The Red Cloud chief., 1907-04-12
brother!

Nlut Is II! ne saul. nat nave you
come forT" He strove resolutely to
keep his voice severe but. try as he
might, he could not quite subduc the
eager force that lay behind his words.
Once again. rs on the night of their
second interchange. life had become n
phoenix, rising to fresh existence even
while he sifted It's ashes. "Well?' he
said once again.
Chilcotc had set down his glass. He
was n~crvously passing his handker-
chief acroS his lips. There was m
thing In the gesture that attracted Lo-
der. Looking at him moro attentively,
he saw what his own feelings and the
others conventional dress had blinded
him to-thc almost pitcous panic and
excitement in his visitors eyes.
Something's gone wrong!' he said,
with abrupt intuition.
Chilcotc started. "Yes-no-that is.
yes" he s~tammcrcd.
LodCr moved around the table.
Something's gone wrong he repeat
cd. land you've come to tell me-"
The tone unnervod Chilcotc. He sud.
denly dropped into Il chair. "It-it
wasn't my fault,' he began. IL have
had n horrible time!"
Lodcr's lips frightened. Eyes" he
said, yes, | understand"
Tho other glanced up with a CLEAN
OF his old suspicion. TWAS all my
nerves, Loder"-
"Of course. Yes, OF course" To-
der's interruption was curt.
Chilcotc eyed him dombtfully. Then
recollection took the place of doubt.
and a change passed over his express
sion. st wasn't my fault" he began
hastily. "On my soul. it wasn't! It
was Crapham's beastly fault for show
Ing her into the morning ROOM
Loder kept silent. His curiosity had
"a lac at the others
..., he feared to break the shat
tered train of thought V @ by n word.
IN the silence Chilcote moved un-
easily. You sec" he went on at last,
when l was here with you IL felt
strong IL He stopped.
Yes, yes. When you were here with
me YOU felt strong"
Eyes. that's it. While I was here l
felt | could DO the thing. Bat when l
went home-whcn / went up to my
rooms Again he paused. passing his
handkerchief across his forehead.
when you went up to your rooms?'
Loder strove hard to keep his control.
'To my room?- Oh, II forget
about that. / forget about the night
He hesitated confusedly. "All l re-
member is the coming down to break
fast next morning-this morning at
II o'clock
Loder turned to the table and poured
himself out some whisky. Yes" he
acquiesced in a very quiet voice.
At the word ChilcOte rose from his
seat. His disquietude was very evil
dent. "Oh, there was breakfast on the
table when l came dOwnstairs-break-
Fast, with flowers and a horrible, daz-
zling glare of sun. 1t was then, Loder.
as l stood and looked into the room,
| that the impossibllity of ii all came to
| me-that | knew l couldn't stand it
| couldn't 60 on"
u lAObcl SWuilON Cu hlo Nhiphg Sio"iy'
His sense of overpowerlng curiosity
held him very still, but he made no
effort to prompt his companion.
/ Again ChilcOte shifted his position
agitatedly. st had to be DONE" he
said disjointedly. II had to do it-then
and there. The things were on the bu'
reau-the pens and ink and telegraph
forms. They tempted me-"
Loder laid down his glass suddenly
An exclamation rose to his lips, but he
checked it.
At the slight sound Of the tumbleI
touching the table Chilcote turned, but
there was no expression on the others
face to alright him.
'They tempted me-" he repeated has
tily. '"They seemed like magnets; they
seemed to draw me toward them.
sat at the bureau staring at them for O
long time. Then a terrible compulslor
seized me-something you could neve
Understandable caught up the near
est pen and wrote just what was in my
mind. 1t wasn't a telegram, properly
speaking. 1t was more a letter.
wanted you back, and | had to make
myself plain. The writing Of the mes
sage seemed to steady me; the mere
forming of the words quieted my mind
| was almost cool when | got up from
the bureau and pressed the bell'-
The belli"
"Yes. | rang for a servant. I hat
to send the wire myself, so I had t.
get a cab" His voice rose to irrita
billty. q" pressed the bell severa
times, but the thing had gone wrong
'twouldn't work. At last I gave 1t III
] and mani INT , N nnrriIor 70 coll sam.