The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-12

bis cab and walked forward to elf
lords ina AS he passed through III
familiar entrance d chill fell on him
In the clear. early light il seemed NOR
than ever a place OF dead hopes, dead
enterprises. dead ambitions. In tbs
onward march OF life ii had been for
gotten. The very air had breath Of
unfulfllment-
He crossed the court rapidly. but bis
mouth set itself afresh as he passed
through the doorway Of his own house
and crossed the bare hall
AS he mounted The well known stairs
he received his first indication of life
In the Appearance OF a eat from the
second floor rooms. At sight Of him the
animal cane forward. rubbed demon
stratirely against his legs and with af-
tectionate persistence followed him up
stairs
Outside his door he paused. On the
ground stood the usual morning can Of
milk-evidence that Chlcote was not
yet awake or that. like himself, he had
no appetite for breakfast. He smiled
Ironically as the idea struck him, but
1t was a smile that stlffened rather
than relaxed his lips. Then he drew
put the duplicate key he always carried
and, inserting 1t quietly, opened the
door. A close, unpleasant smell greet
ed him as he entered the small passage
that divided the bed and sitting rooms
"a smell of whisky mingling with the
odor of stale smoke With quick
gesture he pushed open the bedroom
door. Then on the threshold he paused.
look of contempt and repulsiOn pass
ing over his face.
In his first glance he scarcely grasp
ed the details Of the scene, for the half
drawn curtains kept the light dim. but
as his eyes grew accustomed to the OBJ
scurity he gathered their significance.
The room had a sleepless, jaded air
the room that under his own occupation
had shown a rigid. almost monastic Sc
verify. The plain dressing table was
Uttered with cigarette ends and marked
with black and tawny patches where
the tobacco had been left to burn itself
but. On one corner of the table
carafe of water ana a whisky decanter
:ested one against the other. as If for
support, and at the other end an over
turned tumbler lay in pool Of liquid.
The whole effect was sickly and nause-
sting. His glance turned lnvoluntarily
10 the bed and there halted
On the hard, narrow mattress, from
which the sheets and blankets had fall
N in a disordered heap, lay Chilcote.
He was fully dressed in a shabby
weed suit of Loder's; his collar was
open. his lip and chin unshaven: one
Sand was Imply grasping the pillow,
while the other hung out over the side
Of the bed. His face, pale. almost
earthly in hue, might have been mask
save for the slight convulsive spasms
that crossed 1t from time to time and
with the faint. shivering
starts that passed at intervals over his
whole body To complete his repellent |
appearance, a lock Of hair had fallen |
loose and lay black and damp across |
MS forehead.
LOder stood for a space shocked and
spellbound by the sight. Even in the
chastity disarray the likeness-the ex-
sinister likeness that had
become the pivot upon which he him
,elf revolved- struck him like blow.
The man, who lay there was himself,
pound to him by some subtle. inexplic
lble tie Of similarity. AS the idea
ouched him he turned aside and step
49, faIN 10 i
There, with unnecessary energy, he
lung back the curtains and threw the
window wide. Then again he turned
oward the bed. He had one dominant
impulse, to waken Chilcote, to be free
f the repulsive, inert presence that
leaning over the bed, he caught the
boulder nearest to him and shook 1t.
was not the moment for niceties,
nd his gesture was rough.
At his first touch Chilcote made no
esponse brain, dulled by indul
ence in his vice, had become lag
ard in conveying sensations-but at .
lst, as the pressure on his shoulder ,
lcreased, his nervous system seemed 9
1ddenly to jar into consciousness. A
ing shudder shook him; he half lifted
Imself and then dropped back upon \
le pillow. :
"Ohv he exclaimed In a trembling 7
reath. "Ohr The sound seemed I
.awn from him by compulsion. r
It's uncanny tone chilled Loder anew. h
Wake up, manv' he said suddenly. h
Wake up! It's I-Loder."
Again the other shuddered; then he :,
rned quickly and nervously 10 II
,rT he said doubtfully. "Loderw
hen his face changed Good God" a
exclaimed, what reliefw y
The words were so intense, so spon- a,
neous and unexpected that Loder 81
ok step back. a,
Chilcote laughed discordantly and It
t. : shaky hand to protect his eyes m
om the light v,
It's Its all right, Loderl It's all al
,ht! It's only that THAT | had ia
astly dream. But. for heavens sake, ns
ut that Window He shiveFed In
and pushed the lock OF hi
mp hair from his forehead with II