Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-14

enc puuSeu, Slppeu leT led, lneu loOheu
up again with change of expression
John" she said more seriously,
"there is one point that sticks little.
VIII this great change lastT' Her
voice was direct and even, wonder
fully direct for n woman, 1oder
thought. 1t came TO him with a GER
tain force that beneath her remarkable
charm might possibly lie remarkable
character. 1t was not possibility
that had occurred TO him before, and
II caused him to look at her n second
time. In the new light he saw her
beauty differently, and 1t interested
him differently. Heretofore he had
been inclined to class women under
three heads--idols. amuscments and
membranes. Now it crossed his
mind that woman might possibly fill
another nacc-the place of com
panion.
You are very skeptcal" he said,
still looking down at her
She did not return his glance. 81
think I have been made skeptlcal," she
said
AS she spoke the image of Chicote
shot through his mind -- Chilcote, ir-
rtable, vicious, unstable-and a quick
compassion for this woman so inev-
itably shacklcd TO him followed it,
Eve, unconscious Of what was pass
ing In his mind, went Oh with her sub
iect
when we We're married" she said
/ gently, Il had such a great interest in
things, such "A great belief in life.
had lived in politics, and | was marry
ing one of the coming men-everybod
said you were one of the coming men.
| scarcely felt there was anything left
to ask for You didn't make very ar
dent love- she smiled, but think
l had forgotten about love. | wanted
| nothing So much as to be like Lady
| Sarah-married to IA great man" She
paused. then went on more hurricdly:
For awhile things went right, then
slowly things went wrong. You got
your-your nerves"
| Lodcr changed his position with
something of abruptness.
She misconstrued the action.
please don't think want to be
disagreeabe," she said hastily. II
don't. I'm only trying to make you
understand why-why lost heart
II think | know" Lodcr's voice broke
in Involuntary. Things got worse
! then still worse You found interfcr-
ence useless. Al last you ceased to
have a husband"
! Until a week ago" She glanced up
quickly Absorbed in her own feel
ings, she had seen nothing eXtraor-
binary in his words.
But at hers Loder changed color.
ITS the most incredible thing in the
world" she said. IFS quite incred-
ible, and yet l can't deny it, Against
all my reason, all my experience all
my inclination. l seem to feel in the
last week something of what | felt at
first she stopped with an embar-
raised laugh. 1T seems that as if by
magic. life has been picked up where
dropped it six years ago" Again she
stopped and laughed.
Loder was keenly uncomfortable, but
he could think of nothing to say.
ut seemed to begin that night dined
with the Fraidcs," she went on. Mr.
Fraide talked SO wisely and so kindly
about SO many things. He recalled al
we had hoped for in you and-and be
blamed me little" she paused and
laid her cup aside. He said that when
people have made what they call theil
last effoo they should always make just
one effort more. He promised that IL
could once persuade you to take an In
tereSt in your work he would do the
rest. He said all that and Il thouSanC
other kinder things, and | sat and lis
tened. But all the time | thought OF
nothing but their uselessness Befor,
left promised to do my pest but my
thought was still the same. 1t was
stronger than ever when | forced my
self to come up here She PAUSED
again and glanced at Loder's avertct
head. But | came, and then. as If b!
conqueling myself | had compelled :
reward. you seemed, you somehow
seemed different. 1t sounds ridiculous
| know" Her voice was half amused
half deprecating 1T wasn't a differ
ence in your face. though | knew direct
ly that you were free from nerves
Again she hesitated over the word. Il
was a difference in yourself, in tn
things you said, more than in the wa.
. you said them" Once more she PAUSED
, and laughed little.
I.oder's discomfort grew
, But 1t didn't affect me then" Sh
spoke more slowly. Il wouldn't ndml
it then. And the next day when W
: talked on the terrace | still refused I
admit it, though felt 1t more strongl
than before But | have watched yo
2 since that day. and l know there is
change. Mr.. Fraide feels the same
and he Is never mistaken. ! know it
/ only nine or ten days, but I've hardl
{ seen you in the same mood for nine O
= ten hours in the last three years" Sh
= stopped, and the silence was impressive
l 1t seemed to plead for confirmation o
t her instinct.
Still Loder could find no response.
] After waiting for moment she lear
ed forward in her chair and looked u
4 at him.
e John" she said, "is it going to last
That's what ] came to ask. don
want to believe til I'm sure. | don
| t,I. Il. 81, -.