Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-03-07
CHAPTER xxvI1.

fEEE following his dismissal of
Chilcote found him again in his
sitting room.
He sat at the center table surrounded
by cloud of smoke; a pipe was be-
tween his lips and the morning $
newspapers lay in heap beside bis
elbow. To the student of humanity
his attitude was intensely interesting.
It was the attitude of man tram
meled by the knowledge of his
strength. Before him as he sat smok-
ing stretched future of absolute
nothingness, and toward this blank fu-
ture one portion of his consciousness
a struggling and as yet scarcely. SEN
fient portion pushed him inevitably;
while another-a vigorous, persistent,
human portion-cried to him to pause.
So actual, so clamorous, was this silent
mental combat that had ragged unceas-
ingly since the moment of his renun-
citation that at last in physical response
to it he pushed back his chair.
sIt's too Iate,' he said aloud. I'm a
fool. It's too late"
Then abruptly, astonishingly, as
though in direct response to his spoken
thought, the door opened and Chilcote
walked into the room.
Slowly Loder rose and stared at him.
The feeling he acknowledged to him
self was anger, but below the anger a
very different sensation ran riotously
strong. And it was in time to this sec
ond feeling, this sudden, Iawless joy,
that his pulses beat as he turned cold
face on the intruder.
ssWell?' he said sternly.
But Chilcote was impervious to stern
ness. He Yves mentally shaken and dis
tressed, though outwardly irreproacha-
Bile, even to the yiolets in the lapel Of
his coat-the violets that for week
past had been brought each morning
to the door of Loder's rooms by Ewes
maid. For one second, as Loders eyes
rested on the flowers. sting Of ungoy-
ernable jealousy shot through him;
then as suddenly it died away, super
seeded by another feeling-a feeling of
new, spontaneous joy. Worn by Chill
cote or by himself, the flowers were q
symbol
"WellY' he said again in a gentler
voice.
Chilcote had walked to the table and
laid down his hat. His face was white
and the muscles of his lips twitched
nervously as he drew off his gloves.
.aThank heaven, you're here!" he said
shortly. "Giye me something to drink. /"
In silence Loder brought out the
whisky and set it on the table; then in
stinctively he turned aside. AS plainly
as though he saw the action he men
tally figured Chilcote's furtfye glance,
the furtiye movement of his fingers to
his waistcoat pocket. the hasty drop
ping of the tabloids into the glass.
For an instant the sense of his tacit
connivance came to him sharply; the
next, he flung it from him. The hui
man, inner voice was whispering it's
old watchword. The strong man has
no time to waste over bis weaker
brother!
When he heard Chflcote lay down his
tumbler he looked back again. ssWell,
what is it?y he said. sWhat have you
come forY' He strove resoIutely to
keep his voice severe but. try as he
might, he could not quite subdue the
eager force that lay behind his words
Once again, as on the night Of their
second interchange, life had become a
phoenix, rising to fresh existence even
while he sifted its ashes. s'Wellg' he
said once again.
ChiIcote had set down his glass. He
was nervously passing his handker-
chief across his lips. There was some
thing in the gesture that attracted Lo-
der. Looking at him more attentively,
he saw what his own feelings and the
others conventional dress had blinded
him to-the almost piteous panic and
excitement In his visitors eyes.
Something's gone Wrongr' he said,
with abrupt intuition.
ChIlcote started. "Yes-no- is,
yes" he stammered.
Loder moved around the table,
Something's gone wrong" he repeat
ed. sand you've come to tell me"
The tone unnerved Chilcote. He sud
aenly dropped into a chair. 'It-it
wasn't my faulty' he began. I'll have
had horrible time"
Loder's lips frightened. Yes" be
said. s'yes, understand"
The other glanced up with CLEAN
Of his old suspicion. Twas all ms
nerves, Loder"
"Of course. Yes, of course" Lo.