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

But Loder did not leave London. And
| the hour of on the day following his dis
missal OF Chilcote found him again IN his
| sitting room.
/ He sat at the center table surrounded by
| a cloud of smoke; a pipe was between his
lips and the MORNINGS newspapers lay in
| a heap beside his elbow. To the student
| of humanity his attitude was Intensely in
| teresting. 1t was the attitude of man
| trammelled by the knowledge of his
| strength. Before him. as he sat smoking,
stretched future OF absolute nothingness.
i and toward this blank future one portion
/ of his consciousness struggling and as
/ yet scarcely sentient portion-pushed him
| inevitably: while another-a vigorous, per-
sistent, human portion-cried to him to
| pause So actual, SO clamorous was this
| silent mental combat that had ragged un-
| ceasingiy since the moment of his renun-
citation that at last In physical response to
| 1t he pushed back his chair.
| It's too later he said, aloud. I'm a
| fool. It's too later
! Then abruptly astonishingly, as though
| in direct response to his spoken thought,
/ the door opened and Chilcote walked into
| the room.
| Slowly Loder rose and stared at him.
! The feeling he acknowledged to himself
| was anger; but below the anger very
| different sensation ran riotously strong
/ And 1t was in time to this second feeling,
| this sudden, lawless joy, that his pulses
beat as he turned a cold face on the In
truder.
..Well?" he said, sternly.
But Chilcote was impervious to sternness.
| He was mentally shaken and distressed,
| though outwardly irreproachable, even to
| the violets in the lapel of his coat-the
violets that for a week past had been
brought each morning TO the door of Loder's
| rooms by Ewes maid. For one second. as
| Loder's eyes rested on the flowers, sting
| of ungovenable jealousy shot through him;
| then as suddenly 1t died away, superseded
| by another feeling-a feeling of new, spon-
| taneous joy. Worn by Chilcote or by HIM
| self, the flowers were a symbol
| "Well?" he said again. In gentler voice.
Chlcote had walked to the table and laid
| down his hat. His face was white and the
| muscles of his lips twitched neryously as
| he>drew off his gloves
| Thank heaven, you're here" he said.
shortly. Give me something to drink
In silence Loder brought out the whisky
! and set it on the table; then instinctively he
| turned aside. AS plainly as though he saw
| the action, he mentally figured Chileots's
| furtve glance, the furtive movement Of his
| fingers to his waistcoat pocket. the hasty
| dropping of the tabloids into the glass. For
| an instant the sense of his tacit connivance
came to him sharply; the next, he flung 1t
| from him. The human, inner voice was
whispering its old watchword. The strong
| man has no time to waste over his weaker
| brother,
| When he heard Chilcote lay down his
| tumbler he looked back again. well, what
| is it?'' he said What have you come
| for? he StrONe reS0luteiy 10 keep his
| voice severe, but, try as he might, he could
not quite subdue the eager force that lay
behind his words. Once again, as on the
night of their second interchange, life had
become a phoenix, rising to fresh existence
even while he sifted its ashes. "Well?' he
said, once again.
Chilcote had set down his glass. He was
nervously passing his handkerchief across
his lips. There was something in the gesture
that attracted Loder Looking at him more
attentively, he 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-that is, yes"
Loder moved around the table. Some
things gone wrong" he repeated. And
you've come to tell me-"
The tone unnerved Chilcote; he suddenly
dropped into chair Tit wasn't my
fault" he began. IL have had horri-
BILE timew
Loder's lips frightened "Yes," he said,
.'yes-I understand
The other glanced up with a CLEAN of his
old suspicion. Twas all my nerves,
Loder--"
.'Of course Yes, of course" Loders in
terruption curt.
Chilcote eyed him doubtfully. Then recol-
lection took the place of doubt, and
change passed over his expression. 1T
wasn't my fault" he began, hastily. "Oh,
ly. "On my soul, it wasn't 1t was Crap
hams beastiy fault for showing her into
the morning room
Loder kept silent His curiosity had
fared into sudden life at the others words,
but ne feared to break the shattered train
of thought even by word.
In the silence Chilcote moved uneasily
you see" he went on, at last, when l
was here with you II felt strong. II
He stopped.
Yes, yes. When you were here with me
you felt strong.
WILL 7 hnra TQlt
| could do the thing But when / went
home-when I went up to my rooms
Again he paused, passing his handkerchief
across his forehead
when you went up to your rooms?'
Loder strove hard to keep his control
ITO my room Oh, l forget about
that forget about the night" He
hesitated confusedly. ''All l remember is
the coming down to breakfast next morn
ing-this morning-at u O'clock
Loder turned to the table ear and poured
himself out some whisky. Yes he &C
ouiesced, in a very quiet voice.
At the word Chilcote rose from his seat
His dlsquietude was very evident oh.
there was breakfast on the table When
came down stairs-breakfast with flowers
and a horrible, dazzling glare OF SUM- 1t
was then. Loder as 1 stood and looked into
the room, that the impossibility Of 1t all
came to me-that L knew l couldn't STAND
it-couldn't go on
sense of overpowering curiosity held him
very STILL but he made no effort to prompt
his companion.
Again Chilcote shifted his position agi-
tatedly TT had to be DONE he said, dis
iointedly IT had to do it-then and there
The things were on the bureau-the pens
and ink and telegraph forms. They tempt
ed me-.
Loder laid down his glass suddenly. An
exclamation rose to his lips, but he CHECKED
1t.
At the slight sound of the tumbler touch
ing the table Chilcote turned; but there was
no -expresson on the others face to az
fright him.
They tempted me- he repeated, hastily.
..They seemed like magnets-they seemed to
draw me toward them. / sat ar the bu-
reau staring at them for long time; then
| a terrible compulsion seized me-something
| YOU could never Understandable caught
up the nearest pen and wrote just what
was in my mind. 1t wasn't a telegram,
| properly spealdng-it was more a letter. l
wanted you back and had to make my
| self plain. The writing of the message
seemed to steady me; the mere forming OF
| the words quoted my mind. was almost
| cool when I got up from the bureau and
pressed the bell
'.The bell?'
| .ryas rang for a servant I had to