Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-03

I control seemed shaken; his blood suryed
| his vision clouded. the sense that life and
love were stili within his reach filled Inn
Overwhelmingly. He turned toward Eve;
he half extended his hands. Then, stirred
| by what impulse. moved by what instinct.
| II was impossible to say. he let them drop
| to his sides again.
| Gomez he said. Come. This il tho
way. Keep close to me. Put your hand on
nay arm
| He spoke quietly but his eyes were reso-
lutely aperted from her face as they crossed
| the dim, silent court.
Entering the gloomy doorway that led to
| his own rooms, he felt her fingers trembe
| on his arm, then tighten In their pressure
as the bare passage and cherries stairs
met her view. but he set his lips.
Gomez" he repeated In the same strained
voice Comet 1t isn't far-three or four
| flights"
With white face and a curious express
sion In her eyes, Eve moved forward She
had released Loder's arm as they crossed
the hail. and now reaching the stairs. she
put out her hand gropingly and caught tho
banister. She had panied, numb sense OF
submission--or suffering that had sunk to
apathy. Moving forward without resistance
she began to mount the stairs.
The ascent was made In silence. I.oder
went first. his shoulders braced. hts head
held erect; Eve mechanically watchful OF
all his movements, followed a step or two
behind. With weary monotony one fight Of
stairs succeeded another; each, TO her un-
uSeuStolutu eyes seeming more COtOfieSs.
more solitary, more desOlate than the pre-
ceding one.
Then at last, with sinking sense Of APP
prehension. she realized that their goal
was reached.
The knowledge broke sharply through her
dulled senses, and, confronted by the close
ness or her ordeal, she paused her head
lifted, her hand still nervousIy grasplng the
banister. Her lips parted as IL IN sudden
demand for aid; but in the nervous expec-
tation, the panied apprehension, of the mo-
ment no sound escaped them. Loder, reso-
lutely crossing the landing. knew nothing
of the silent appeal.
For a second she stood hesitating: then
her own weakness. her own shrinking dis
may, We're submerged in the interest of his
movements. Slowly mounting the remains
ing steps, she followed him as IL fascinated
toward the door that showed dinghy con-
spicuous In the light OF an unshaded gas
jet.
Almost at the moment that she reached
his side he extended his hand toward the
door. The action was decisive and hurried,
as though he feared to trust himself
For space he fumbIed with the lock.
And Eve, standing close behind him heard
the handle creak and turn under his pres
sure. Then he shook the door.
AT last. slowly, almost reluctantly. he
turned round I'm afraid things aren't
quite-quite right" he said. in a low voice.
The door is locked and 1 can see no
light"
She raised her eyes quickly. but YOU
AdNC u htS ste whispered. haven
you got a key?" It was obvious that, to
both, the unexpected check to their de-
signs was fraught with danger.
Yes, but He looked toward the
door Yes-1 have a key. Yes you're
right?" he added, quickly. "IIl use IL,
Wait, while I go inside"
Filled with a new nervousness oppressed
by the loneliness, the silence about her.
Eve drew back obediently. The sense Of
mystery conveyed by the closed door
weighed upon her Her susceptibilities
were tensely alert as she watched Loder
search for his key and insert 1t In the lock.
With mingled dread and curiosity she saw
the door yield and cape open like a black
cash in the dngy wall; and with sudden
sense OF desertion she saw him pass through
the aperture and heard him strike match,
The wait that followed seemed extraordi-
naitly long. Listening intentiy, she heard
him move softly from one room to the other.
And at last, to her acutely nervous suscep-
ubilities, 1t seemed that he paused in alb
solute silence. In the intensity of listening,
she heard her own faint, irregular breath
ing, and the sound filed her with
panic. The quiet, the solitude, the
vague, instructive apprehension, became
suddenly uncomfortable. Then, all at once,
the tension was relieved, Loder reap-
peared.
He paused for second In the shadowy
doorway; then he turned unsteadily, drew
the door to and locked 1t.
Eve stepped forward. Her glimpse of him
had been momentary-and she had not
heard his voice-yet the consciousness of
his bearing filled her with instructive alarm.
Abruptly. and without reason, her hands
turned cold her heart began to beat vio-
lently. John" she said below her
breath.
For answer, he moved toward her His
face was bereft OF color; there was a look
of CONSERVATION In his eyes. Come" he
said. Come at oncei l must take you
home. He spoke in a shaken, uneven
voice.
Eve looking up at him, caught his hand
Why? Why?' she questioned. Her tone
was low and scared.
Without replying, he drew her impera-
lively toward the stairs. Go very softly"
he commanded. mo one must see you
here"
In the first moment she obeyed him in
stinctively; then, reaching the head of the
stairs she stopped. With one hand still
clasping his, the other clinging nervously
to the banister. she refused to descend.
John" she whispered, I'm not a child,
What is it? What has happened? T must
know"
For moment Loder looked at her uncer-
tainly; then, reading the expression in her
eyes, he yielded TO her demand
He's dead he said, in very low voice.
"Chilcote is dead
(To be concluded tomorrow