The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-03-01

gh hc "li other experiments his shoy
ed ,,a,,l, 'ooheo Tor features when put to
n N.ns test Its expected diffcuItfe
eo saa themselves away. while other
If scafceiy anticipated, came into prom
r uehce. Most notable Of all, the physic,
d ,heness between himself and Cbilcot,
y inc bedrock of the whole schemh. wbic
d n''o peen counted on to offer plSst dan
e. Mer' M0rked without q &aaN stoo,
h'erhlly amazed before the sweenin,
e .redu'ity that met him on every hand
, Men VINO had known ChIlcote from hi,
!o".n' servants who had been in hi.
employment for years. Joined issue Ir
.ne unquestioning acceptance. Ar t,moe
we ease or deception bewilderetl him
mere were moments when he reaI,zod
'na l. should circuinstnnc, force hin, o..
aeciaratioh Of the truth. no wo,,IS
not oe believed. Human nature nro-
fers Its own eyesight to the te,t,,,,r,,.
Of any man. iony
But In face of this astob,sh,no
e. NC steered steady course. In the
et eAh'iaration Of Fraides favor in
une nrSt egodstical wish to break down
skepticism, he might possibly
nu'e plunged Into vortex of action
,et it be In what direction II might.
oul' fortunately for himself. for Cbi1.
.o'e ana Tor their scheme he was liable
|" strenuous second thoughts-tn,sa
wise una necessary curbs that 90 fur-
ther 10 the steadying of the un,vers.
thhn the universe guesses. Sitting IN
the quiet OF the house on the somn d,y
that he had spoken with Eve on tho
terrace he had weighed possjbiIities |
nio" ~ ana cautiously. Impressed to !
.ne iuii Dy the atmosphere Of the pI,ce
'hat IN his eyes could never lack char
"c'er' however dull Its momentary busi.
NESS. however prosy the voice that fill.
ed IL. he had slfted impulse from ex-
pedlence as only man who has uva1
within himself can slft and distinruisb
ana Mt the close Of that first dov his
programme had been formed There
',' pe no rush. no headlong plunge.
ne hao decided. Things must work
around. 1t was his first expeditions =
iiso nis3. the new country. and it lay WIKI
He had been leaning back in his ST., 4
his eyes on the ministers opposite, his
arms folded In imitation Of Chilcote's
most natural attitude, when this final
speculation had come to him, and as 1t
came his lips had tightened for mo-
ment and his face become hard and
cold 1t Is an unpleasant thing when
man first unconsciously reckons on
the weakness Of another, and the look
that expresses the idea is not good to
see. He had stirred neasily, then his
lips had closed again. He was tena-
,;o I,x,r t,,r intOl- |
Grant Of weakness. At the first sug-
gestion Of reckoning upon Chilcote's
lapses his mind had drawn back in
disgust, but us the thought came again
the disgust had lessened.
In week-two weeks, perhaps-Chil-
cote would reclaim his place. Then
would begin the routine Of the affair.
Chilcote. fresh from indulgence and
freedom, would find his obligations
thousand times more irksome than be-
fore; he would struggle for time,
then
A shadowy smile had touched Lo-
der's lips as the idea formed Itself.
Then would come the inevitable re-
call; then in earnest he might venture
to put his hand to the plow. He never
| ndulged in day dreams, but something
in the nature of II vision had flashed
over his mind In that instant. He had
seen himself standing in that same
building, seen the rows Of faces first
bored. then hesitatingly transformed
under his personal domination. under
the one great power he knew himself
to possess-the power Of eloquence.
The strength of the suggestion had
been almost painful. Men who have
attained self repression are occasion
ally open to perilous onrush Of feel
ing Believing that they know them
selves, they walk boldly forward to-
ward the highroad and pitfall alike.
These had been Loder's disconnected
ideas and speculations on the first day
Of his new life. At O'Clock on the
ninth day he was pacing with quiet
confidence up and down Chilcotes
study. his mind pleasantly busy and
his cigar comfortably allght, when he
paused In his walk and frowned. inter
rupted by the entrance of servant.
The man came softly into the room,
drew q small table toward the fire and
proceeded to lay an extremely fine and
unserviceable looking cloth.
, Loder watched him In silence. He
had grown to find silence very useful
commodity. To wait and let things
. develop was the attitude he oftenest
assumed, but on this occasion he was
: perplexed. He had not rung for tea'
and In any case cup on salver sat'
isfied his wants. Re looked criticaiiy
y at the fragile cloth.
Presently the servant departed ano
u solemnly re-entered carrying silvei
tray. with cups, a teapot and cak2S