Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-03-21

.Chdlcote is dead"
apprehension of the moment, no sound
escaped them. Loder, resolutely cross
ing the landing, knew nothing Of the
silent appeal.
For second she stood hesitating;
then her own weakness, her own
shrinking dismay, were submerged in
the interest of his movements. Slowly
mounting the remaining steps, she fol-
lowed him as If fascinated toward the
door that showed dinghy conspicuous
in the light of an unshaded gas jet.
Almost at the moment that she reach
ed his side he extended his hand to-
ward the door. The action was deci-
sive and hurried, as though he feared
to trust himself.
For space he fllmbled with the
lock. And Eve, standing close behind
him, heard the handle creak and turn
under his pressure. Then he shook the
door.
At last, slowly, almost reluctantly,
he turned round. I'm afraid things
aren't quite-quite right" he said in a
low voice "The door is locked, and /
can see no light ;.
She raised her eyes quickly. "lsut
you have key?v she whispered.
s'Haven't you got a key?" It was OBJ
vious that to both the unexpected check
to their designs was fraug1t with dan
ger
sYes, butt He looked toward the
door. yes, I have a key Yes, you're
right he added quickly "I'll use 1t.
Wait while I go inside
Filled with a new nervousness, OPP
pressed by the loneliness. the silence
about her. Eve drew back obediently.
The sense of mystery conveyed by the
closed door weighed upon her. Her
susceptibilities were tensely alert as
she watched Loder search for his key
and insert it in the lock. With min
gled dread and curiosity she saw the
door yield and cape open like black
cash in the dingy wall, and with sud-
den sense of desertion she saw him
pass through the aperture and heard
him strike match.
The wait that followed seemed ex-
traordinarily long. Listening intently,
she heard him move softly from one
room to the other. And at last, to her
acutely nervous susceptibilities, It
seemed that he paused in absolute si-
lence. In the intensity of listening
she heard her own faint, irregular
breathing, and the sound filed her with
panic. The quiet, the solitude, the
vague, instructive apprehension, be-
came suddenly uncomfortable. Then all
at once the tension was relieved. Loder
reappeared.
He paused for second In the shad-
9Wy doorway; then he turned unsteadi-
ly, drew the door to and locked it.
Eve stepped forward. Her glimpse
Of him had been momentary and she
had not heard his voice yet the con-
seriousness Of his bearing filed her with
instructive alarm. Abruptly and with
out reason her hands turned cold, her
heart began to beat violently. John
she said below her breath.
For answer he moved toward her.
His face was bereft Of color; there was
look of CONSERVATION In his eyes.
"Come," he said. Come at once.
must take you home" He spoke in a
shaken, uneven voice.
Eve, looking up at him, caught his
hand. why? WhyY she questioned.
Her tone was low and scared.
Without replying he drew her Inn
peratlYely toward the stairs. Go very
SOFTLY he commanded. mo one must
see you here
In the first moment she obeyed him
instinctlvely; then, reaching the head
Of the stairs, she stopped. With one
hand still cIasping his, the other cling
ing neryously to the banister, she re-
fused to descend. John" she whis-
pered, I'm not child. What Is it,
What has happened? must know"
For moment Loder looked at her
uncertainty; them reading the express
sion In her eyes, be yielded to her de-
mand.
'He's Dead he said in very low
voice. aChilcote is dead