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


you? On the contrary I'm waiting to
know why you're here
He was silent for an instant. Then
he answered in her own light tone.
As far as that goes. he said, lets
make it my duty call having dined
Eith you. I'm an old fashioned per-
son..
For fun second she surveyed him
amusedly. Then at last she spoke.
"Ny dear Jack she laid particular
stress on the name II never imagined
you punctilious. should have thought
bohemian would have been more the
word
Loder felt disconnected and annoyed.
Either, like himself, she was fishing for
Information or she was deliberately
playing with him. In his perplexity he.
glanced across the room toward the
fireplace.
Lillian saw the look. Won't you sit
DOWN. she said, indicating the couch.
II promise not to make you smoke.
shan't even ask you to take off your
glovesl'
Loder made no movement. His mind
was unpleasantIy upset. 1t was nearly
a fortnight since he had seen Lillian,
and in the interval her attitude had
changed, and the change puzzled him.
It might mean the philosophy Of Wo-
man who, knowing herself without ade-
quate weapons. withdraws from COM
bat that has proved fruitless. or 1t
might imply the merely catiilSe desire
to toy with a certainty. He looked
quickly at the delicate face, the green
eyes somewhat obliquely set, the unre-
liable mouth. and instantly he inclined
to the latter theory. The conviction
that she possessed the telegram filed
him suddenly, and with it came the de
sire to put his belief to the test-to
know beyond question whether her
smiling unconcern meant malice or
mere entertainment.
seWhen you first came into the ROOM"
be said quietly, you said I thought it
would be YOU Why did you say that?
Again she smiled-the smile that
might be malicious or might be merely
amused. sOh," she answered at last,
II only meant that though / had been
told Jack ChiIcote wanted me, it wasn't
Jack Chilcote expected to seew
After her statement there was a
pause. Loder's position was difficult.
Instinctively convinced that, strong in
the possession Of her proof. she was en-
joying his tantalized discomfort, he yet
craved the actual evidence that should
set his suspicious to rest. Acting upon
the desire, he made new beginning.
do you know why cameT he
asked.
Lillian looked up innocentIy. It's SO
hard to be certain of anything in this
world, she said. .sBut one is always
at liberty to guess"
Again he was perplexed. Her atfi-
tude was not quite the attitude of one
who controls the game, and yet He
looked at her with puzzled scrutiny.
Women for him had always spelled the
ncomprehensible. He was at his best,
his strongest, his surest, in the presence
of men. Feeling bis disadvantage, yet
determined to gain his end. he made
last attempt.
Glow did you amuse yourself ait
Grosvenor square this morning before
Eve came to your" he asked. The eff
fort was awkwardly blunt, but 1t was
direct.
Lillian was buttoning her glove. She
did not raise her head as he spoke, but
her fingers paused in their task. For
a second she remained motionless; then
she looked up slowly.
aOh,' she said sweetly, $50 I was
right in my guess? You did come to
find out whether / sat in the morning
room with my hands in my lap or
wandered about in search Of entertain
ment7s
Loder colored with annoyance and
apprehension. Every look, every tone,
of Li1lians was distasteful to him. No
microscope could have revealed her
more fully to him than did his own
eyesight. But it was not the moment
for personal antipathies; there were
other interests than his own at stake.
With new resolution he returned her
glance
ssThen must still ask my first ques-
ton, Why did you say I thought 1t
would be your His gaze was direct
so direct that it Disconnected her. she
laughed little uneasily.
Because ! knew"
ssHow did you know?"
sBecause' she began; then again
II