The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-01-10
The PRINCETON UNION THURSDAY. JANUARY TO- 1907.

| Again Loder laughed. ''I'm afraid
| scarcely agree The complications
would be slightly slightly he
| paused. q.
Chilcote's latent irritability broke
| out suddenly. Look here" he said.
this isn't a chatting matter. 1t NAV
be moonshine to you, but it's reality
to me-
! Again Loder took his face between
his hands.
Don't ridicule the idea. I'm in dead
earnest"
| Loder said nothing
'"Think-think it over before you re-
fuse"
For moment Loder remained mo-
tionless, then he rose suddenly, push
| Ing back his chair.
flush, man! You don't know what
you say. The fact of your being mar
ried bars it. Can't you see that?'
Again Chilcote caught his arm.
"You misunderstood" he said. "You
mistake the position. I tell you my
| wife and I are nothing to each other.
She goes her way; I go mine. We
have our own friends, our own rooms.
Marriage, actual marriage, doesn't
| enter the question. We meet OCCASION
| ally at meals and at other peoples
houses; sometimes we go out together
! for the sake of appearances; beyond
that, nothing. If you take up my life
| nobody in it will trouble you less than
ENx>D had r.
ed unsteadily.
Loder's face remained unmoved.
Even granting that he said, s'the
thing is still impossible" -
| "Why?"
'"There is the house. The position
there would be untenable. A man is
known there as he is known in his
own club" He drew away from Chill
! cote's touch -
every possibly. Very possibly
Chilcote laughed quickly and excitedly.
''But what club is without its eccentric
member? I am glad you spoke of that.
I am glad you raised that point. It
was long time ago that I hit upon a
reputation for moods as a shield for
for other things, and the more useful
| It has become the more I have let it
grow. I tell you you might 60 down to
the house tomorrow and spend the
whole day without speaking to-; even
nodding to, a single man, and as long
as you were to outward appearances
no one would raise an eyebrow. In
| the same way you might vote in my
| place, ask a question, make a speech
If you wanted to-
At the word speech Loder turned in
voluntarily. For feeting second the
GOODNESS Of his manner dropped and
his face changed. ..- Il 49,.
Chilcote, with his nervous quickness
Of perception saw the alteration, and
new look crossed his own face. --. ..
''Why not?"' he said quickly. "You
once had ambitions in that direction.
Why not renew the ambitions?'
"And drop back from the mountains
into the gutter?" Loder smiled and
slowly shook his head. -.
| "Better to live for one day than to
exist for a hundredv' Chilcote's voice
trembled with anxiety. For the third
time he extended his hand and touched
| the other. s>t,> ~ r.
This time Loder did not shake Off the
OBTAINING hand. He scarcely seemed to
feel it's pressure. -
look here" Chilcote's fingers tight
ened. "A little while ago you talked of
influence. Here you can step into a
| position built by influence. You might
do all you once hoped to do ".
| Loder suddenly lifted his head. CAB
surd!" he said. absurd! Such scheme
was never carried through"
| Precisely why it will succeed. Peo-
| pie never suspect until they have a
precedent. Will you consider it? At
least consider it. Remember, if there
is risk it is who am running it. On
your own showing you have no position
to jeopardize."
The other laughed CURLY. ...
Before I go tonight will you promise
me to consider it?''
mo"
by wire tomorrow T won't take your
answer now.'
Loder freed his arm abruptly. ''Why
not?" he asked.
Chilcote smiled nervously. Because
I know men and mems temptations.
We are all very strong till the quick is
touched. Then we all vince. It's
morphia with one man, ambitions with
another. In each case it's only a mat
ter of sooner or later" He laughed in
his satirical, unstrung way and held
out his hand. You have my address,"
he said. eau revoir."
Loder pressed the hand and dropped
it.. "Goodby," he said meaningly. Then
he crossed the room quietly and held
the door open. "Goodby," he said again
as the other passed him.
AS he crossed the threshold Chilcote
paused eau revoir," he corrected,
with emphasis. -.
Until the last echo of his visitors
| ctons ha6 6io6 awav T odor atOOd Will,