The Red Cloud chief., 1907-04-19
CONTINUED
CHAPTER; MIX.

Ill culior. once more he was Iiy'
~ ing in the ~urcsrnt-thc force.
IUl. cXhiiarating present, and the
knowledge braced him. Upon one
point his mind was satisfied. Lillian
AStrupp had found the telegram. and
it remained to him to render her find
vaiuclcss. How he proposed to do
this. how he proposed to come out tri.
umphaut in face of such u situation.
was Il matter that as yet was shape
less in his mind; nevertheless the dan.
ger, the sense of impending conflict,
hgd Il SAVIOR of life after the inaCtion
of the day and night just passed. Chill
cote in his weakness and his cntangie-
mcut had turned to him. and he In his
strength and capacity had responded
to the appeal.
His step was firm and his bearing us-
sured as he turned into Grosvcnor
square and walked toward the familiar
house.
The habit of self deceit is as iuSidi-
Gus aud tenacious as any vice. For one
nloment Oh the night of his great
ss,occh rs he leaned out of Chilcotc's
carriage and met Chilcote's eyes Loder
had seen himself and under the shock
OF revelation had taken decisive action.
But in the hours subsequent to that
action the plausible, inner voice had
whispered INCREASINGLY, soothing his
wounded self esteem, rebuilding stone
by stone the temple of his egotism, I'M
Ill ut last when Chilcote, panic stricken
90 h;. A,, aAtsAr Hal I,x,pt .~NS I.,
rooms ready to plead or to coerce he
had found no need for either coercion
or entreaty. BY a power more subtle
and effective than any at his command
Loder had been prepared for his com
ing-uncOnsciouSly ready with an &C.
auieScence before his appeal had been
made. II was the fruit of this prepara-
ton. the inevitable outcome of it, that
strengthened his step and stcadicd his
hand as he mounted the steps and
~rened the hall door Of Chilcotc's house
on that eventful afternoon.
The dignity. the air of quiet soiidity,
impressed him as it never failed to do,
rs he crossed the large hall and ascend
90 the Stairs-the same stairs that he
had PASSED down almost as an outcaSt
not so many hours before. He was fill.
cd with the sense of things rcgained.
Belief in his own star lifted him, rs it
had done Il hundred times before in
these same surroundings.
He quickcned his steps as the sensa-
tion came to him. Then. reaching the
head OF the stairs, he turned directly
toward Ewes sitting room and. gaining
the door, Knocked. The strength of his
cagerncss, the quick beating Of his
pulse as he waited for a response. sur
times that his passion, however strong,
would never again conquer as it had
done two nights ago, and the fact that
he had come thus ~candidly to Ewes
room was to his mind II proof that
temptation could be dared. Neverthe-
loss there was something disconcertiu.
10 a strong man in this merely physical
perturbation. and when Ewes voice
came to him, giving permission to en-
Ter. he paused for an instant to steady
himself. Then, with sudden decision,
he opened the door and walked into
the room.
The blinds were partly drawn, there
was a scent of violets in the air, n a
ire glowed warmly In the crate. He
noted these things carefully, telling
himself that a man should always be
alertiy sensible Of his surroundings.
Then all at once the nice balancing Of
detail suddenly gave way. He forgot
everything but the one circumstance that
Eve was standing In the window, her
back to the light, her face toward him.
With his pulses beating faster and an
unsteady sensation in his brain, he NOV
ed forward, holding out his hand.
Eve he said below his breath.
But Eve remained motioniess. AS he
nina glance Of quick, searching ques-
ton. Their with equal suddenness she
had averted her eyes. AS he drew close
~ her now she remained immovable.
Eve he said again. II wanted to
see you'll wanted to explain about yes
tcrday and about this morning" He
paused, suddenly disturbed. The full
remembrance of the scene In the
Orougham had surged up at sight Of
Hci huu lisci " hci'c' uh'iuch'h"pio
recollection. Eve he began again
In a new, abrupt tone.
And then it was that Eve showed
herself In a fresh light. From his en-
france into the room she had stayed
motlonless. save for her first glance Of
acute inquiry, but now her demeanor
changed. For almost the first time In
LOder's knowledge Of her the vitality