Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-03-07

stations in life. NJ and X11-Chiicote's crav-
ders quarters and once more Ixoder becomes
Chilcote. XIII and XIV-Loder attends II
swell reception. Ky and XyI-At the recep-
telling, booth. Loder visits it, and she re.
quires him to remove his rings. She is startled
upon seeing the soar on his hand.
"On mat Gay you neneYeo IN ne"
In his earnestness he no longer simu-
lated Chilcote; he spoke with his own
steady reliance. He saw Eve stir,
unclasp and clasp her hands, but he
went steadily on. ION that day you
saw me in a new light. You acknowl-
edged me-" He emphasized the slight
" peculiar word. But since that
day"-his voice quickened-"since that
day your feelings have changed, your
faith in me has fallen away" He
watched her closely, but she made no
sign, save to lean still nearer to the
Ere. BE crossed his arms over the
back OF her chair. You were justi-
6ed," he said suddenly. i've not been
myself since that day" AS he said
the words his GOODNESS forsook him
slightly. He loathed the necessary lie,
yet his egotism clamored for yindica-
ton. "All men have their lapses," he
went on. There are times-there are
days and weeks when when N.Y.
The word nerves" touched his tongue,
hung upon it, then died away I'M
spoken.
Very quietly, almost without a
sound, Eve had risen and turned to-
ward him. She was standing very
Straight, her face a little pale, the hand
that rested on the arm of her chair
trembling slightly.
"John," she said quickly, don't say
that word! Don't say that hideous
word nerves. l don't feel that I can
bear 1t tonight-not just tonight. Can
you understands"
Loder stepped back. Without com
pretending, he felt suddenly and
strangely at a loss. Something in her
face struck him silent and perplexed.
It seemed that without preparation he
had stepped upon dangerous ground.
With an underlined apprehension, he
waited, looking at her.
II can't explain it," she went on with
nervous haste, Il can't give any rea-
sons, but quite suddenly the-the farce
has grown unbearable. l used not to
think-used not vel to care-but sud
denly things have changed-or l have
changed" She paused, confused and
distressed. Why should it be? Why
should things changer She asked the
question sharply, as if in appeal
against her w incredulity.
LoGer turned aside. He was afraid
OF the triumph, volcanic and irrepres-
sible, that her admission reused.
why" she said again.
He turned slowly back. You forget
that I'm not q magician" he said
gently. II hardly know what you are
speaking Of"
For a moment she was silent, out in
that moment her eyes spoke. Pain,
distress, pride, all strove for express
sion; then at last her lips parted.
"Do you say that in seriousness?" she
asked.
1t was no moment for fencing, and
Loder knew it. I'm seriousness" he
replied shortly.
"Then l shall speak seriously too"
Her voice shook slightly and the color
came back into her face, but the hand
on the arm of the chair ceased to trem-
bic. For more than four years l
have known that you take drugs-for
more than four years I have acquiesced4
In your receptions, in your .nean.
nesses''-
There was an instant's silence. Then
.Loder stepped forward.
"You knew-for four years?" he said,
very slowly. For the first time that
night he remembered Chilcote and
forgot himself.
Eve lifted her head with a quick
gesture, as if, in flinging off discre-
ton and silence, she appreciated to the
full the new relief of speech.
"Yes, I knew. Perhaps l should have
spoken when I first surprised the Sc
cret, but it's all SO past that it's useless
to speculate now. 1t was fate, l sup
pose. l was very young, you were
very unapproachable, and-and we had
no love to make the way easy" For a
second her glance faltered and she
looked away. "a woman's-a girls
disillusioning is a very sad comedy-it
should never have al audience" She
laughed a little bitterly as she looked
back again. II saw all the deceits. all
the %subterfuges, all the-lies." She
said the word deliberately. meeting Lis
eyes