Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-02-14

through Loder'S mind He thought or
standing up suddenly and SO regaining
his advantage. He wondered quickly
whether one hand could possibly suf-
flee for the taking out and lighting OF
| two cigarettes. Then all need for
speculation was pushed suddenly aside.
Lillian, looking into his face. saw his
fresh look of disturbance and from
| long experience again changed her tao
ties. Laying the cigarette case, on, the
couch, she put one hand on his shoulder,
the other on his left arm. Hundreds Of
times this caressing touch had QUOTED
Chilcote
Dear old boy!" she said soothingly,
her hand moving slowly down his arm.
| In a fash of understanding the con-
sequences Of this position came to him.
Action was imperative, at whatever
risk. With an abrupt gesture he rose.
| The movement was awkward. He
got to his feet precipitately. Lillian
drew back. surprised and startled,
catching involuntarily at his left hand
to steady her position.
Her fingers grasped at, then held his.
| He made no effort to release them.
| With logged acknowledgment, he adj
mitted himself worsted.
How long she stayed immoyable,
| holding his hand, neither of them knew.
| The process of woman's instinct is so
subtle, so obscure, that it would be
futile to apply it to the commonplace
| test of time. She kept her hold tenaci-
ously, as though his fingers possessed
some peculiar virtue. Then at last she
/ spoke.
"Rings, Jack r she said very slowly.
And under the two short words whole
world of incredulity and surmise made
itself felt
Loder laughed.
At the sound she dropped his hand
/ and rose from her knees. What her
suspicious, what her instincts were she
could not have clearly defined, but her
| action was unhesitating. Without
| moments uncertainty she turned to the
| fireplace, pressed the electric button
1 and flooded the room with light.
There is no force so demoralizing as
unexpected light. Loder took a step
backward. his hand hanging unguard-
ed by his side, and Lillian, stepping
forward, caught it again before he
could protest. Lifting it quickly, she
looked scrutinizingly at the two rings.
All women jump to conclusions, and
it is extraordinary how seldom they
jump short Seeing only what Lillian
saw, knowing only what she. knew, no
| man would have staked definite opin-
4 AZ Ia, +11y dfffopnnf
| view AS she stood gazing at the rings
her thoughts and her conclusions sped
through her mind like arrows-all aim
| ed and all tending toward one point
She remembered the day when she and
4 Chilcote had talked of doubles, her
skepticism and his vehement defense
| Of the idea, his sudden interest in the
book "Other Mems Shoes and his
| anathema against life and its irksome
| round of duties. She remembered her
own first convinced recognition Of the
eyes that had looked at her in the door
| way Of her sisters house, and, last Of
all, she remembered Chilcote's unac-
countable avoidance of the same sub
iect of likenesses when she had men
toned it yesterday driving through the
park, and with it his unnecessarily
curt reputation of his former opin-
ions. She reviewed each item, then
she raised her head slowly and looked
at Loder.
| He was prepared for the glance and
| met it steadily. In the long moment
/ that her eyes searched his face it was
she and not he who changed color.
| She was the first to speak. You were
| the man whose hands l saw in the
tent" she said She made the state
ment in her usual soft tones, but
slight tremor of excitement underran
/ her voice Poodles, Persian kittens,
even crystal gazing balls, seemed very
| far away in face of this tangible. fabu-
| lous, present interest. you are not
Jack Chilcote," she said very slowly.
"You are wearing his clothes and
speaking in his voice, but you are not
Jack Chilcote'' Her tone quickened
| with a touch of excitement. You
needn't keep silent and look at me,
/ she said II know quite well what l
4 am saying, though don't understand
| it, though have no real proof She
| paused. momentarily disconnected by
her companions silent and steady
gaze. and i'll the pause curious and
unexpected thing occurred
Loder laughed suddenly full, con-
/ fdent reassured laugh. All the web
that the past half hour had spun about
him, all the intolerable sense of an inn
pending crash, lifted suddenly. He
saw his way clearly, and it was Lillian
| who had opened his eyes.
Still looking at her, he smiied-a
smile of reliant determination. such as
Chilcote had never worn in his life.
And with calm gesture he released
his hand.
Tile greatest charm Of woman is her
imagination" he said quietly. With
| out it there would be no color in life;
we would come into and drop out Of it
4 with the same unintereStinC tone of