The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-04-25


as If for comfort and support and, feel
ing his fingers tighten round it, stood
for moment resting in the contact.
Il understand" she said at last very
slowly. Il understand. When will you
take me to him?''
For a moment Loder said nothing,
not daring to trust his voice. Then he
answered low and abruptly. "Nowv'
he said. "Now, at once! Now, this
moment, if may. And-and remem-
Der that I know what it costs you"
AS if imbued with fear that his cour-
age might fail him, he suddenly re-
leased her hand, and, crossing the room
to where long, dark cloak lay as she
| had thrown it on her return home, he
picked it up, walked to her side and
silently wrapped it about her. Then,
still acting automatically, he moved
to the door, opened it and stood aside
while she passed out into the corridor.
In complete silence they descended
the stairs and passed to the hall door.
| There Crapham, who had returned to
his duties since Loder's entrance, came
quickly forward with an offer of serv-
| Ice.
But Loder dismissed him CURLY, and.
with something of the confusion bred
Of Chilcote's regime, the man drew
back toward the staircase.
| With hasty movement Loder STEP
ped forward and opening the door
admitted breath of chill air. Then
on the threshold he paused. It was his
first sign of hesitation-the one instant
in which nature rebelled against the
conscience so tardily awakened. He
stood motionless for a moment, and it
is doubtful whether even Eve fully
fathomed the bitterness of his renun-
ciation-the blackness Of the night that
stretched before his eyes.
Behind him was everything; before
him nothing. The everything symbolic
ed by the luxurious house, the eagerly
attentive servants, the pleasant atmos-
phere Of responsibility; the nothing rep
resented by the broad public thorough
fare, the passing figures, each uncon-
| sclous of and uninterested in his exist
ence. AS an interloper he had entered
this house; as an interloper-a mas
querader-he had played his part, lived
his hour, proved himself; as an inter-
loper he was now passing back into the
dim world of unrealiZed hopes and I'M
achieved ambitions.
He stood rigidly quiet, his strong fig
ure silhouetted against the lighted hall,
his face cold and set; then, with a
| touch of fatality, chance cut short his
struggle.
An empty hanson wheeled around
the corner of the square. The cabman,
| seeing him, raised his whip in query,
and involuntarily he nodded an acqui-
| escence. A moment later he had helped
Eve into the cab.
Middle Temple lane," he directed,
pausing on the step.
middle Temple lane is opposite Cliff
ford's inn,'' he explained as he took his
place beside her. "When we get out
there we have only to cross Fleet
| street."
Eve bent her head in token that she
understood, and the cab moved out
into the roadway.
Within a few minutes the neighbor-
hood of Grosvenor square was exchang-
ed for the noisier and more crowded
one of Piccadilly, but either the cab
man was overcautious or the horse was
below the average, for they made but
slow progress through the more crowd
ed streets. To the two sitting In 81
lence the pace was we'll nigh unhear-
able. With every added movement the
tension grew. The methodical care
with which they moved seemed like
the Tightening Of a string already
strained to breaking point, yet neither
spoke, because neither had the courage
necessary, for the words =
Once or twice as they traversed the
Strand, Loder made a movement as if
to break the silence, but nothing fol-
lowed 1t. He continued to lean for
ward with a certain logged stiffness,
his clasped hands resting on the doors
of the cab, his eyes staring straight
ahead. Not once as they threaded their
way did he dare to glance at Eve,
though every movement, every stir of
her garments, was forced upon his
consciousness by his acutely awakened
senses.
When at last they drew up before
the dark archway of Middle Temple
lane he descended hastily, and as he
mechanically turned to protect Ewes
dress from the wheel he looked at her
fully for the first time since their en-
terprise had been undertaken. AS he
looked he felt his heart sink. He. had
expected to see the marks of suffering
on her face, but the expression he saw
suggested something more than mere
mental pain.
All the rich color that usually deep
ened and softened the charm of her
beauty had been erased as if by
long illness, and against the new pal
lor Of her skin her blue eyes, her
black hair and eyebrows seemed
startlingly dark. A chill colder than
remorse, chill that bordered upon
actual fear, touched Loder in that
moment. With the first impulsive