Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-02-16

ton and looked from LOders face back
into the IRE.
He took a step forward. what
thingsT" he said. He was almost
ashamed OF the sudden, inordinate
satisfaction that welled mp at her
words.
"Oh. mustn't tell your She laughed
n little. "But YOU have surprised him"
she paused. slipped her tea. then looked
up again with change OF expression.
"John." she said more seriously.
"there is one point that sticks a little.
VIII this great change lastT" Her
voice was direct and even. wonder
fully direct for n woman. Loder
thought. IL came 20 him with a GER
tain force that beneath her remarkable
charm might possibly lie a remarkable
character II was not q possibility
that had occurred 70 him before. and
Il caused him to look at her a second
time. In the new light ne saw her
beauty differently, and it interested
him differently. Heretofore he had
been inclined TO class women under
three heads-idols. amusements and
membranes. Now IL crossed his
mind that n woman might possibly I'LL
another piace-the place Of a COM
panion.
You are very skeptical." he said.
still looking down az her.
She did not return his glance. ct
think have been made skeptical." she
said
AS she spoke the image OF Chilcote
shot through his mind - Chucote. -
Iitable. vicious. unstable-and a quick
compassion for this woman so inev-
itably shaclled 10 him followed it.
Eve. unconscious of what was pass
ing IN his mind. went on with her sub
Jet.
when we were married" she said
gently. Il had such "a great interest in
things. such a great belief in life /
had lived in politics. and 1 was marry
ing one OF the coming mcn-everybody
said you were one Of the coming men.
I scarcely felt there was anything left
10 ask for. You didn't make very ar
dent love" she smiled. "but / think
] had forgotten about love. ! wanted
nothing SO much as 90 bo like Lady
Sarah-married 10 a great man" She
paused. then went on more hurriedly:
For awhile things went right: then
slowly things went wrong You got
yOur-your nerves"
Loder changed his position with
something OF abruptness.
She misconstrued the action.
Please don't think I want 20 be
Il D.. 10 81. afT
don't I'm only trying 20 make you
understand why-why I lost heart"
Il think I know" Loder's voice broke
in involuntarily. Things got worse.
then stln worse. You found interior
cuce useless At last you ceased 10
have a husband"
Until week ago" She glanced up
quickly. Absorbed In her own feel
ings. she had seen nothing extraOr-
binary I'm his words.
But at hers Loder changed color.
Its the most incredible thing I'm the
world" she said Its quite incred-
! ible. and yet can't deny IL. Against
| all my reason. all my experience. all
! my inclination. I seem TO feel In the
| last week something OF what 1 felt at
first" She stopped with an embar-
raised laugh. 1T seems that. as III by
magic, life has been picked up where 1
dropped it six years ago" Again she
stopped and laughed
Loder was keeuiy uncomfortable, but
he could think of nothing TO say.
| 1t seemed 10 begin that night dined
with the Fraides." she went on. "Mr.
Fraide talked SO wisely and SO kindly
about SO many things He recalled all
we had hoped for In you. and-and he
blamed me "a little" She paused and
laid her cup aside. "IIc said that when
| people have made what they call their
| last effort they should always make Just
one effort more lie promised that IL
! could once persuade YOU 10 take an in
terest In your work he would do the
rest lie said all that and thousand
other kinder things. and 1 sat and lis
/ tened. But all the time / thought Of
nothing but their useiessness. Before
l left promised TO do my best. but my
1 thought was still the same. It was
stronger than ever when 1 forced my
/ self 10 come mp here She paused
I again and glanced az Loder's averted
/ head. But 1 came. and then. as IL by
/ conquering myself / had compelled a
reward, you seemed, you somehow
seemed different 1t sounds ridiculous,
| / know" Her voice was half amused.
half deprecating. 1T wasn't a differ
ence in your face. though | knew direct
~ that you were free from nerves"
Again she hcsitated over the word. 1T
was a difference in yourself, Ia the
things you said, more than in the way
you said them" Once more she paused
and laughed little.
/ LOder's discomfort grew.
"But it didn't AFFECT me then" She
/ spoke more slowly. Il wouldn't admit
il then. And the next day when we
talked on the terrace / still refused 10
admit Ii. though / felt il more strongly
than before. But l have watched you
since that day, and ] know there is a
change. Mr.. Fraide feels the same
and he is never mistaken. know it's
only nine or ten days, but I've hardly
seen you in the same mood for nine OF
! ten hours in the last three years" She