Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-24

XIV


cheap paper In q disguised hand: the con-
tents covered only half page Ioder read
1t slowly mentally articulating every word;
then he laid 1t down. and as he did so he
caught Ewes eye raised In concern Again
he saw something of his own feelings re-
fected in her face. and the shock braced
him; he picked up the letter, tearing 1t into
strips
II must go out" he said slowly. II
must go now-at once" His voice was
Ewes surprised. concerned eyes still
searched his ..Now-at once7" she re-
peated. "Now-wfthout breakfastg
I'm not hungry" He rose from his seat.
and, carrying the slips of paper across the
room, dropped them Int the fire. He did II.
not so much from caution, as from an i'm
peratiye wish to do something, to move, II
Ewes glance followed him. as 1t bad
news?' she asked. anxiously. 1t was I'M
like her to be insistent. but she was moved
to the impulse by the popularity of the
moment.
No he said shortly. 'It's-business.
This was written yesterday; should have
got it last night"
Her eyes widened But nobody does
business at eight in the morning" she
began, in establishment. then she suddenly
broke Off
Without apology or farewell, Loder had
left the fireplace and walked out of the
room.
He passed through the hall hurriedly.
picking up hat as he went; and, reaching
the pavement outside, he went straight for
ward until Grosvenor Square was left be-
hind; then he ran At the risk of reputa-
ton, at the loss of dignity. he ran until he
saw a cab. Hailing 1t. he sprang inside
and, as the cabman whipped up and the
horse responded to the call, he realized for
the first time the full Significance of what
had occurred.
Realization, like the need. for action, came
to him slowly, but when 1t came Ii was
with terrible iucidity. He did not swear
as he leaned back in his seat, mechanically
watching the stream OF men on their way
To business, the belated- cars of green pro-
dGce blocking the way between the Strand
and Covent Garden. He had no use for
oaths; his feelings lay deeper than mere
words. But his mouth was sternly set and
his eyes looked cold.
Outside the law courts he dismissed his
cab and walked forward to Clifford's Inn.
A, he passed through the familiar entrance
chill fell on him. In the clear, early light
1t seemed more than ever place of dead
hopes, dead enterprises, dead ambitions. In
the onward march of life 1t had been for
gotten. The very air had breath of un-
fulfllment.
He crossed the court rapidly, but his
mouth set itself afresh as he passed
through the doorway of his own house and
crossed the bare hail.
AS he mounted the well-known
stairs, he received his first indica-
the second-foor rooms At sight of him
the animal came forward, rubbed demon
stratiyely against his legs and with affee-
Tomato persistence. followed him upstairs.
Outside his door he paused On the
ground stood the usual morning can of
nilk-evidence that Chilcote was not yet
awake or that, like himself, he had no APP
petite for breakfast He smiled ironically
as the idea struck him, but it was smile
that stlfened rather than relaxed his lips.
Then he drew out the duplicate key he
always carried and, inserting it quietly,
opened the door. A close, unpleasant smell
greeted him as he entered the small pas
sage that divided the bed and sitting
rooms-a smell Of whisky mingiing with
the odor of stale smoke. With a quick
gesture he pushed open the bed room door;
then on the threshold he paused a look of
contempt and repulsion passing over his
face. gs.sfs.s sstaEs< !.
In his first glance he scarcely grasped the
details Of the scene, for the haif-drawn
curtains kept the light dim, but as his eyes
grew accustomed to the obscurty he gath
cred their significance.
The room had sleepiess, jaded air-the'
room that under his own occupation had
shown a rigid, almost monastic severity.
The plain dressing table was Uttered with
cigarette ends and marked with black and
tawny patches where the tobacco had been
left to burn itself out. On one corner of
the table a carafe of water and whisky
decanter rested one against the other, as il
for support, and at the other end an over
turned tumbler lay in a pool of liquid. The
whole effect was sickly and nauseating.
His glance turned inyoluntarily TO the bed,
and there halted.
On the hard, narrow mattress, from
which the sheets and blankets had fallen
in a disordered heap, lay Chiicote. He was
fully dressed in a shabby tweed suit of
Loder's; his collar was open, his lip and
chin unshaven; one hand was Imply grasp
ing the pillow, while the other hung out
over the side of the bed. His face pale
almost earthly in hue, might have been a
mask. save for the slight conyulsive spasms
that crossed 1t from time to time, and cor
responded with the faint, shivering starts
that passed at Intervals over his whole body.
To complete his repelient appearance lock
OF hair had fallen loose and lay black and
damp across his forehead.
Loder stood for a space shocked and SPELL
bound by the sight. Even In the CHASTITY
disarray, the likeness-the extraordinary.
sinister likeness that had become the pivot
upon which he himself revolved-struck him
like a blow. The man who lay there was
himself-bound to him by some subtle, in
applicable tie of similarity. AS the idea
touched him he turned aside and stepped
quickly to the dressing table: there, with
unnecessary energy. he flung back the cur
tains and threw the window wide: then
again he turned toward the bed. He had
one dominant impufse-to waken Chilcote
to be free of the repulsive. inert presence
that chilled him with personal a horror
Leaning over the bed, he caught the shout
der nearest to him and shook It. II was not
was rough.
At his first touch Chilcote made no re-
sponse-his brain. dulied by indulgence in
his vice, had become laggard In convey
ing sensations; but at last, the pressure
on his shoulder increased, his nervous sys-
tenn seemed suddenly to jar into conscious
ness A long shudder shook him. he half
lifted himself and then dropped back upon
the pillow.
.Ohr he exclaimed, In trembling breath
"Ohi" The sound seemed drawn from him
by compulsion.
Its uncanny tone chilled Loder anew.
Wake up, man. he said, suddenly
wake upi It's I-Loder. ;"
Again the other shuddered; then he
turned quickly and neryously. Loder?"
he said, doubtfully. sEoder?" Then his
face changed Good God!' he exclaimed,
what relieft
The words were SO intense. so spontane-
Gus and unexpected that Loder took step
back.
Chilcote laughed discordantly and lifted
a shaky hand to protect his eyes from the
light.
aIt's-sts all right, Loder! It's all right!
It's only that Il that l had a beastiy
dream But. for heavens sake. shut that
window. He shivered involuntar1iy and
pushed the lock OF damp hair from his fore
head with weak touch OF his old irrita-
bility.