The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-12
I II -
MaSquerader
By KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON,
Author OF The Circle" Etc
(Continued.)

saw the uneasy look. and her own race
fell But as she looked, an inspiration
came to her-a remembrance OF many
interviews with Chilcote smoothed and
facilitated by the timely use of to-
bacco.
Jack" she said softly, before you
say another word / insist on your
lighting a cigarette" She leaned for
ward. resting against his knee.
At her words Loder's eyes left the
fire. His attention was suddenly need
ed for a new and more imminent diff
Guilty. "Thanksr' he said quickly. Il
I have no wish to smoke"
"It isn't a matter of what you wish,
but Of what | say" She smiled. She
knew that Chilcote with cigarette be-
tween his lips was infinitely more trac-
table than ChilcOte sitting idle, and she
had no intention Of ignoring the knOwl-
edge.
But Loder caught at her words. BE
fore you ordered me TO smoke" he said,
''you told me to give you some advice.
Your first command must have prisr
claim" He grasped unhesitatingly at
the less risky theme.
She looked up at him. You're al
ways nicer when you smoke" she per
sisted caressingly. Light cigarette
and give me one"
Loder's mouth became set. NO" he
said, wen stick to this advice busi-
ness 1t interests me-"
"Yes-afterward"
mo; now. You want to find out why
this Englishman from italy was at
your sisters party and why he disap-
peared"
There are times when a malignant
obstinacy seems to anect certain peo
pie. The only answer Lillian made was
to pass her hand over Loder's waist
coat and. feeling his cigarette case, to
draw it from the pocket.
He affected not to see 1t. do you
think he recognized you in that tent?"
he insisted desperately.
She held out the case. Here are
your cigarettes. You know we're al
ways more social when we smoke
In the short interval while she looked |
up into his face several ideas passed |
through Loder's mind. He thought of |
standing up suddenly and so regaining !
his advantage. He wondered quickly I
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 tac-
Tics. Laying the cigarette case on the
couch, she put one hand on his shoulder,
the other en- his left arm. Hundreds OF
times this caressing touch had quieted
Chilcote
Dear old boy she said soothingly,
her hand moving slowly down his arm
In flash of understanding the con-
sequences of this position came to him.
Action was Imperative. at whatever
risk. With an abrnpt gesture he rose
The movement was awkward He
got to his feet ,preclptately. Lillian
rev back. surprised and startled,
catching involuntarily at his left hand
10 steady her position.
Her fingers 2rasped at, then had his.
He made No effort to release them.
With logged Acknowledgement. ne ad
nitted himself worste1.
How long she stayed lmmoya5le
lolding his hand neither of them knew. y
The process Of womans instinct Is so q
subtle. so obsc;sYe thFt II would be Y
utle to apply 1t 70 til, commonplace
est of time. She kept her hold tenaci- h
'usly. as though hls fin -ers possessed Z
ONE peculiar virtue. Then at last she 4
poke.
"Rings, .Jack?" she said very slowly. e.
nd under the two short words II whole I
vorld of incredulity and surmise made
tself felt IL
Loder laughed.
At the sound she dropped his hand
nd rose from her knees. What her
uspicions, what her instincts were she
ould not have clearly defined, but her 10
ctioR was understanding Without a "
uncertainty she turned to the v,
replace pressed the electric button pl
nd flooded the room with light. th
There is no force so demoralizing as fo
light. Loder took step 70
ackward, his hand hanging unguard- ha
! by his side, and Lillian, stepping
,rward caught ii again before he su
,uld protest Lifting 1t quickly, she ar
oked scrutinizingly at the two rings W
All women jump to conclusions, and as
is extraordinary how seldom they yo
mp short. Seeing only what Lillian at;
w, knowing only what she knew, no W;
an would have staked definite opin- to
n, but the other sex takes a different TN
ew. AS she stood gazing at the rings tn,
n thoughts and her conclusions. sped be
rough her mind like arrows-all aim Gle
and all tending toward one point. tn,
le remembered the day when she and PEI
lilcote had talked OF doubles, her mi
epticism and his vehement defense ws
the idea, hts sudden interest in the nc
ok "Other Mems Shoes" and his Gu,
aAhema against life and It's irksams Az
una Of duties. She remembered her hal
N flrst convinced recOgnbien Of Ne the