Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-13
that his pulses beat as he turned cold face on the intruder.

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 "Welly' he said sternly.
 But Chilcote was impervious to stern ness He was mentally shaken and dis tressed, though outwardly irreproacha- ble, 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 Loders rooms by Eve's maid. For one second, as Loder's eyes rested on the flowers, sting of ungov- ernable jealousy shot through him; then as suddenly 1t died away, super seded by another feeling-a feeling of new, spontaneous joy. Worn by Chil- cote or by himself, the flowers were symboll
 "WellT he said again in a gentler voice.
 Chilcote 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 of 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 in stinctively he turned aside. As plainly as though he saw the action he men. tally figured Chilcote's furtive glance, the furtive movement of his fingers to his waistcoat pocket, the nasty drop ping of the tabloids into the glass. For an instant the sense of his tacit connivance came to him sharply; the next, he flung it from him. The hu. man, 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 strove resolutely to 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 phoeniJ, rising to fresh existence even while he sifted its ashes. "WellY' he said once again.
 Chilcote had set down his glass. He was nervously passing his handker- chief across his lips. There was some thing in the gesture that attracted Lo- der. Looking at 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 wrongv' he said, with abrupt intuition.
 Chilcote started. "Yes-no-that 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. '1t-it wasn't my faulty' he began. Fl have had horrible timew
 Loders lips frightened. "Yes," he said, 'yes, I understand"
 The other glanced up with a gleam of his old suspicion. Twas all my nerves, Loder"-
 "Of course. Yes. of course" Lo- ders interruption was curt.
 Chilcote eyed him doubtfully. Then | recollection took the place of doubt, ! and change passed over his expres. 1 sion. 'It wasn't my fault" he began hastily. "On my soul, 1t wasn't! It was Crapham's beastly fault for show | ing her into the morning room"-
 Loder kept silent. His curiosity had nared into sudden life at the others | words, but he feared to break the shat tered train of thought even by a word.
 In the silence Chllcote moved un- easily. You see," he went on at last, when I was here with you Fl felt strong. I-T'- He stopped.
 "Yes. yes. When you were here with me you felt strong"
 "Yes, that's It. While was here felt could do the thing. But when went home-when 1 went up to my Again he paused, passing his across his forehead.
 "when you went up to your roomsr Loder strove hard to keep his control.
 "To my room?- Oh. IT forget about that. I forget about the night He hesitated confusedly. All I re- tf4ember is the coming down to break last next morning-this morning at l2 o'clock
 Loder turned to the table and poured himself out some whisky. Yes" he acquiesced in very quiet voice.
 At the word Chilcote rose from his seat. His disquietude was very evi- dent. "Oh. there was breakfast on the table when I came downstairs-break- fast. with flowers and horrible. daz- zling glare of sun. It was then. Loder, as I stood and looked into the room, that the impossibility of it all came to me-that 1 knew 1 couldn't stand It. couldn't go on."
 Loder swallowed his whisky slowly. His sense of overpowering curiosity held him very still. but he made no effort to prompt his companion.
 Again Chilcote shifted his position lgitatedly. Tt had to be done." he said disjointeily. T had to do it-then md there. The things were on the bu- resu-the pens and ink and telegraph forms. They tempted me"
 Loder laid down his glass suddenly. An exclamation rose to his lips. but he it. At the slight sound of the trmbler f6uching the tatIe chilcOte turned. but