The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-05
CHATTER XXI.


Loder. dressed in Chilcote'
clothes and with Chilcote's heav.
OvercOat slung over his arm. Wake,
from Fleet street to Grosvenor square
lie walked steadily, neither slowly no
yet fast. The elatiOn of his last jour
ney over The same ground was temper
ed by feelings he could not satisfac
tOrily bracket even to himself. Their,
was less of vehement citation aud NOR,
of matured determination In his gal
| and bearing than there had been OIL
| that night, though the incidents Of
which they were the outcome were
very complex.
On reaching ChilcOte's house he
passed upstairs, but, still following the
routine OF his previous return, he did
tot halt at Chilcote's door, but moved
onward toward Ewes sitting room and
there paused.
In that pause his numberless irreg-
ular thoughts fused into one.
He had the same underlined sense OF
standing upon sacred ground that had
touched him on the previous occasion.
but the outcome OF the sensation was
different. This time he raised his
hand almost Immediately and tapped
on the door.
lie waited, but 10 voice responded
to his knock With a sense of disap-
pointment he knocked again; then,
pressing his determination still fur
Their, he turned the handle and entered
the room.
No private room is without mean
ing, whether trivial OF the reverse. In
room perhaps more even than In
speech, in look or in work does the
impress of the Individual make itself
felt There on the wax of outer things
the inner self imprints its seal, en-
forces its feeting claim to separate in
diyiduality. This thought with it's
arresting interest, made Loder walk
slowly. almost seriously, halfway
across the room and then pause to
study his surroundings
The room was of medium siZe-not
100 large for comfort and not too small
for ample space. At a first impression
ii struck him as unlike any anticipa
ton of a woman's sanctum. The walls
Daneled in dark wood, the richly
bound books, the beautifully designed
bronze ornaments. even the flowers,
deep crimson and violet bfue in tone, had
an air of somber harmony that was
scarcely feminine With strangely
pleasant impression he realized this, 4
and following his habitual impulse,
moved slowly forward toward the fire.
llace and there paused, his elbow rest |
ng ON the maItelpiecc
He had scarcely settled comfortably |
nto his position, scarcely entered on !
ls second and more comprehensive |
,tudy OF the place. than the arrange |
nent of his mind was altered by the |
urning of the handle and the opening !,
Il the door.
The newcomer was Eve herself. She
vas dressed in outdoor clothes and
walked into the room quickly: then, as
oder had Go:4e, she, too, paused.
The gesture. so natural and sponta-
he glanced up al him. her face alight
Nth inquiry. she seemed eXtraor,.i-
arily much the owner aud designer
her surroundings. She WAS framed
Y them as naturally ana effectively
3 her eyes and her face were framed
Y her black hair For one uo:ac-.t
e forgot that his Pc ,c9ce demanded
the next she had made
rplanation needless She had been
oking at him intently; now she came
'rward slowly.
"John?" she said. half In appeal, half .
question |
He took "A step toward her Look I
me-" he Sail quietly and inyolun-
rily. In the share desire to cstab- Z
III himself in her regard he forgot
at her eyes had never left his face.
But the incongruity Of the words did
II strike her. ooh" she exclaimed. c
II believe | knew directly SAW (
u here" The quick ring of life vi
ating in her tone surprised him. But 8
had other thoughts more urgent &
an surprise. v
In the five days of Punishment just $
ed through the need for a readjust c.
mt of his position with regard to u
r had come to him forcibly The
emory of the night when weakness U
d he had been at perilously close 81
arters had returned TO him persist u
tly and uncomfortably, spelling the
nembrance Of his triumph. 1t had u
en we'll enough to smother the u
,ught of that night In days Of work. "
t had the ignoring of 1t blotted out u
weakness? Had II not rather ~
own IL into bolder relief A man IA
ong In his own strength does not W
n his back upon TEMPTATION. He 7.
es and quells II. In the solitary days T., T.,
Cllfford's Inn, In the solitary night -.
IRIS spent In tramplng the city -
eets, this had been the conviction ~, ~
{ had required again and again. tbis ~
problem to which. after much con -
sFation, hs had found q solution. sat
,stsry at bsast TO himself. When r.,
Z CAalcota called him II was nota- -