Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-03-07

|fE left Cadogan gardens was pc
bE culiar Once more he was lly-
ing in the present-the force
full, exhilarating present, and the
knowledge braced him. Upon one
point his mind was satisfied. Lillian
Astrupp had found the telegram, and
it remained to him to render her find
valueless. How he proposed to do
this, how he proposed to come out tri-
umphant in face of such situation,
was matter that as vet was shape
less in his mind; nevertheless the dan
ger. the sense Of impending conflict,
had a SAVIOR Of life after the inaction
of the day and night just passed. Chill
cote iii his weakness and his entangle-
ment had turned to him, and he in his
strength and capacity had responded
to the appeal.
His step was firm and his bearing as
sured as he turned into Grosvenor
square and walked toward the familiar
house.
The habit of self deceit is as insidi-
BUS and tenacious as any vice. For one
moment on the night Of his great
speech as he leaned out of Cllilcote's
carriage and met Chilcote's eyes Loder
had seen himself and under the shock
of revelation had taken decisive action.
But in the hours subsequent to that
action the plausible, inner voice had
whispered INCREASINGLY, soothing his
wounded self esteem, rebuilding stone
BY stone the temple of his egotism, un-
til at last when Chilcote, panic stricken
at his own action, had burst into his
rooms ready to plead or to coerce he
had found no need for either coercion
or entreaty. By a power more subtle
and effective than any at his command
Loder had been prepared for his COM
ing -unconsciously ready with an ac-
quiescence before his appeal had been
made. It was the fruit of this prepara-
ton, the inevitable outcome Of it, that
strengthened his step and steadied his
hand as he mounted the steps and
opened the hall door Of Chilcote's house
on that eventfui afternoon
The dignity, the. air of quiet solidity,
impressed him as 1t never failed to do,
as he crossed the large hall and ascend
ed the stairs-the same stairs that he
had passed down almost as an outcast
not so many hours before. He was fill
ed with the sense of things regained.
Belief in his own star lifted him, as 1t
had done hundred times before in
these same surroundings,
He quickened his steps as the sensa-
ton came TO him. Then, reaching the
head of the stairs, he turned directly
toward Ewes sitting room and, gaining
the door, knocked The strength Of his
eagerness, the quick beating of his
pulse as he waited for response, sur
prised him. He had told himself many
times that his passion, however strong,
would never again conquer as it had
done two nights ago, and the fact that
he had come thus candidly to Ewes
room was to his mind proof that
temptation could be dared. Neverthe-
less there was something disconcerting
to a strong man in this merely physical
perturbation, and when Ewes voice
came to him, giving permission to en-
ter, he paused for an instant to steady
himself. Then, with sudden decision,
be opened the door and walked into
the room.
The blinds were partly drawn, there
was a scent Of vIolets in the air, and a
fire glowed warmly in the CRATE. He
noted these things carefully, telling
himself that a man should always be