Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

- on time. You know that
have important engage
ments-
Chase did not rise from the
low chair by the fire as he spoke; and his
pale nervous face was stamped with the
extraordinary network of dark wrinkles that
frowning brought to it.
The woman. tall and graceful in her sim
ple dark frock stood looking down at him
as she drew off her gloves, with curious
smile. half speculation. half tolerant.
Nervous AGAIN. she asked.
NO. am sick of the dirty business, and
Easy enough to get out of the dirty bust
ness. If you want to.
IF want to, AS if | wouldn't give every
thing l have in the world never to have
begun it,.
The frown twisted his eyebrows closer
over his eyes. his hands closed rigidly over
the arms OF the chair
.'Ah bahr' she returned. pushing her veil
back over her small hat and taking OF her
Jacket. You have one of your bad days,
that's all. You'll cheer up after a Bit
Hold your tonguer' He shouted the
words in one OF his sudden RACES, and ris-
ing advanced toward her threateningly as if
about to strike her. She looked quietly
down at him. for she was the taller. meet
ing his angry eyes with her calm ones
You didn't sleep at all, did your she
asked. apparently unconscious of his anger.
and without a word he stumbled back to
his chair and crouched there, tearing at his
nails with his sharp, discolored teeth.
And then happened the extraordinary
thing that occurred at each of their meet
inGs.
The man had sunk very low. but he was
still enough Of a gentleman to be deSper-
ately ASHAMED of the bond between this
woman aud hi;nscf. Their secret was an
extraordinarily profitable and apparently
safe one hut INSCRIPTIONS as he had al
L. hpnlT o 20
under Tire sh me lie felt for what he was
doing.
Yet now rs she took a roll of papers
from Il locked leather box on the table be-
fore her. aud began 10 read aloud, Chase
sat up straighter. the frown faded from his
face. which seemed to grow younger as he
listened. and when. at list, her dark. mobile
face broke into smile Of delight and
amusement. hc. too, laughed aloud-a laugh
Of shy pride in an achievement.
cit is splendid, Mr.. Chase she cried
the best of aIl-thc very best
lie nodded. Yes. it is good. All the pa
peIs are talking about them now. Even the
Star SAYS the style is perfect.
Rose Butler laughed Il am not very
long on style she returned with touch of
the slang that, curiously enough, lent her
a certain wel-hred air, but the material
IS certainly splendidy worked up; have
nothing to suggest Shall | get 10 work on
the tick-tsk?"
Yes You are absolutely sure of your
facts?" he went on. as usual. nervously
his pride as to his own satisfied.
Perfectly she returned seating herself
before the typewriter and switching on the
electric light. Il saw her myself. As told
you. one of my sisters married the hall
porter there. and l saw her myself twice
But YOU said she closely veil"d-and
~ was late afternoon" he persisted feeGly,
lighting a cigarette with hands that shook.
''You might have been mistaken, and if il
was mistake the charm is broken MY
mean to say our prestige lowered. Our alb
Ss1rf sgsaN-l 4- hE..FN
She wheeled round and looked him.
her handsome face in the glare of light.
full Of "A not unkindly scorn.
Now. don't YOU get nervous she said
Il perfectly sure, tell you, and If you
go like this you'll be ILL.
81 know. l know. Go on working. II
am tired out, that's all"
For the next half hour he walked rest
lessly up and down the long room, listening
to the deliberate click of the typewriter and
smoking one cigarette after the other. 1t
was curious alliance, that of Lady Bar
rington's maid and James Chase. 1t had
lasted now for four months, and, as has
been said, had paid we'll
Begun at Mutton, the place of ChaSe'S
elder brother where the Barringtons were
visiting, through some hazard of meeting.
il had been purely one OF profit.
Rosc Butler had persuasive tongue.
quick eye and retenttve memory. Chase
had curious gift of words, easy flow of
graceful language in writing, that
sharply in contrast TO his meager, jerky
real literary gift that the man had discover
ed in himself toward his fiftieth year and
which, with all his baseness. il bitterly
hurt him to put TO the foul uses TO which he
had prOstituted it.
So the woman cleaning from many under
ground sources the nucleus of somebody's
secret, some hidden scandal, the man used
the opportunities his social position gave
him for observation and confirmation, and
combining her news and his using his ears
and his eyes to follow up the scent and run
he. 10 earth nodded
whole mass of truth, superstition and SLAM
der into biting well-Cons tructed chronicle
In which much was said and more indicated
with just the hairs breath of reserve that
kept the publisher of the Social World safe
fIom the clutches of the law This was the
secret that was destroying Chase's nerves
and putting into his always em~ty pockets
an amount OF money incredible TO those who
do not know the market value % scandal in
high life.
The woman typed his completed chronicle
and the letters to the editor of the paper;
she received all communications from him at
post office in Baker street; she cashed the
checks sent To her under false name to
the same place, and in return received one
third of the proceeds of their filthy traffic.
"Peepmg Tom well paid in money:
and, more than this. in spite of his fits of
shame about the matter, Chase, who was
malicious man. greatly ioyed the writh-
tngs of his victims, many OF whom neces-
sarily looked on him as friend.
He had always been peculiarly without
charm; sallow. lantern jawed man. small
and narrow-chested. and he was consumed
with hatred for men who were big and
strong and comely. Moreover, the poor
wretch had had several sterile love affairs
altogether one-sided, for no woman had
ever loved him.
Two of these women he had asked to
marry him and had been Courteously re-
fused. At forty he had fallen desperately
In love with one Of the most beautiful wom-
en- in Ireland. and she. in her insoleEt con-
seriousness of power had laughed at him.
Embittered. impotent torn with jealous
fury he had grown more and more sarcas-
! tic. more and more silent. more and more
malicious in his few. hesitating utterances.
| He had had no way of revenging himself
on all the people he hated, but now way
had come to him. and he reveed in IL. And