The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-02-22
weir. Lodsr INSISTS

l.
perhaps. sir. aud the ere clearer" he
grew more confident under L.Oder's
half humorous. half insistent gaze.
Now that 1 look closer. SIR
I.oder laughed. That's it!' he said.
Now that you look closer. You'll have
to grow obse-vant. Observation Is an
excellent quality in a servant When
you come into room I'm future. look
+, first of all to me and take You cue
from that. Remember that serving a
man with nerves is like serving two
masters. Now you can 80, and tell
Mrs. Chilcote's maid that l shall be
quite ready at a quarter past TO-"
''Yes. sir. Aud after thatT'
Nothing further. l shan't want
you again tonight" He turned away
as he spoke and moved toward the
great fire that was always kept alight
| in Chilcotes room. But as the man
moved toward the door he wheeled
back again. "Oh, one thing more.
Renwickl Bring me some sandwiches
the first time that he had eaten moth
/ ing since early AFTERNOON.
A few minutes after 10 Loder left
Chilcote's room, resolutely descended
the stairs and took up his position In
the hall Resolution is a strong word
TO apply to such a proceeding, but
something In his bearing in the atti-
tude of his shoulders and head, in
stinctively suggested it.
Five or six minlcs passed. but he
waited without Impotence. Then Of
last the sound of a carriage stopping
before the house caused him to lift his
head, and at the same instant Eve APP
peared at the head of the staircase.
She stood there for a second, looking
down on him. her maid pace or two
behind holding her cloak The picture
she made struck upon lis mind with
something Of revelation.
On his first sight of her she had APP
pealed to him rs Il strange blending of
youth and self possession-a girl with a
woman's clearer perception OF life.
Later he had been drawn to study her
In other respects-as possible comrade
and friend. Now for the first time he
saw her as power in her own world
woman to whom no man could deny
consideration. She looked taller for
the distance between them, and the
distinction of her carriage added to the
effect Her black gown was exquisite
ly sofas soft as her black hair.
Above her forehead was cluster of
splendid diamonds shaped like coro
net and a band of the same stones en-
cIrcled her neck I.oder realized In a
glance that only the most distinguished
of women could wear such ornaments
and not have her beauty eclipsed. With !
a touch Of the old awkwardness that |
had before assailed him in her pres
ence, he came slowly forward as she !
descended the stairs.
"Can help you with your cloak 7" he
asked, and as he asked 1t something |
like surprise at his own timidity cross
cd his mind.
For second Ewes glance rested on !
his face Her expression was quite i'm
passive, but as she lowered her lasheg
. faint CLEAN fiIckered across her, eyes.
her answer, when II
came, was studiously courteous.
THANK you" she said, but Marie
will do all want"
Loder looked at her for a moment,
hen turned aside He was not hurt by
his rebuff Rather, by an interesting
sequence of impressions. he was stirred
BY 1t. The pride that had refused Chill
,ote's help. and the self control that
lad refused 1t graciously. moved him
o admiration. He understood and APP
,reciated both by the light of personal
experience.
1.-THE carriage is waiting sir" Crap
,am's voice broke in
Loder nodded and Eve turned to her
maid. "That will do, Marie" she said. {
I shall want cup of chocolate when {
get back, probably at o'clock" She ,
rev her cloak about her shoulders and i,
moved toward the door. Then she
'aused and looked back "Shall we
tart?" she asked quietly.
Loder, still watching her, came for I
yard at once Certainly" he said, {
With unusual gentleness. (
He followed her as she crossed the I
ootpath, but made no further offer OF
clip, and when the moment came he
uietly took his place beside her In the
arriage. His last impression as the Q
orses wheeled round was Of the open
all door-Crapham in his somber liv- n
ry and the maid in her black dress, n
9th silhouetted against the dark back a
round of the hall; then as the carriage
loved forward smoothly and rapidly =
e leaned back in his seat and closed .
is eyes. n
During the first few moments Of the b
rive there was silence. To Loder there n
as a strange, new sensation in this :,
so close and yet so dis
int. He was 80 near to Eve that the
light fragrant scent from her clothes u
light almost have belonged to his own. 3
he impression was confusing, yet lgl
aguely delightful. 1t was years since W
. had been so close to a woman OF his ),
gn class. his own caste. He acknowL
Iged the thought with a curious sense
pleasure. InyOluntarily he turned u