The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-03-14

|
ed instinctively:
| eyes" he said slowly, "a long STEP"
And, with Z smile Of farewell, he turn
ed, opened the door and passed into the
road.
| The thrill Of that one moment was
still warm as he reached Cadogan gar
dens and mounted the steps Of No. 80
so vitality warm that he paused for an
instant before pressing the electric
bell. Then at last. dominated by antici-
| patton, he turned and raised his hand.
The action was abrupt, and it was
only as his fingers pressed the bell that
certain unexpectedness, certain
| want of suitability in the aspect of the
house, struck him. The door was white:
the handle and knocker were of mass
i've silver. The first seemed a disap-
pointing index Of Lakeley's private
taste, the second ridiculous tempta-
ton to needy humanity. He looked
again at the number of the house. but
it stared back at him convincingly.
Then the door opened.
So keen was his sense Of unfitness
that, still trying to fuse his impression
Of Lakeley with the idea of silver door
fittings, he stepped into the hall with
| out the usual preliminary question.
Suddenly realizing the necessity, he
turned to the servant, but the man fore
stalled him:
will you come into the white room.
| sir? And may take your coat?"
The smooth certainty of the mans
manner surprised him. 1t held another
SAVIOR of disappointment, seeming as
little in keeping with the keen, busi-
| nesslike Lakeley as did the house. Still
struggling with his impression, he al
lowed himself to be relieved Of his hat
and coat and in silence ushered up the
shallow staircase.
AS the last step was reached it came
| to him. again to mention his hosts
name, but simultaneously with the sug-
gestion the servant stepped forward
with quick, silent movement and
threw open a door.
"Mr. Chilcote!' he announced in q
subdued, discreet voice.
Loder's first impression was of q
room that seemed unusually luxurious,
soft and Swallowed. Then all impress
sion Of inanimate things left him sud-
denly.
For the fraction Of a second he stood
In the doorway, while the room seemed
emptied of everything except a figure
that rose slowly from a couch before
no Of
Then, with calmness that to himself
seemed incredible, he moved forward
into the room.
he might, of course, have beaten a
retreat and obviated many things, but
life Is full Of might have beens, and re-
treat never presents itself agreeably to
strong man. His impulse was to face
the difficulty, and he acted on the i'm
pulse.
Lillian had risen slowly, and as he
neared her she held out her hand.
Jack" she exclaimed softly, show
sweet of you to remember!''
The voice and words came to him
with great distinctness, and as they
came one uncertainty passed forever
from his mind-the question as to
what relation she and Chilcote held to
each other. With the realization came
the thought of Eve, and in the midst
OF his own difficulty his face hardened.
Lillian ignored the coldness Taking
his hand, she smiled. you're unusual
~ punctual,'' she said. "But your
hands are cold. Come closer to the
fire.
Loder was not sensible that his
hands were cold, but he suffered him
self to be drawn forward.
One end of the couch was in fire.
light, the other. in shadow By for
tunate arrangement Of chance Lillian
selected the brighter end for herself
and offered the other to her guest.
With a quick sense Of respite he &C
cepted it. At least he could sit secure
from detection while he temporized
with fate.
For a moment they sat silent, then
Lillian stirred. ''Won't you smoke?'
she asked
Everything in the room seemed soft
and enervating-the subdued glow of
the fire, the smell Of roses that hung
about the air and, last Of all, Lillian's
slow, soothing voice. With sense of
oppression he stiffened his shoulders
and sat straighter in his place.
"No,'' he said, Il don't think shall
smoke"
She moved nearer to him. "Dear
jack she said pleadingly, "don't say
you're in a bad mood. Don't say you
want to postpone again." She looked
up at him and laughed little in mock
CONSERVATION.
Loder was at loss
Another silence followed, while Lii
lian waited; then she frowned sudden
~ and rose from the couch. Like
many indolent people, she possessed
touch Of obstinacy, and now that her
triumph over Chilcote was obtained,
now that she had indicated her right
to command him, her original purpose
CT ToI1 int