Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-02-28

He felt with instructive certainty that
a new chord had been struck; but a
man seldom acts on instructive certain
ties. If the exposure of his hands had
struck this fresh note, then any added
action would but heighten the dilemma.
He sat silent and motionless.
Whether his %impassivity had any
bearing on the moment he had NJ way
Of knowing; but no further movement
came from behind the partition. What
eyer the emotions that had caused the
sharp swish of skirts and the sharp
scrape of the chair, they had evidently
subsidized or been dominated by other
feelings.
The next indication Of life that came
to him was the laying down of the
crystal ball. 1t was laid back upon the
table with a slight jerk that indicated
a decision come to; and almost stimuli
taneously the seer's voice came to him
again. Her tone was lower now than
it had been before, and its extreme
ease seemed slightly shaken-whether
by excitement, surprise or curiosity it
was impossible to say.
"You will think it strange" she be-
gan. "You will think"- Then she
stopped.
There was a pause, as though she
waited for some help, but Loder re-
NAMED mute. In difficulty a silent
tongue and a cool head are usually
mans best weapons.
His silence was disconcerting. He
heard her stir again.
you will think it strange" she be-
gan once more. Then quite suddenly
she checked and controlled her voice.
"You must forgive me for what 1 am
going to say" she added in a COM
pletely different tone, "but crystal gaz-
ing is such an Elusive thing. Directly
| you put your hands upon the table I
felt that there would be no result, but
I wouldn't admit the defeat. Women
are such keen anglers that they can
never acknowledge that any fish, how
ever big, has slipped the hook She
laughed softly.
At the sound of the laugh Loder shift
ed his position for the first time. He
could not have told why, but it struck
him with a slight sense of confusion.
A p%reclpitate wish to rise and pass
through the doorway into the wider
spaces Of the conservatory came to
him, though he made no attempt to act
upon it. He Knew that, for some mex
plicable reason, this oma behind the
screen had lied to HMM the CONTROL
ing Of her speech, in her change Of
voice. There had been one moment in
which an impulse or an emotion had al
most found voice; then training, in
stinct, OF 1t might have been diplomacy,
had conquered, and the moment had
passed. There was a riddle in the very
atmosphere of the place-and he abom-
mated riddles.
But Lady Astrupp was absorbed in
her W concerns. Again she changed
her position, and to Loder, listening
attentively. it seemed that she leaned
forward and examined his hands
afresh. The sensation was so acute
that he withdrew them ~involuntarily.
Again there was a confused rustic.
The crystal ball rolled from the table.
and the seer laughed quickly. Obeying
a strenuous impulse, Loder rose.
He had no definite notion Of what he
expected or what he must avoid. He
was only conscious that the pavilion,
with it's silk draperies, its scent Of
musk and its intolerable secrecy, was
no longer endurable. He felt cramped
and confused in mind and muscle. He
stood for a second to s%traighten his
limbs; then he turned and, moving di-
rectly forward, passed through the
portiere.
After the dimness Of the pavilion the
conservatory seemed comparatively
bright. but without waiting to grow
accustomed to the altered light he
moved onward with deliberate haste.
The long green alley was speedily
traversed. In his eyes it no longer
possessed greenness, no longer suggest
ed freshness or repose. 1t was simply
a means to the end upon which his
mind was set.
AS he passed up the fight of steps he
drew his rings from his pocket and
slipped them on again. Then he step
ped into the glare Of the thronged cor
rddor.
Some one hailed him as he passed
through the crowd, but with Chilcote's
most absorbed ann he hurried on.
Through the door Of the supper room
he caught sight of B%lessington and
Eve, and then for the first time his
expression changed, and he turned d.
rectly toward them.
"Eve," he said, will you excuse me?
have a word to say to Blessington."
She glanced at him in momentary
surprise; then she smiled in her quiet,
self possessed way.
'Of course" she said. Eve been
wanting a chat with Millicent Cover,
but Bobby has required SO much enter
tanning She smiled again, this time
at Blessington, and moved away to-
ward Il pale girl in green who was
standing alone.
Instantly she had turned Loder took
Blessington's arm.
II know you're tremendously busy"