Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-03-14

III MIN HlCKer OF eNC1temenC crossed
his face. God, Loder," he said again,
"'twas a relief to see you'll dreamed
was IN hell-a horrible he'll, worse
than the one they preach about" He
laughed to reassure himself, but his
voice shook ptiably
Loder, who had come to fight, stood
silent and inert.
at was horrlble-beastly, Chlcote
went on. There was no fire and brm-
stone, but there was something worse
It was great ironic scheme of pun
ishment by which every man was
chained to his own vice-by which the
thing he had gone to pieces over, in-
stead of being denied him, was made
compulsory. You can't imagine It." He
shvered nervously and his voice rose
Fancy being satiated beyond the linn
1t of safety, being driven and logged
by the thing you had run after oil your
lifew
lie paused excitedy, and In the
pause Loder found resolution. He shut
his ears to the panic in Chllcotes voice,
he closed his consciousness to the sight
of bis shaken face. With a surge of de-
termination he rallied his theories Aft
er all, he had himself and his own in
terests to claim his thought. At the mo-
ment Chilcote was a wreck, with no de-
sire toward rehabilitation but there
was no guarantee that in an hour or
two lie might not have regained con
troll over himself and with it the incl-
nation that had prompted his letter of
! fha Iou haforN No hO no i'm o1r 60,
look to. The survival of the fittest was
the true, the only principle. Chilcote
had had intellect, education opportu-
nifty, and Cblcote had deliberately cast
them aside. Fortifying himself In the
knowledge. he turned from the window
and moved slowly back to the.bed.
Look here" he began, you wrote
for me last night His voice was hard.
lie had come to fight
Chilcote glanced M quickly. His
mouth was drawn and there was a new
anxiety in his eyes. 'Loder,' he ex-
claimed quickly. "Loder. come here!
Come nearer
Reluctantly Loder obeyed. Stepping
closer to the side of the bed, he bent
down.
The other put up bis hand and caught
his arm. His fingers trenhed and jerk
, ed. II say. Loder." he said suddenly.
"I-Tve had such beastly night-Iny
nerves, you know
, With Il quick, involuntary disgust
Loder drew back. Don't you think
we might shove that asde2" he asked.
But Chilcote's gaze had wandered
from his face and strayed to tie dress
! Ing table, there it moved feverishy
. from one object to another.
"Loder." he exclaimed. do you see
can you see if there's a tube Of tab
lods on the mantelshef or on the
dressing table, He lifted himself
nervously on his elbow, and his eyes
wandered uneaslly about the room. 81
i had a beastly night; my nerves are
, horribly Jared. and I thought i
, think"-- He stopped
With his increasing consciousness his
nervous collapse became more marked.
At the first moment Of waking the re-
lief of an uncXpec ted presence had sur
. mounted everything else, but now, as
= one by one his faculties stirred his
With n new sense of perturbation
! Loder made his next attack.
"Chilcote," he h"gan steTly
But again Chilcotc caught his arm,
: pluckng ut the coat sleeve. "Where is
! it, he said where IS the tube of
, tabloids- the sadatiye? l'm--I'm oblig-
ed to take something when my nerves
20 wrong" In his weakness and ner-
vouS trcmor he forgot that Loder was
the share: of his secret. Even in his
extremity his fear of detection chung
to him imply-the lies that had be-
come second nature slipped from him
without efiorr. Then suddenly Il fresh
panic seized him, his fingers frightened
systematically, his eyes ceased to rove
about the room and settled on his
companions face. "Can you see it,
Loder:" he cried. Il can't; the lights
III my eyes. Can you see it? Can you
see the tube?" He lifted himself
higher, an agony of apprehension in
his face.
I.oder pushed him back upon the
pillow. He was striving hard to keep
his own mind cool, to steer his own
course straight through the chaos that
confronted him. "Chilcote," he began
once more, you sent for me last night,
and | came the first thing this morn
ing to tell you But there lie stopped
short.
With an excitement that lent him
strength. Chilcote pushed aside his
hands. Cod he said suddenly, sup
pose twas lost-suppose twas gone"
The imaginary possibility gripped him.
lie sat up his face livid, drops of
porspiration showing on his forehead,
his whole shattered system trembling
before his thought.
AT the sight Loder set his lips. The
tube Is on the mantelshelf" he said
in a cold, abrupt voice.
A Groan of relief fell from Chilcote,
ana the muscles of his face relaxed.
For a moment he lay back with closed
eyes, then the desire that tortured him
stirred afresh He lifted his eyellds
and looked at his companion. Hand
it to me- he said quickly. Give it to
me. Give it to me, Loder. quick as
you can! There's a glass on the table
and some whisky and water The