Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-04-18

quietly. ItS a matter or necessity
He brought the word out with diff.
Guilty.
Chilcote glanced up. Necessity, he
repeated. How? Why?"
The reiteration reused Loder. BE
cause there was a great scene in the
house last night" he began hurriedly.
Because when you go back you'll find
that Scarborough has smashed up over
the assassination of Sir William Brice-
Field at Meshed and that you have
made your mark in a big speech. and
because Abruptly he stopped. The
thing he had come to say-the thing he
had meant to say-would not be said.
Either his tongue or his resolution fail
ed him, and for the instant he stood
as silent and almost as i'll at ease as
his companion. Then all at once i'll
spiration came to him, in the sugges-
ton of a wellnigh forgotten argument
by which he might influence Chilcote
and save his own self respect. Its all
over, Chilcote." he said more quietly.
ut has run itself out" And in a dozen
sentences he sketched the story of Lii
liam Astrupp. her past relations with
himself, her present suspicious. 1t was
not what he had meant to say; it was
not what he had come to say, but it
served the p%urpose-it saved him hui
initiation.
Chilcote listened to the last word.
Then, as the other finished, he dropped
nervously back into his chair. Good
heavens, man." he said, "why didn't
you tell me? Why didn't you warn me,
instead Of filling my mind with your
political position? Your political po-
sition!" He laughed %unsteadily. The
long spells of indulgence that had
weakened his already MANNED faculties
showed in the laugh, in the sudden
breaking of his voice. "You must do
something, Loder!v' he added nervously,
checking his amusement. "You must
do s%omething!"
Loder looked down at him. NO." he
said decisively. "It's your turn now.
It's you who've got to do something"
Chilcote's face turned a shade grayer.
II can't" he said below his breath.
Cant? oh, yes, you can. We can
all ~do-anything. It's not too late;
there's just sufficient time. Chilcote,"
he added suddenly. don't you see that
the thing has been madness all along
has been like playing with the most in
fernal explosives? You may thank
whatever you have faith in that no
body has been smashed up! You are
going back. Do you understand me?
You are going back-now, today, be-
fore it's too late" There was a great
change in Loder; his strong, imper-
turbable face was stirred; he was
moved in both voice and manner
Time after time he repeated his injunc-
ton, reasoning, eXpostulating, insist
ing. 1t almost seemed that he fought
some strenuous invisible force rather
than the shattered a before him.
Chilcote moved %nervously in his seat.
1t was the first real clash of personali-
ties. He felt i~t-recogniZed it by in.
stinct. The ens of domination had
fallen III him; he knew himself i'm.
! potent in the others hands. What.
ever he might attempt in moments OF
solitude he possessed no voice in pres
ence of this %inyincible second self
For awhile he struggled-he did not
fight, he struggled to resist-then, lift
ing his eyes, he met Loder's. "AnG
what will you do?" he said weakly.
Loder returned his questioning gaze
but almost Immediately he turned
aside. ~" he said. "Oh, 1 shall Leave
! London"