The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-23

| ing back his chair
'Iush. man. You don't know what
I you say. The fact of your being mar
ried bars it. Can't you see that:''
1 Again Chilcote caught his arm.
i You misunderstood he said. ssYou
| mistake the position. l tell you my
wife and | are nothing to each other
! She goes her way: | go mine. We
i have our own friends, our own rooms
| Marriage, actual marriage. doesn't
enter the question. We meet occasion
/ ally at meals and at other people
/ houses; sometimes we go out together
/ for the sake of appearances; beyond
/ that, nothing. If you take up my life
/ nobody in it viii trouble you less than
| Eve-I can promise that" He laugh
| ed unsteadiiy.
/ Loder's face remained unmoved
Even granting that" he said, 1.-The
| thing is still impossible
| "Why:'
There is the house The position
| there would be untenable 4 man is
known there as he is known in his
| own club He drew away from Chill
cote's touch.
Very possibly. Very possibly
Chilcote laughed quickly and excitedly
But what club is without its eccentric
member | am glad you spoke Of that.
/ am glad you raised that point. 1t
was a long time ago that l hit upon a
reputation for moods as shield for
for other things, and the more useful
it has become the more l have let it
grow. l tell you you might go down to
the boJISn fornorrOw and Snpnd tho
whole day without speaking to, even
nodding to. single man, and as long
as you were to outward appearances
no one would raise an eyebrow In
the same way you might vote in my
place, ask a question, make a speech
if you wanted to-
At the word speech Loder turned in
voluntarily. For a fleeing second the
GOODNESS of his manner dropped and
his face changed.
ChiIcote, with his nervous quickness
of perception, saw the alteration, and a
new look crossed his own face.
"Why not?" he said quickly. You
once had ambit> in that direction.
Why not renew the ambitions?'
and drop back from the mountains
into the gutter?" Loder smiled and
slowly shook his head.
Better to live for one day than to
exist sfor a hundredv' Chilcote's voice
trembled with anxiety. For the third
time he extended his hand and touched
the other.
This time Loder did not shake off the
OBTAINING hand. He scarcely seemed to
feel its pressure.
Look here Chilcote's fingers tight
ened. "a little while ago you talked of
influence. Here you can step into a
position built by influence. You might
do all you once hoped to do
Loder suddenly lifted his head. cab
surd," he said. absurd. Such a scheme
was never carried through"
Precisely why it will succeed. Peo-
pie never suspect until they have a
precedent Will you consider it? At
least consider it. Remember, if there
is a risk it is 1 who am running it. On
your own showing you have no position
to jeopardiZe."
The other laughed CURLY.
Before l go tonight will you promise
me to consider it?''
No"
''Then you will send me your decision
by wire tomorrow. 1 won't take your
answer now
Loder freed his arm abruptly. "Why
not?' he asked.
Chilcote smiled nervously. Because
/ know men and mems temptations.
We are all very strong till the quick is
touched. Then we all vince. It's
morphia with one man, ambitions with
another In each case it's only mat
ter of sooner or later" He laughed in
his satirical, unstrung way and held
out his hand You have my address,
he said EAU revoir''
Loder pressed the hand and dropped
it. "Goodby," he said meaningly. Then
he crossed the room quietly and held
the door open. ''Goodby," he said again
as the other passed him.
AS he crossed the threshold Chilcote
paused. Eau revoir," he corrected,
with emphasis.
Until the last echo of his visitors
steps had died away Loder stood with
his hand on the door. Then closing it
quietly he turned and looked around
the room. For considerable space he
stood there as if weighing the merits of
each object. Then very slowly he NOV
ed to one of the bookshelves, drew out
Mays parliamentary Practice" and,
carrying it to the desk, readjusted the
lamp.