Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-01-24
stopped Some one was standing in its

For a moment he wondered II MS
fancy were playing him a trick. Then
his reason sprang to certainty with so
fierce a leap that for an instant his
| mind recoiled. For we more often
stand aghast at the strength of our
own feelings than before the enormify
Of our neighbor's actions.
rs that you, Chilcote?' he said below
his breath.
At the sound of his voice the other
wheeled round. eHellol" he said. 81
thought you were the ghost of some old
inhabitant | suppose / am very unex-
pected?"
Loder took the hand that he extended
and pressed the fingers unconsciously
The sight of this man was like the find-
ing of an oasis at the point where the
desert is sandiest, deadliest, most un-
bearable.
yes, you unexpected, he an
swered.
Chilcote looked at him, then looked
out into the court I'm done up" he
said. ..I'm right at the end Of the
tether.'' He laughed as he said it, but
in the dim light of the hall Loder
thought his face looked i'll and harassed
despite the flush that the excitement of
the meeting had brought to it. Taking
his arm, he drew him toward the stairs.
$50 the rope has run out, eh?" he
said, in imitation of the others tone.
But under the quiet of his manner his
own nerves were throbbing with the
peculiar alertness of anticipation, a
sudden sense of mastery over life that
lifted him above surroundings and
above persons-a sense of stature,
mental and physical from which he
surveyed the world. He felt as If fate
in the moment of utter darkness had
given him a sign.
AS they crossed the hall Chilcote
had drawn away and was already
mounting the stairs. And as Loder
followed it came sharply to his mind
that here. in the slipshod freedom of a
door that was always open and stairs
that were innocent of covering, lay his
companion's real niche-unrecogn
in outward avowal, but acknowledged
by the inward, keener sense that mani
tests the individual.
In silence they mounted the stairs,
but on the first landing Chilcote
paused and looked back, surveying
Loder from the superior height of two
steps
81 did very well at first" he said II
did very well. | almost followed your
example for a week or so. I found
myself on a sort of pinnacle, and
clung on. But in the last ten days I've
I've rather lapsed."
sWhy?" Loder avoided looking at
his face. He kept his eyes fixed de-
terminedly on the spot where his own
hand gripped the banister.
"Why?" Chilcote repeated "Oh, the
prehistoric taIe-weakness stronger
than strength. "I'm-Fm sorry to
come down on You like this, but it's
the social side that bowls me over. It's
the social side s.ats't stick"
ssThe social side2 Eut thought
s'Doa't think. / never think; it en-,
tails such 4 constant upsetting of prin-
ciples and theories. We did arrange
for business only. but one can't set up
barriers. Society pushes itself every
where nowadays. into business most
of all. | don't want YOU for theater
parties or dinners. But a big reception
with d political favor is different A
man has to be seen at these things. He
needn't say anything or do anything,
!. f1, 3 J,1 fos ~ c.1,n
up
Loder raised his head. ''You must
explain he said abruptly.
Chilcote started slightly at the sud
den demand.
I'll suppose I'm rather irrelevant" "
he said quickly. 'Fact is, there's re-
ception at the Bramfells' tonight. You
know Blanche Bramfell- Viscountess
Bramfell, sister to Lillian Astrupp."
His words conveyed nothing to Loder,
but he did not consider that. All ex-
plantations were irksome to him and he
invariably chafed to be done with
them.
"And you've got to put in an appear
ance-for party reasons ?" Loder broke
in.
Chilcote showed relief. "Yes. Old
Fraide makes rather point of it-so
does Eve" He said the last words
carelessly; then, as if their sound re-
called something, his expression chang
ed. A touch of satirical amusement
touched his lips and he laughed.
by the way, Loder," he said, my
wife was actually tolerant of me for
nine or ten days after my return. /
thought your representation was to be
quite impersonal? I'm not jealous"
he laughed I'm not jealous, assure
you, but the burned child shouldn't
grow absentminded."
At his tone and his laugh Loder's
blood stirred. With sudden, unex-
pected impulse his hand tightened on
the banister, and, looking up, he caught
sight of the face above him-his own
face it seemed, alighted with malicious