The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-03-08

nave u1SpleaSed another woman. Eve
seemed to take no offense.
II lad talk with the Fraides to-
day." she said, "a long talk Mr..
Fraide said great things of you, things
wouldn't have believed from anybody
but Mr.. Fra!dc." She altered her posi-
tion and looked from Loder's face back
into the fire.
He took a step forward. "What
things" he said. Tie was almost
ashamed of the sudden, inordinate
satisfaction that wellcd up at her
words.
!. "Oh, MUSTN'T tell your She laughed
little. "But you have surprised him."
She paused. slipped her tea, then looked
UP again with change of expression.
John" she said more seriously,
-'thcrc Is one point that sticks little
VIII this great change last?" Her
voice was direct and even, wonder
fully direct for woman, Loder
thought. 1t came to him with a GER
tain force that beneath her remarkable
charm might possibly lie remarkable
character. 1t was not a possibility
that had occurred to him before. and
1T caused him to look Mt her a 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-iGols, amusements and
membranes. Now 1t crossed his
mind that Il woman might possibly fill
another place-the place Of COM
panion.
"You are very skeptical," he said,
still looking down at her.
She did not return his glance. "I
think have been made skeptical." she
said
AS she spoke the image Of Chilcote
shot through his mind - Chilcote ir-
rttable, vicious, unstable-and a quick
compassion for this woman so inev.
itably shackled to him followed it.
Eve, unconscious of what was pass
ing in his mind, went on with her sub
ject.
when we We're married." she said
gently, Il had such a great interest in
things, such great belief in life.
had lived In politics, and was marry
ing one of the coming men--everybody
said you were one of thescomIpa,Ssaart
a-soa.s.,,, cert -lIIS;xT Twrrs-Ss2s fei'
to iaisk FOR. You didh,es nacixe-- ar
dent love" she smiled, 'butt 9fmnk
! had forgotten about love. : wanted
nothing so much as to be like Lazy
Sarah-married to great man. she
paused, then went on more hurrleus'
For awhile things went right; theh
slowly things went wrong. You got
your-your nerves.
Loder changed his position with
something of abruptness.
She misconstrucd the action.
"Please don't think ] want TO he
disarreeable," she said hastily. L
don't. I'm only trying to make you
understand why-why l lost heart.
II think know" Loder's voice proNe
in involuntarily. Ihings got WORSE
then still worse. You found lnterler-
ence useless. At last you ceased 10
have a husband"
"Iyntil a week ago" She glanced VI
quickly. Absorbed in her own feel
inps. she had seen nothing eXtraor
dinary in his words.
But at hers Loder changed color.
.It's the most incredible thing In tn
world" she said. Its quite lncfeu
ible and vet can't deny it. Agains
all my reason, all my experience "a
nv inclination, l seem to feel In IN
last week something Of what feit q
first" She stopped with an emDa
rassed laugh. ut seems that, as II D
magic, life has been picked up where
dropped it six years ago." Again 81
stopped and laughed.
Loder was keenly uncomfortaDie' ID
he could think Of nothing to say
"It seemed to begin that night dln'
with the Fraides." she went on. NJ
Fraide talked so wisely and so KIND
about SO many things. He recalled
we had hoped for in you. and-and
blamed me a little" She paused a
laid h,.r. o,sp.asrCe. HE said that WI
..s.-s<s people have made what they call tn
last effort they should always make j.
one effort more. He promised that u
could once persuade you to take an
terest In your work lie would do
rest. He said all that and thousa
other kinder things. and l sat ana
tened. But all the time / Thought
nothing but their uselessness. Bef
left / promised to do my best, but
thought was still the same. 1t '
stronger than ever when l forced
self to come up here She pau
again and glanced at Loder's aver
head. "But I came, and then. as IL
conuuering myself l had compete
reward, you seemed, you somci
seemed different. 1t sounds ridicui
know" Her voice was half anu
half deprecating. "It wasn't di
ence in your face, though knew dill
ly that you were free from nerV
Again she hesitated over the word.