Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-07
CHAPTER II.


early cup of tea on the table beside the
bed.
For several seconds he lay with his
! eyes shut The effort of opening them
on fresh .lay-the intimate certainty
| of what he would see on opening them
seemed to weight his lids The heavy,
half closed curtains the blinds severely
drawn. the great room with Its splen-
did furniture, It's sober coloring. its
scent of damp London winter-above
all. Allsopp, SILENT respectful and re-
spectable-were the things to dread.
A full minute passed while he still
feigned sleep. lie heard Allsopp stir
tliscrcetly. then the inevitable informa-
ton broke the silence:
Nine O'Clock, sir!'
He opened his eyes. murmured some
thing and closed them again.
The man moved to the window,
quietly pulled back the curtains and
half drew the blind.
Better night. sir. hope?" he ven
tured softly.
Chilcote had drawn the bedclothes
over his face to screen himself from
the daylight, murky though it was.
YES" he responded. Those beast
ly nightmares didn't trouble me for
once He shivered u little as at some
recollection. But don't talk-don't re-
mind me of them hate n man who
has no originality" He spoke sharply.
At times he showed a.: almost childish
irritation over trivial things.
Allsopp took the remark in silence.
Crossing the wide room, he began to
lay ous his masters clothes. The ac-
ton affected Chilcote to fresh annoy
ance.
"Confound it, he said I'm sick of
that routine, can see you laying out
my winding sheet the day Of my
burial Leave those things. Come
back in half an hour"
Allsopp allowed himself one glance
at his masters figure huddled in the
great bed: then. laying aside the coat
he was holding, he moved to the door
With his fingers on the handle, he
paused.
'W'ill you breakfast in your own
room, sir, or downstairs y
Chiicotc drew the clothes more tight
~ round his shoulders. ooh, anywhere
-nowhere!' he said. 81 don't care"
Allsopp softly withdrew.
Left to himself. Chilcote sat up in
bed and lifted the salver to his knees.
The sudden movement Jared him
physically. He drew handkerchief
from under the pillow and wiped his
forehead Then he held his hand to the
light and studied it. The hand looked
sallow and unsteady. With nervous
gesture he thrust the salver back upon
the table and slid out of bed.
Moving hastily across the room, he
stopped before one of the tall ward
robes and swung the door open; then,
after a furtive glance around the room,
he thrust his hand into the recesses
of shelf and fumbled there The
thing he sought was evidently not
hard to find. for almost at once he |
withdrew his hand and moved from
the wardrobe to table beside the fire |
place, carrying small glass tube filed
with tabloids.
On the table were decanter,
siphon and a water jug. Mixing some
whisky, he uncorked the tube. Again
he glanced apprehensively toward the
door, then with very nervous hand
dropped two tabloids into the glass.
While they dissolved he stood with
his hand on the table and his eyes FIX
-,
his Impotence Instantly they had
disappeared he seized the glass and
drained it at a draft, replaced the
bottle in the wardrobe and, shivering |
slightly in the raw air, slipped back
into bed.
When Allsopp returned he was sit
ting up. cigarette between his lips, |
the teacup standing empty on the
salver. The nervous irritability had
gone from his manner. He no longer
moved jerkily; his eyes looked bright
er, his pale skin more healthy.
"Ah, Allsopp." he said, there are
some moments in life, after all. 1t
isn't all blank Nall."
II ordered breakfast in the small
morning room. sir" said Allsopp. with
out a change of expression.
Chilcote breakfasted at 10. His ap-
petite, always tickle, was particularly
uncertain in the early hours. He help |
ed himself to some fish. but sent away |
his plate untouched; then, having |
drunk two cups of tea he pushed back
his chair. lighted fresh cigarette and
shook out the mornings newspaper.
Twice he shook it out and twice turn
ed it, but the reluctance to fix his mind
upon it made him daily. The effect of
tine morphia tabloids was still appar-
ent in the greater steadiness of his
hand and eve. the regained quiet Of his
susceptibilities, but the respite was
temporary and lethargic. The early |
days-the days Of six years ago, when
these tabloids meant an even sweep of |
thought, lucidity of brain, a balance Of |
Judgment in thought and effort ere |
days of the past. AS he had said of
Lexington and his vice, the slave had
become master.
AS he folded the paper in last at |
tempt at interest the door opened. and
his secretary came step or two into
the room
Good ,,orning. SIR he said. For
giye me . being 80 untiinely."
He was fresh hammered, bright
avad hoy IF fwonfy-thrae His breezy