Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-13

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name" In his eagerness he had FOL.
lowed Loder to the desk. won't you
give me an answer? told you am
neither mad nor drunk"
Loder pushed back the scattered pa.
pers that lay under his arm.
| Only a lunatic would propose such
a scheme" he said brusQuely and
without feeling.
"Why?'
| The others lips parted for a quick
retort; then in surprising way the
retort seemed to fail him. "Oh, be-
| cause the thing isn't feasible, isn't
practicable from any point Of viewr'
Chilcote stepped closer. "Whyf' he
| insisted.
Because it couldn't work. man
| couldn't hold for dozen hours!''
Chilcote put out his hand and touch
ed his arm. But why!" he urged.
| why? Give me one unanswerabla
| reason"
Loder shook of the hand and laugh
ed, but below his laugh lay sugges-
ton Of the others excitement. Again
the scene stirred him against his
sounder judgment, though his reply
when it came was sound enough.
!. "As for reasons" he said, there are
a hundred, IL had time to name them.
Take 1t, for the sake of supposition,
that I were to accept your offer. l
should take my place in your house
at-let us say at dinner time. Your
man gets me into your evening clothes.
and thers at the very start you have
the first suspicion set up. He has
probably known you for years, known
you until every turn of your appear
ance, voice and manner 10 far more
familiar to him than 1t Is to you.
There are no eyes like servants"
II have thought Of that. Ny serv-
ant and my secretary can both be
changed. / will do tie thing thor
oughly."
Loder glanced at hira in surprise.
! The madness had more method than
he had believed. ThenNs he still look
ed fresh idea struck him. and he
laughed.
"You have entirely forgotten one
thing" he said. ':You can hardly dis
miss your wife"
my wife doesn't count"
Again Loder laughed. I'm afraid !
scarcely agrea The complications
would be slightly slightly" He
paused.
Chilcote's latent irritability broke
out suddenly. Look here" he said,
this isn't chatting matter. 1t may
be moonshine to you, but It's reality
to me-"
Again Loder took his face between
his hands.
Don't ridfcule the idea. I'm in dead
earnest"
Loder said nothing.
Think think it over before you re-
fuse"
For a moment Loder remained mo-
tionless, then he rose suddenly, push
Ing back his chair.
flush, man! You don't know what
you say. The fact Of your being mar
ried bars 1t. Can't you see thatY
Again Chilcote caught his arm.
you misunderstand," he said. "You
mistake tho position. I tell You my
wife and are nothing to each other.
She goes her way; I go mine. We
have our own friends, our own rooms.
Marriage, actual marriage. doesn't
enter the question. We meet occasion
ally at meals and at other peoples
houses; sometimes we go out together
for the sake Of appearances; beyond
that. nothing. II you take up my life
nobody In it will trouble you less than
Eve-I can promise that" He laugh
ed unsteadily.
Loders face remained unmoved.
"Even granting that" he said, "the
thing Is still impossible"
"Why?"
''There is the house. The position
there would be untenable. A man ID
known there as he is known in his
own club" He drew away from Chill
cote's touch.
"very possibly. Very possibly"
Chilcote laughed quickly and excitedly.
''But what club is without it's eccentric
member? am glad you spoke Of that.
/ am glad you raised that point 1t
was long time ago that hit upon a
reputation for moods as a shield for
for other things, and the more useful
It has become the more have let 1t
grow. I tell you you might 60 down to
the house tomorrow and spend the
whole day without speaking to, even
nodding to, single man, and as long
as you were to outward appearances
no one would raise an eyebrow. In
tho same wav Won might vote In nv