The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-04-04
) fellow, I went with him to the

b PR.I NC ET ON JT ~ ION:
the fellow, I went with him to the
stud
"But the telegram? Loder began.
Then again he checked himself. Yes
yes 7 understand" he added quietly.
I'm getting to the telegram! ], wish.
you wouldn't jar me with sudden ques-
tons. wasn't in the study more than
a minute more than five or six min
utes'- His voice became confused, the
strain Of the connected recital was tell
ing upon him. With nervous haste he
made rush for the end Of his story.
IT wasn't more. than seven or eight
minutes in the study; then, as I came
downstairs Crapham met me in the
hall. He told me that Lillian Astrupp
had called and wished to see me and
that he had shown her into the morn
ing ROOM
''The morning room?" Loder sudden
~ stepped back from the table. ."The
morning room? With your telegram
lying on the bureau?"
startled Chilcote. The blood rushed to
his face, then died out, leaving it ashen.
Don't do that, Loderv' he cried. "I-I
can't bear it,"
With an immense effort Loder con-
trolled himself. Sorry" he said. go
on!'
''I'm going on. tell you I'm going
on! got horrid shock when Crap
ham told me. Your story came clatter-
Ing through my mind. I knew Lillian
had come to see you. I knew there was
going to be scene''-
but the telegram! The telegram
Chilcote paid no heed to the Interrupt
ton. He was following his own train
OF ideas. II knew she had come to see
you. I knew there was going to be a
scene. When got to the morning room
my hand was shaking so that I could
scarcely turn the handle; then, as the
door opened, could have cried out
with relief. Eve was there as wellv'
"Eve?" %:s
Eyes. I don't think I was ever so
glad to see her in my life.'' He laughed
almost Historically. II was quite
civil to her, and she was-quite sweet
to me- Again he laughed.
Loder's lips frightened.
"You see, it saved the situation.
Even if Lillian wanted to be nasty,
she couldn't while Eve was there. We
talked for about ten minutes. We
were quite an amiable trio. Then Lii
liam told ME why she'd called. She
wanted me to make a fourth in "a
theater party at the Arcadian tonight,
and III was so pleased and so relieved
that I said yes!' He paused and
laughed again unsteadily.
In his. tense anxiety Loder ground
his heel into. the floor. go onv' he
said fercely "Go on!' ..-
"Don'ty Chilcote exclaimed. Pm
going on-I'm going on" He passed
his handkerchief across his lips. 1--WE
talked for ten minutes or so, and then
Lillian left. I went with her to the
hall door, but Crapham was there too
so was still safe. She laughed and
chatted and seemed in high spirits as
we crossed the hall, and she was still
smiling as she waved to me from her
motor. But then, Loder-then, as
stood in the hall, it all came to me
suddenly. I remembered that Lillian
must have been alone in the morning
room before Eve found her! remem-
bered the telegram! I ran back to
the room, meaning to question Eve as
10 how long Lillian had been alone,
but she had left the room. I ran, to
the bureau-but the telegram wasn't
there!'
"Gone?" ,-.
eyes, gone. That's why I've come
straight here"
For moment they confronted each
other. Then, moved by a sudden i'm
pulse, Loder pushed Chilcote aside
and crossed the room. An instant lat
er the opening and shutting of doors,
the hasty pulling out Of drawers and
moving Of boxes came from the bed
room.
Chilcote, shaken and nervous, stood
for minute where his companion had
left him. At last, impelled by curios-
ity, he too crossed the narrow passage
and entered the second room.
ITO BE CONTINUED