Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-23

while his ideas sorted themselves and fell
into line. Sometimes he was silent for the
whole haif-hour. sometimes he commented
to himself as he scanned hss notes; but on
other and rarer occasions he talked, speak
Ing his thoughts and his theories aloud.
with the enjoyment OF a man who knows
himself fully in his depth while Eve slipped
her tea or stitched peacefully at a strip OF
embroidery.
On these occasions she made a perfect
listener, Here and there she encouraged
him with an intelligent remark. but she
never nteirupted- She knew when TO be
silent and when TO speak: when TO merge
her own individuality and when TO make u
felt. In these days OF stress and prepare
ton he came to her unconsciously for rest.
he treated her IS he might have treated n
younger brother-yelying on her discretion.
turning to her as by right for sympathy.
comprehension and friendship. Sometimes
as they sat silent in the richly colored,
homehke room Eve would pause over her
embroidery and let her thought spin mo-
mentarily forward-spin toward the point
where the brunt OF his ordeal passed. he
must of necessity seek something beyond
mere rest, but there her thoughts would
inevitably break on and tho blood flame
quickly into her cheek
Meanwhile Doder worked pcrsistenuy.
With each day that brought the crisis OF
Fraides scheme nearer his activity increas-
ed and with II an intensifying Of the ner-
vous strain For n he had his hours OF
exaltation no also had his hours OF black
apprehension. IL is all very well 10 eXor-
else a ghost by sheer strength of Will but
one has to eliminate the idea that gave II
existence. Lillian Astrupp, with her unat-
tested evidence and her ephemeral interest,
gaze him no real uneasiness; bat Chilcote
and Chiicotes possible summons were mat
tiers of graver consideration. and there
were times when they doomed very dark
and sinister. What IL at the very moment
of fulhllinent-7 But invariably he
snapped the thread OF the supposition and
turned with Harcar ardor his wrfrk of
preparation.
And so the last morning OF his probation
dawned, and for the first time he breathed
freely.
witness his great effort and dressed slowly.
1t was splendid morning; the spirit of tho
spring seemed embodied In the air, in the
pale-blue sky. IN the shafts OF cool sun
shine that danced from the mirror to the
dressing table. from the dressing table 90
the pictures on tie walls Of Chlicote's vast
room. 1Dconsequently with Its dancing
rose memory of the distant pasta mem
Dry of long forgotten days when, as child.
he had been hidden to watch the same sun
perform the same fanastic evolutions. me
sight and the thought stirred him curiously
with an unlooked-for sense OF youth. he
drew himself together with an added touch
of decision as he passed out into the corri-
DOR and a. he walked down stairs he
whistled bar or two Of an inspiriting
tune
In the morning room Evo was already
waiting. She looked up coiored and smiled
as he entered. Her face looked very fresh
and young ana she wore a gown OF the
same pale blue that she had worn on his
first coming.
She looked up from an open letter as he
came into the room and the sun that fell
through the window caught her in a shaft
of light. .ntensifying her blue eyes. her
blue gown and the bunch of vioiets fasten-
ed in her belt. To Lodsr, still under the
influence of early memories. she seemed
the embodiment of some youthful ideal
something lost sought for and found again.
Realization of his feeling for her almost
came to him he stood there looking at
her. It lowered about him; IL tipped him,
as II were, with its wings; then IL roso
again and scared away. Men like him
men keen to grasp an opening where their
careers are concerned and tenacious to hold
1t when once gTasped-are frequently the
last TO look into their own hearts He
glanced at Eve. he ACKNOWLEDGED the stir
OF HIS feeling, but he made no attempt to
define its cause. He could no moro have
given reason for his sensation than he
could have told the precise date upon
which, coming down stairs at s o'clock, he
had first found her waiting breakfast for
him. The time when all such Incidents
were to stand out. each to nicely I'm its
appointed place, had not yet arrived For
the moment his youth had returned to him;
he possessed the knowledge OF work DONE
the sense of present companionship In a
world of agreeable things; above all, the
steady, quiet conviction of his own capacity
All these things came TO him in the moment
OF his entering the room, greeting Eve and
passing to the breakfast table; then, while
his eyes still rested contentedly on the
pleasant array Of china and silver. while
his senses were still alive to the fresh,
earthly scent of Ewes violets the blow so
long dreaded--Bo slow in coming-fell with
accumulated force.
(To be continued tomorrow.