The Red Cloud chief., 1907-01-25

u to all appearances, ordinary
enough, calling forth Ewes question
and his own reply as a natural Sc
quencc, yet in the pause that followed
it each was conscious of a jar, each
was aware that in some subtle way the
thread Of sympathy had been dropped.
though to one the cause was mex
plicable and to the other only too plain.
Lodcr watched the ghost OF his mes
sage grow whittier and thinner, then
dissolve into airy fragments and flutter
up the chimney. AS the last morsel
wavercd out Of sight he turned and
looked ut his companion.
you almost made me commit my.
self" he said. In the desire to hide
his feelings his one was short.
Eve returned his glance with a quiet
regard, but he scarcely saw it. lie had
n stupeiied sense of disaster, n feeling
of bitter self commiseration that for
the moment outweighed all other con
sidcrations. Almost at the moment of
Justification the good of life had crum
bled in his fingers, the soil given be-
meath his feet, and with an absence of
logic. n lack Of justice unusual i'm him,
he let resentment against Chilcote
sweep suddenly over his mind.
Eve, still watching him, saw the dark
cning of his expression and with a
quiet movement rose from her chair.
Lady Sarah has Il theater party to-
night, and | am dining with her. she
Cntf AsIt Is m a ftNT IiRnnfs en- /
must think about dressing. I'm sorry
you think | tried TO draw you into any
thing. | must have explained myself
badly She laughed Il little to cove
the slight discontinue that her tone
betrayed, and as she laughed she
moved across the room toward the
door.
LodCr. cnGrossed in the check to his
own schemes, incCnScd at the sudden
ncss Of Chilcote's recall and still more
inccnScd ut his w folly in not having
anticipated 1t. was obliviouS for the
moment of both her movement and
her words. Then quite abruptly they
obtrudcd themselves upon him, break
ing through his egotism with some
thing Of the sharpness of pain follow
ing Il blow. Turning quickly from the
fireplace, he faced the shadowy room
across which she had passed, but ST.
multancously with his turning she
gained the door.
The knowledge that she was gone
struck him with q sense Of double loss.
"Wait!' he called. suddenly moving
forward. Butsalmost at once he paus.
cd, chilled by the solitude of the room.
Eve" he said. using her name un
consciously FOR the first time.
But the corridor. as well as the room
was empty; he was too late. He stood
lrreSolute; then he laughed shortly
turned and passed back toward til,
| fireplace.
The blow had fallen. the inevitable
but TO take the fact with as good &
grace as possible. Chilcote's Telegram
had summoned him to Clifford's I'M
at Z o'clock. and it was now well OF
toward g.. He pulled out his watch
! Chilcote's watch. lie realized with {
touch Of grim humor as he stopped I,
examine the dial by the light OF The
fro-thcn, as IL the humor had verget
to another feeling. he stood straigh.
again and felt for the electric buttoI
in the wall. His fingers touched it
and simultaneously the room was
lighted.
The abrupt alteration from shadow
to light came almost as a shock. Til,
feminine arrangement of the tea tabl,
seemed incongruous beside the sobc
books and the desk laden with papers
-inconGruOus as his own presence IL
the place. The thought was unpleas
ant. and he turned aside as If TO avOiC
il, but at the movement his eyes fol
cn Chilcotc's cigarette box with IL
cleaning monogram, and the whim
steal suggestion of his first morning
rose again, The idea that the inani
mate objects in the room knew hin
for what he was, recognized the inter
lopCr whore human eyes saw the right
fni poss"asor, returned 10 his mind
Through all his disgust and ch1grin
smile forced itself to his lips, and
crossing the room for the second time
he passed into Chllcotc'S bedroom.
Thoro the massive furniture ar,
sombvr atmosphere fitted better wit
his mood than the energy ana actiO
which the study always suggested
Walking directly to the great bed, h
sat on it; side AMI for several minute
stared straight In front of him, appal
entity seeing nothing: then at last h
apathy pass ed from him. ms his pre-