Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-31


seemed to see it--until tonight"
Eve changed her position. She was
very artistic she said tentatively.
Don't you think the gold gown was
beautiful with her pale colored hairT'
| Loder felt surprised. He was con-
| WINGED that Eve disliked the other,
| and he was not sufficiently yersed In
| women to understand her praise. Il
| thought he began. Then he wisely
stopped. II didn't see the gown he
| substituted.
Eve looked out of the window. How
| unappreciative men arer' she said. But
her tone was strangely free from cen
sure.
After this there was silence until
Grosyenor square was reached. Hav-
ing left the carriage and passed into
the house, Eve paused for moment
! at the foot of the stairs to give an or
der to Crapham, who was still in at
tendance in the hall, and again Loder
had an opportunity of studying her.
/ AS he looked sharp comparison rose
to his mind
"a fairy princessw he had heard the
red haired man say as Lillian Astrupp
came into view along the Bramfells'
corridor, and the smile had seemed
particularly apt With her grace. her
/ delicacy, her subtle attraction, she
might well be the outcome Of imagi-
nation. But with Eve it was different.
She also was graceful and attractive.
but it was grace and attraction of a
different order. One was beautiful
with the beauty of the white rose
that springs from the dollhouse and
withers at the first touch of cold; the
other with the beauty Of the wild rose
on the cliffs above the sea, that keeps
its petals fine and transparent in face
of salt spray and wet mist. Eve, too,
had her realm, but it was the realm
Of real things. A great confidence, a
feeling that here one might rely even
If all other faiths were shaken, touched
him suddenly. For moment he stood
irresolute, watching her mount the
stairs with her easy. assured step.
Then a determination came to him.
Fate favored him tonight; he was in
luck tonight. He would put his for
tune to one more test. He swung
across the hall and ran up the stairs.
His face was keen with interest as
he reached her side. The hard outline
Of his features and the hard grayness
of his eyes were softened as when he
had paused to talk with Lakeley. Action
was the breath of his life, and his face
changed under it as another's might
change under the influence of stirring
music or good wine.
Eve saw the look and again the I'M
easy expression of surprise crossed her
eyes. She paused. her hand resting
on the bauister.
4 Loder looked at her directly. Twill
you come into the study as you came
that other night? There's something l
want to say" He spoke quietly He
felt master of himself and her.
4 She hesitated, glanced at him and
then glanced away.
4, evil you conner he said again
And as he said it his eyes rested on
the sweep of her thick eyelashes, the
curve of the back hair
At last her lashes lifted and the per-
plexity and doubt in her blue eyes
stirred him. Without waiting for her
answer, he leaned forward.
4 "Say yesr he urged. II don't often
ask for favors."
Still she hesitated. Then her decision
was made for her. With a new bold
ness he touched her arm, drawing her
forward gently but decisiyely toward
Chilcote's rooms.
i In the study fire burned brightly,
Il the desk was laden with papers, the
lights were nicely adjusted, even the
chairs were in their accustomed places.
Loder's senses responded to each sug-
i gestion. 1t seemed but day since he
had seen it last. 1t was precisely as he
had left 1.-THE niche needing but the
man.
j To hide his emotion he crossed the
d floor quickly and drew chair for
4 ward. In less than six hours he had
run up and down the scale of emotions.
He had looked despair in the face till
1.-THE sudden sight of Chilcote 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-
gency 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.
i Eve moved toward him. She moved
slowly, as If half afraid. Many emo
tons stirred her -distrust uncertainty
and curious half dominant, half sup
pressed questioning that it was difficult
to define. Loder remembered her
shrinking GOODNESS, her reluctant toler-
ance on the night of his first coming,
and his individuality, his certainty of
power, kindled afresh. Never had he
been so vehemently himself; never had
Chilcote seemed SO complete shadow.
i AS Eve seated herself he moved for
| ward and leaned over the back of his