The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-03-22
7 II e.
MaSquerader
By KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON.
Author THE Circle" Etc
y KATHERINE CECIL THURsTC
(continued.)
Author OF THE Circle" Etc

/ floor quickl.. and drew chair for
ward In less than six hours he had
1 run up and down the scale OF emotions.
/ He had looked despair in the face TIL
the sudden sight of Chllcote had lifted
him to the skies: since then surprise
had assailed him in its strongest form;
he had known the full meaning of the
word risk" and from every contin-
geEcy he had come out cOnqueror. he
bent over the chair as he pulled it for
ward to hide the expression In his
eyes
"Sit down." he said gently.
Eve moved toward him. She moved
slowly. as if half afraid. Many emo
tions stirred her-distrust, uncertainty
and a curious half dominant, half sup
pressed questioning that 1t was dithcuIt
to define. Loder remembered her
shrinking coldness, her reluctant toler-
ance on the night of his first coming,
and his individuality, his certainty or
power, kinded afresh. Never had ne
| been so vebemently himself; never had
Chilcote seemed so complete shadow
AS Eve seated herself he moved for
ward and leaned over the back of his
chair. The impulse that had filled him
In his interview with Renwick, that
had goaded him as he drove to the re-
ception, was dominant again.
Il tried to say something as we drove
to the Bramfells tonight" he began
Like many men who possess eloquence
for an impersonal cause. ne was
| in tho stating OF
his own case. May | bark back, ana
go on from where broke OFF,
Eve half turned. Her face was still
puzzled and questioning. "Of course"
She sat forward again, clasping her
hands.
He looked thoughtfully at the back
of her head, at the slim outline OF her
shoulders the glitter of the diamonds
about her neck
"Do YOU remember the day, three
weeks ago, that we talked together ID
this room-the day great many things
seemed possibleT'
This time she did not look round.
She kept her gaze upon the fire.
DO you remember" he persisted
quietly. In his college days men who
heard that tone of quiet persistence
had been wont to lose heart. Eve
heard it now for the first time and,
without being aware, answered to It,
"Yes. | remember" she said.
ION that day you believed in me.
In his earnestness he no longer simu-
lated Chilcote; he spoke with his own
steady reliance. He saw Eve stir.
unclasp and clasp her hands, but ne
went steadily on. "On that day you
saw me in a new light. You acknowl-
edged me-" He emphasized the slight
ly peculiar word, But since that
day'-his voice qulckened-"s that
day your feelings have changed, you1,
faith in me has fallen away, he
watched her closely, but she made no
sign. save to lean still nearer to the
fire. He crossed his arms over the
back Of her chair. you were Justi-
fed" he said suddenly. "T've not been
myself since that day" AS he said
the words his GOODNESS forsook him
slightly. He loathed the necessary lie,
vet his egotism clamored for vindica-
ton. "All men have their lapses," he
went on. There are times-there are
DAYS and waks when when my
The word NERVES" touched his tongue,
hung upon it, then died away u1- :,
spoken.
Very quietly, almost without a.
sound. Eve had risen and turned to-
ward him. She was standing very
| A.t..AA ~. foo. a IItfla DaIn tha hand
that rested on the arN Of her chair
trembling slightly.
John" she said quickly, don't say
that wordi Don't say that hideous
word 'nervesr l don't feel that can
bear it tonight-not just tonight. Can
you undetstnndr'
Loder stepped back. Without COM
pretending, he felt suddenly and
istrangeIy at loss. Something in her
face struck him silent and perplexed.
It seemed that without preparation he
had stepped upon dangerous ground.
With an underlined apprehension, he
waited, looking at her
Il can't explain it, she went on with
nervous haste, Il can't give any rea-
son, but quite suddenly the-the farce
has grown unbearable. | used not to
think-used not even to care-but
suddenly things have changed-or
have changed" She paused, confused
and distressed why should 1t DeF
Why should things change" she ask
ed the question sharply as If in APP
peal against her own ihcredulity.
Loder turned aside. He was afraid
of the triumph volcanic and irrepres-
sible that her admission reused.
"Why?" she said again.
He turned slowly back. you forget
that I'm not magician" he said
gently. Il hardly know what you are
speaking of"
1 ell