Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-01-17

greet her.
Here comes my godehildp he said.
Il often wish, Chilcote, that could
do away with the prefix He added
the last words in an undertone as he
reached them. then he responded
warmly to her smile.
"What,s he said Turning the ter
race into the garden Of Eden in Jan
uary. We cannot allow this"
Eve laughed. Blame Lady Sarahv'
she said. 1--WE met at lunch, and she
carried me off. Needless to say
hadn't to ask where"
They both laughed, and Loder Joined,
a little uncertainty. He had yet to
learn that the devotion of Fraide and
his wife was a long standing jest in
their particular set.
at the sound of his tardy laugh Eve
turned to him. sI hope didn't rob you
of all sleep last night" she said. II
caught him in his den," she explained.
turning to Fraide, "and invaded it most
courageously. I believe we talked
till Q"
Again Loder noticed how quickly she
looked from him to Fraide. The knowl-
edge reused his self assertion.
II had an excellent night" he said.
DO look as if I hadn't siept?"
Somewhat slowly and reluctantly
Eve looked back. NO." she said truth
fully and with a faint surprise that to
Loder seemed the first genuine emotion
she had shown regarding him. mo, l
don't think l ever saw you look so
well'' She was quite unconscious and
very charming as she made the admis-
sion. 1t struck Loder that her coloring
of hair and eyes gained by daylight
were frightened and yivified by their
setting of somber river and somber
stone
Fraide smiled at her affectionately,
then looked at Loder. "Chilcote has
got new lease of nerves, Eve" he
said quietly. "And I-believeI / have
got a new henchman. But see my
wife beckoning to me. must have a
word with her before she fits away.
May be excused?' He made cour
teous gesture of apology, then smiled
at Eve.
She looked after him as he moved
away. 81 sometimes wonder what I
should do if anything were to happen
to the Fraides,'' she said, little visit
fully. Then almost at once she laugh
ed, as if regretting her impulsiveness.
'You heard what he said," she went on
in different voice. "Am / really to
congratulate your
The change of tone stung Loder un-
accountably. 'Will you always disbe-
lieve in me?" he asked.
Without answering, she walked slow
" across the deserted terrace and,
pausing by the parapet, laid her hand
on the stonework. Still in silence, she
looked out across the river.
Loder had followed closely. Again
her aloofness seemed challenge.
..Will you always disbelieve in me?' he
repeated.
At last she looked up at him slowly.
..Have you ever gwen me cause to
believer she asked IN {. Guiet tone.
To this truth be fouad no answer,
though the subdued iacfedulity nettled
him afresh.
Prompted to further effort, he spoke
again. Patience is necessary with
every person and every circumstance
be said. We've all got to wait and
see.'
She did not lower her gaze as he
spoke, and there seemed to him some
thing disconcerting in the clear, candid
blue of her eyes. With a sudden dread
of her next words, he moved forward
and laid his hand beside hers on the
parapet
Patience is needed for every one," he
repeated quickly. Sometimes man
is like a bit of wreckage. He drifts
till some force stronger than himself
gets in his way and stops him." He
looked again at her face. He scarcely
knew what he was saying. He only
felt that he was man in an egregious-
" false position. trying stupidly to JUS
tify himself Don't you believe that
fiotsam can sometimes be washed
ashores" he asked.
High above them Big Ben chimed the
hour
Eve raised her head. 1t almost SEEM
ed to him that he could see her answer
trembling on her lips. Then the voice
of Lady Sarah Fraide came cheerfuily
from behind them.
.sEyev' she called. Eve! We must
fly. It's absolutely o'clock!"
CHAPTER x.
I'M the days that followed Fraide's
marked adoption of him Loder