Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-04-13


Thank God it's overr' ne said as a
cab drew up. You don't know what
the strain has BEEN
Moving as if In dream. Eve stepped
into the cab. As yet the terrible de
nouement to their enterprise had made
no clear impression upon her mind.
| For the moment all that she was con-
scious or. all that she instinctively &C
knowledged was the fact that Loder
was still beside her.
In quiet obedience she took her place.
drawing aside her skirts to make room
for him. and in the same subdued man
ner he stepped into the vehicle. Then.
with the strange sensation Of RELYING
their earlier drive. they We're aware of
the frightened rein and OF the horses
first forward movement
For several seconds neither spoke.
Eve, shutting ont all other thoughts.
sat close u Loder. clinging tenaciously
10 the mOmentary comforting sense of
protection. LOder. striving TO marshal
bis ideas. hesitated before the ordeal
I OF speech. At last. realizing his re-
Sponsi5ility, he turned to her slowly.
|
/ with some hesitation. 81 want YOU to
know that in all this-from the moment
/ saw him-from the moment I under
! stood have had YOU ia my thoughts
| You and no one else"
She raised her eyes TO his face.
'Do you realize be began afresh.
40 you know what this-this thing
| mcansF"
Still she remained silent
/ ct means that after tonight there
| viii be no such person in London as
John IOd r. Tomorrow the man who
was known 10y that name will be found
/ IN his rooms: his body VIII be removed.
/ and at the post norton examination IL
! will be stated that he died OF an over
/ dose Of morpha His charwoman will
| identify him ass O. solitary man who liv-
/ ed respectfully for years and then sud
denly went down hin with remarkable
! speed. IL viii bc quite q common case.
! Nothing OF interest win bc found In his
rooms. No relation viii claim his body.
| After the usual time be viii be given
| the usual burial of Dis class. These de-
I tails are horrible. hut there are times
when we must loa', at the horrible side
| OF life. because life is incomplete with
/ out IT,
These things ! speak OF are the
things that viii meet the casual eve.
| but On our si-ht they viii have a very
/ different meaning
Eve" he Said more vehcmently. "a
whole chapter iu my llfe has been clos
ed tonight. and my first instinct Is 20
shut the book and throw Il away. But
/ I'm thinking of you Remember. I'm
| thinking OF you. Whatever the trial.
! whatever the difficulty. no harm shall
come 20 you. You have my word for
that.
'I'n return with YOU now 20 Gros-
Z venor square. I'll remain there till a
reasonable excuse can be given for
! Chilcote's going abroad. VIII avoid
Fraide ! will cut poltics-whntever
the cost Then at the first reasona BILE
moment I will do what I would do
now. tonight. II II were possible. III
so away. start afresh; do in another
country what ! have done in this"
There was a long silence; then Eve
turned 20 him. The apathy OF mo
| mcnt before had left her face. "In an
other countryT' she repeated 'ID an
other counuyY'
"Yes. fresh career In n fresh coun-
try. something clean to offer you. I'm
not too old to do what other men have
done"
He paused. and for a moment Eve
looked ahead at the cleaning chain OF
lamps. Then very slowly she brought
her glance back again. mo" she said
very slowly. You are not too old. But
there are times when age-and things
Ike age-are not the real consideration
1t seems TO me that your own incllna-
ton. your own individual sense OF
right and wrong. has nothing to do
with the present moment The ques-
ton Is whether you are justified In GO
ing away"-she paused, her eyes fixed
steadily upon his-"whether you are
free TO go away and make a new life.
whether 1t is ever Justihable TO follow
a phantom Hight when-when there's a
lantern waiting to be carried" Her
breath caught. She drew away from
him. frightened and elated by her own
| words.
Loder turned to her sharply. Ever
he exclaimed: then his tone changed.
You don't know what you're saying"
he added quickly. "YOu don't under.
stand what you're saying"
Eve leaned forward again. Yes
she said slowly. Il do understand"
her voice was controlled. her manner
convinced. She was no longer the girl
conquered by strength greater than her
own. She was the woman strenuously
demanding her right to individual hap
piness.
81 understand 1t ALL" she repeated.
"I understand every point. II was no,
chance that made you change your
Identity. that made you care for me
that brought about-his death. / don't
believe ii was chance. l believe il was
something much higher. You are not
meant to so away"
AS Loder watched her the remem-
brance OF his first days as Chilcote
rose again. the remembrance OF how
he had been dimIy filled with the be
lief that below her self possession lay
a strengths depth-uncommon In wo-
man. AS he studied her now the In
stinctive belief famed into conviction.