The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-04-25


with some hesitation, II want you to
know that in all this-from the moment
I saw him-from the moment I under
stood-1 have had you in my thoughts
you and no one else."
She raised her eyes to his face.
"Do you realize''- he began afresh.
"Do you know what this-this thing
means?"
Still she remained silent.
1T means that after tonight there
will be no such person in London as
John Loder. Tomorrow the man who
was knownby that name will be found
in his rooms; his body will be removed,
will be stated that he died Of an over
dose Of morphia. Ills charwoman will
identify him as solitary man who liv-
ed respectfully for years and then sud-
denly went down hill with remarkable
speed. It will be quite common case.
Nothing Of interest will be found in his
rooms. No relation will claim his body.
After the/usual time he will be given
the usual burial Of his class. These de-
tails are horrible, but there are times
when we must look at the horrible side
Of life, because life is incomplete with
out it.
'"These things I speak Of are the
things that will meet the casual eye,
but in our sight they will have a very
different meaning.
Eve" he said, more vehemently, "a
whole chapter in my life has been clos
ed tonight, and my first instinct is to
shut the book and throw it away. But
I'm thinking of you.s Remember, I'm
thinking of you. Whatever the trial,
whatever the difficulty, no harm shall
come to you. You have my word for
that.
"I'n return with you now to Gros-
venor square. I'll remain there till a
reasonable excuse can be given for
Chilcote's going abroad. I will avoid
Fraide. I will cut politics-whatever
the cost. Then at the first reasonable
moment T will do what I would do
now, tonight, if it were possible. III
60 away, start afresh; do in another
country what I have done in this"
There was long silence; then Eve
turned to him. The apathy of a mo-
ment before had left her face. ..In an
other country?" she repeated. sIn an
other country?''
eyes, fresh career in a fresh coun-
try, something clean to offer you. I'm
not too old to do what other men have
done''
He paused, and for a moment Eve
looked ahead at the cleaning chain Of
lamps. Then very slowly she brought
her glance back again. NO. she said
very slowly. "You are not too old. But
there are times when age-and things
like age-are not the real consideration.
1t seems to me that your own inclina-
ton, your own individual sense Of
right and wrong, has nothing to do
with the present moment. The ques-
ton is whether you are justified in go
ing away"-she paused, her eyes fixed
steadily upon his-"whether you are
free to go away and make new life,
whether it is ever justifable to follow
a phantom light when-when there's a
lantern waiting to be carried" Her
breath caught. She drew away from
him, frightened and elated by her own
words.
Loder turned to her sharply. Ever
he exclaimed; then his tone changed.
"You don't know what you're saying"
he added quickly. "You don't under
stand what you're saying" ......--.=
she said slowly. IT do understand"
Her voice was controlled, her manner
convinced. She was no longer the girl
conquered by strength greater than her
own. She was the woman strenuouslv
demanding her right to Individual hap
piness. ;.
II understand it ALL" she repeated.
II understand every point It was not
chance that made you change your
identity, that made you care for me,
that brought about-his death. I don't
believe it was chance I believe it was
something much higher. You are not
meant to go away"
AS Loder watched her the remem-
brance Of his first days as Chilcote
rose again, the remembrance of how
he had been dinlly filled with the be-
lief that below her self possession Law
a strength-a depth-uncommon in wo-
man. AS studied her now the in
stinctive belief famed into conviction.
Ever he said involuntarily. 7
With quick gesture she raised her
head. "No!' she exclaimed. .'No; don't
say anything. You are going to see
things as see them you must do So
you have no choice. No real man ever
casts away the substance for the shad-
ow." Her eyes shone-the color, the
glow, the vitality, rushed back into her
face.