The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-07
She shook her head.

A
capable OF everything I forgot to reck-
on that when we draw largely upon
Fate she generally EFFORTS a crushing
interest.
First came the wish for your re-
with such men as Fraide-to feel the
stir Of emulation and competition-to
prove myself strong in the one career
l knew myself fitted for. For time
the second ambition overshadowed the
first, but the first was bound to reas-
| sert itself, and in a moment of egotism
/ conceived the notion of winning your
enthusiasm as well as your respect
Ewes face. alert and questioning.
suddenly paled as a doubt crossed her
mind.
''Then it was only-only to stand well
with me-
Il believed It was only the desire TO
stand well with you. I believed it IN
til the night Of my speech-if you can
credit anything so absurd. Then on that
night, as I came up the stairs to the
gallery and saw you standing there,
the blindness fell away, and 1 knew
that loved you" AS he said the last
words he released her hands and turn
ed aside, missing the quick wave OF
joy and color that crossed her face.
Il knew it, but it made no difference
I was only moved to a higher self giori-
fcation. l touched supremacy that
night. But as we drove home expert
enced the strangest coincidence of my
life. You remember the block in the
traffic at Piccadilly?"
Again Eve bent her head.
well, when looked out of the car
riage window to discover its cause the
first man 1 saw was-Chilcote."
Eve started slightly. This swift, IN
expected linking of Chilcotes name
with the most exalted moment of her
life stirred her unpleasantly. Some
glimmerins of Loder's intention in SO
linking it broke through the web of
disturbed and conflicting thoughts.
You saw him on that night"
Eyes, and the sight chilled me. It
was a big drop from supremacy to the
remembrance of-everything."
Involuntarily she put out her hand.
But Loder shook his head. mo- he
said: don't pity me! The sight of him
came just in time. had a reaction in
that moment, and, such as it was,
acted on it. I went to him next morn
ing and told him that the thing must
end. But then-even them shirked
being honest with myself I had meant
to tell him that it must end because I
had grown to love you, but my pride
rose up and tied my tongue. I could
not humiliate myself. l put the case
before him in another light 1t was q
tussle of wills. and won. but the vic
tory was not what 1t should have been.
That was proved today when he re-
turned to tell me of the loss OF this
telegram. 1t wasn't the fear that Lady
Astrupp had found It. It wasn't to
save the position that jumped at the
chance of coming back. 1t was to feel
the JOY Of living, the Joy Of seeing you.
il only for a day. For one second he
turned toward her; then as abruptly
he turned away again.
II was still thinking Of myself" he
said. II was still utterly self conferred
when I came to this room today and al
lowed you to talk to me, when 1 asked
you to see me tonight as we parted at
the club. shan't tell you the thoughts
that unconsciuosly were in my mind
when I asked that favor. You must
understand without explanation
II went to the theater with Lady As
trupp ostensibly to find how the land
lay In her direction-really to heighten
my self esteem. But there fate or the
power we call by that name was lying
in wait for me. ready to claim the first
interest in the portion OF life I had
dared to borrow" He did not glance
toward Eve as he had done in his pre-
vious pause. His whole manner SEEM
ed oppressed by the gravity Of what he
had still to say.
II doubt II q man has ever seen more
in half an hour than have tonight" he
said. I'm speaking of mental seeing.
of course. In this play, Other Mems
Shoes two men change identities-as
Chilcote and I have done-but In doing
SO they overlook one fact-the fact that
one OF them has wife! That's not my
way Of putting 1t. It's the way it was
put to me by one of Lady Astrupp's
party"
Again Eve looked up. The doubt and
question in her eyes had grown unmis-
takably. A he ceased to speak her
lips parted quickly.
John" she said, with sudden con-
viction, you're trying to say something
something that's terribly hard"
Without raising his head Loder an
swered her EYES," he answered, 1.-The
hardest thing a man ever said
His tone was short, almost brusque.
but to ears sharpened by instinct 1t
was eloquent. Without a word Eve
took step forward and standing quite
close to him, laid both hands on his
shoulders.
For a space they stood silent, she
with her face lifted, he with averted
eyes. Then very gently he raised his
hands and tried to unclasp her fingers.
There was scarcely any color visible in
his face, and by a curious effect OF
emotion it seemed that lines, never be-
fore noticeable, had formed about his
mouth.
What is tit" Eve asked apprehen-
sively. "What is it?
By a swift involuntary movement
she had frightened the pressure of her
fingers, and. without using force, 1t
was impossible for Loder to unloose