The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-03-14

he insisted desperately.
She held out the case. Here are
your cigarettes. You know were al
ways more social when we smoke
In the short interval while she looked
up into his face several ideas passed
through Loder's mind. He thought Of
standing up suddenly and so regaining
his advantage. He wondered quickly
whether one hand could possibly suf-
flee for the taking out and lighting Of
two cigarettes. Then all need for
speculation was pushed suddenly aside.
Lillian, looking into his face, saw his
fresh look of disturbance, and from
long experience again changed her tao
tics. Laying the cigarette case on the
eouch, she put one hand on his shoulder,
the other on his left arm. Hundreds Of
times this caressing touch had quieted
Chilcote.
''Dear old boy!" she said soothingly
her hand moving slowly down his arm.
In flash Of understanding the con-
sequences Of this position came to him.
Action was imperative, at whatever
risk. With an abrupt gesture he rose.
The movement was awkward. He
got to his feet precipitately. Lillian
drew back, surprised and startled,
catching involuntarily at his left hand
to steady her position.
Her fingers grasped at, then held his.
He made no effort to release them.
With a logged acknowledgement he adj
mitted himself WOrsted.
How long she stayed immovable,
holding his hand, neither of them knew.
The process Of woman's instinct is so
subtle, so obscure, that it would be
futile to apply it to the commonplace
test of time. She kept her hold tenaci-
ously, as though his fingers possessed
some peculiar virtue Then at last she
spoke.
"Rings, Jack?" she said very slowly.
And under the two short words whole
world Of incredulity and surmise made
itself felt.
Loder laughed
At the sound she dropped his hand
and rose from her knees. What her
suspicious, what her instincts We're she
could not have clearly defined, but her
action was unhesita" lg. Without a
moments uncertainty she turned to the
fireplace, pressed the electric button
and flooded the room with light.
There is no force so demoralizing as
unexpected light. Loder took a step
backward, his hand hanging unguard-
ed by his side, and Lillian, stepping
forward, caught it again before he
could protest. Lifting it quickly, she
looked scrutinizingly at the two rings.
All women jump to conclusions, and
it is extraordinary how seldom they
jump short Seeing only what Lillian
saw, knowing only what she knew, no
man would have staked definite opin-
ion, but the other sex takes a different
view. AS she stood gazing at the rings
her thoughts and her conclusions sped
through her mind like arrows-all aim
ed and all tending toward one point.
She remembered the day when she and
Chilcote had talked of doubles, her
skepticism and his vehement defense
of the idea, his sudden interest in the
book "Other Mems Shoes" and his
anathema against life and it's irksome
round of duties. She remembered her
own first convinced recognition of the
eyes that had looked at her in the door
way of her sisters house, and, last of
all, she remembered Chilcote's unac-
countable avoidance Of the same sub
ject of likenesses when she had men
toned it yesterday driving through the
park, and with it his unnecessarily
curt reputation Of his former opin-
ions. She reviewed each item, then
she raised her head slowly and looked
at Loder.
He was prepared for the glance and
met it steadily. In the long moment
that her eyes searched his face it was
she and not he who changed color
She was the first to speak, "You were
the man whose hands saw in the
tent" she said. She made the state
ment in her usual soft tones, but a
slight tremor of excitement underran
her voice. Poodles, Persian kittens,
even crystal gazing balls, seemed very
far away in face of this tangible, fabu-
lous, present interest. "You are not
Jack Chilcote," she said very slowly.
"You are wearing his clothes and
speaking in his voice, but you are not
Jack Chilcote." He- tone quickened
with a touch Of excitement. "You
needn't keep silent and look at me-"
she said. Il know quite we'll what
am saying, though don't understand
1t, though have no real proof She
paused, momentarily disconnected by
her companions silent and steady
gaze, and in the pause a curious and
unexpected thing occurred.
Loder laughed suddenly-a full, con-
fident, treasured laugh. All the web
that the past half hour had spun about
him, all the intolerable sense of an i'm
pending crash, lifted suddenly. He
saw his way clearly, and it was Lillian
who had opened his eyes.
Still looking at her, he smiled-a
smile Of reliant determination, such as
Chilcote had never worn in his life.
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