed that she leaned
| forward and examined his hands
afresh. The sensation was so acute
that be withdrew them involuntarily
Again there was a confused rustic
The crystal ball rolled from the table
and the seer laughed quickly. Obe-~ns
strenuous impulse, Loder rose.
He had no definite notion of what ht