Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-03-28

Ewes face, alert and questioning,
suddenly paled as a doubt crossed her
mind.
Then 1t was only-only to stand we'll
with mef"
IL believed II was only the desire to
stand well with you. I believed it IN
ill the night of my spccch-if you can
credit anything so absurd. Then on that
night, as I came mp the stairs to the
gallery md saw you standing there.
the blindness fell away, and I knew
that I loved you" As he said the last
words he released her hands and turn.
ed aside, missing the quick wave Of
Joy and color that crossed her face.
II knew it, but it made no difference.
was only moved to a higher self glori-
fcation. | touched supremacy that
night But as we drove home / expert
enced the strangest coincidence Of my
life. You remember the block in the
traffic at piccadilly?"
Again Eve bent her head.
well, when | looked out of the car
riage window to discover its cause the
first man | saw was-Chlcote.
Eve started slightly. This swift, I'M
expected linking Of Chlcotes name
with the most exalted moment Of her
life stirred her unpleasantly. Some
Elimmcrlng of Loder's intention in 50
! linking it broke through the web Of
/ disturbed and conflicting thoughts.
You saw him on that nlghtt
'Yes, and the sight chilled me. II
was big drop from supremacy to the
| remembrance of-cverythine"
Inyoluntarly she put out her hand.
But Loder shook his head. mo" he
said; don't pity me! The sight of him
came inst in time. had n reaction in
/ that moment, and, such as it was,
acted on it, | went to him next morn
/ ing and told him that the thing must
end But then--even then--I shirked
/ being honest with myself. / had meant
/ to tell him that it must end because
/ had grown to love you. but my pride
rose up and tied my tongue. I could
not humIliate myself. l put the case
/ before him in another light. It was
tusslo of wills, and I won, but the vic
| tory was not what It should have been.
That was proved today when he re-
turned to tell me Of the loss of this
telegram. 1t wasn't the fear that Lady
Astrupp had found it. 1t wasn't TO
save the position that jumped at the
chance of coming back. It was TO feel
the JOY Of living, the JOY Of seeing You.
If only for n day" For one second be
turned toward her: then as abruptly
he turned away again.
II was still thinking OF myself" he
said. 81 was still utterly self centerei
when / came to this room today and al
lowed you to talk to me, when asked
you to see me tonight as we parted at
The club. I shan't tell you the thoughts
that unconsciuosly were in my mind
when | asked that favor. You must
understand without explanation.
Il went to the theater with Lady AS
trump ostensibly to find how the land
lay In her direction-really to heighten
my self esteem. But there fate or the
power we call by that name was lying
In wait for me, ready to claim the first
interest in the portion of life I had
dared TO borrow" He did not glance
toward Eve as he had done in his pre-
vious pause. His whole manner seem
ed oppressed by the gravity Of what he
had still to say.
II doubt If a man has ever seen more
in half an hour than have tonight" he
said. I'm speaking of mental seeing
of course. In this play. Other Mems
Shoes two men change identities-as
Chilcote and have done--but in doing
50 they overlook one fact-thc fact tina t
one OF them has a wife, That's not my
way of putting II. It's the way 1t was
put to me by one of Lady Astrupp's
party"
Again Eve looked up. The doubt and
question in her eyes had grown unmis-
takably As he ceased to speak her
lips parted quickly.
John" she said. with sudden con-
viction. you're trying to say something
something that's terribly hard"
Without raising his head Loder an
swered her. Yes" he answered, "the
hardest thing a man ever said
His tone was short. almost brusque.
but to ears sharpened by instinct II
was eloquent. Without a word Eve
lOOh Il step lblNuEu tii'l, Iult5
close to him. laid both hands on his
shoulders
For space they stood silent, she
with her face lifted, he with averted
eyes. Then very gently he raised his
hands and tried to unclasp her fingers,
There was scarcely any color visible in
his face, and by curious effect of
emotion ii seemed that lines, never be-
fore noticeable, had formed about his
mouth.
What is it?" Eve asked apprehen-
Bively. what is it?''
BY swift involuntary movement
Ehe had frightened the pressure of her
fingers. and. without using force, II
was impossible for Loder TO unlooss
them. With his hands pressed irreso-
lutely over hers he looked down into
her face.
"As | sat in the theater tonight Eve"
he said slowly, "all the pictures I had
formed of life shifted. Without desir-
Ing it, without knowing 1t, my whole
point of view was changed. l suddenly
saw things by the worlds searchliGht
instead of by my own miserable can
die | suddenly saw things for you, in