Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-03-02


the sudden sight OF Chi~--e had lifted
him To the skies: since Sen surprise
had assailed him in its strongest form;
be bad known the full meaning Of the
word risk" and from every contin-
gcncy he had come out conQueror. He
bent over the chair as he pulled IL for
ward TO hide the expression in his
eyes.
''Sit down" be said gently.
Eve moved towsrd him. She moved
slowly. AS II half afraid. Many emo
tons stirred ~her-distrust. uncertainty
and curious half dominant. half sup
pressed questioning that IL was difficult
10 dehne Loder remembered her
shrinking GOODNESS. her reluctant tOler-
ance on the night OF his first coming.
and his Individuality. his certainty Of
power. kindled afresh. Never had be
been so vehemently himself; never had
ChilcOte seemed SO complete a shadow
As Eve seated herself he moved for
ward and leaned over the back Of his
chair. The impulse that had filed him
In his interview with Renwick. that
had goaced him as he drove TO the re-
cepuon, was dominant again.
Il tried TO say something as we drove
to the Bramfells' tonight" be began.
Like many men who possess eloQuence
for an im9ersonal cause. he was
brusque. even blunt. In the stating Of
his own case. May bark back. and
80 on from where 1 broke onyr
Eve hair turned. Her face was still
puzzled and questioning. "Of course"
She sat forward again. clasping her
hands
lie looked thoughtfully at the back
Of her head. at tie slim outline OF her
shoulders, the glitter OF the diamonds
about her neck
"DO you remember the day. three
weeks ago. that we talked together 10
this room-the day great many things
seemed posi- Leg
This time She did not look round
She kept her caze upon the fire
do you remembers" he persisted
quietly. Ia his college days men who
heard that tone Of quiet persistence
had been wont 20 lose heart. Eve
heard II now for the first time and
without bciug aware. answered 10 IT,
"Ncs. I remember" she said.
con that day YOU believed In me-"
In ans earnesmcss he no longer simu
lated Chilcotc, hc spoke with his own
steady reliance. lie saw Eve STIR
unclasp and clasp her hands. bur be
went steadily on. ION that day you
saw me in new l-bt You acknowl
edged ne" He emphasized the slight.
" peculiar word. But since that
day'-his voice quickened-"since that
day your feelings have changed, your
faith In me has fallen away" lie
watched her closely. but she made nc
Sign, save 10 lean still nearer 20 the
IRE. He crossed his arms over the
back OF her chair You were justi
fed" he said suddenly. 1--WE not been
myself since that day" AS he said
the words his GOODNESS forsook him
slightly. He loathed the necessary lie
yet his egotism clamored for vindIca.
ton. "Ail men have their lapses." he
went on. There are times-there are
days and weeks when when my
The word nerves" touched his tongue,
hung upon il, then died away un.
spoken.
Very quietly. almost without
sound. Eve had risen and turned to.
ward him. She was standing very
straight. her face n little pale. the hand
that rested on the arm or her chair
trembling slightly.
John" she said quickly, don't say
that word! Don't say that hideous
word 'nervesr ] don't feel that / can
bear IL tonight-not Just tonight. Can
you understand2"
Loder stepped back. Without com
pretending. he felt suddenly and
strangely at loss. Something In her
face struck him silent and perplexed.
IL seemed that without preparation he
had stepped upon dangerous ground.
With an underlined apprehension. he
waited. looking at her.
Il can't explain It," she went on with
nervous haste. u can't give any rea-
sons, but quite suddenly the-the farce
has grown unbearable. / used not 10
think-uSed not even 10 care-but sud
denly things have changed-or / have
changed" She paused. confused and
distressed. why should IL be- Why
should things changer She asked the
question sharply. as II in appeal
against her own Incredibly.
Locer turned aside. He was afraid
OF the triumph. volcanic and irrepres-
sible. that her admission reused.
'WhyE" she said again.
He turned slowly back. "You forget
that I'm not a magician" he said
gently. u hardly know what you are
speaking off,
For a moment she was silent. out In
that moment her eyes spoke. Pain,
distress. pride. all strove for express
sion; then at last her lips parted.
"Do you say that in seriousness? p she
asked
II was no moment for fencing. and
Loder knew II. in seriousness" he
replied shortly.
Then ! shall speak seriously too"
Her voice shook slightly and the color
came back into her face. but the hand
on the arm of the chair ceased to trem-
lie. "For more than four years
have known that you take drugs-for
more than four years have acquiescsd
IN your receptions, In your mean