Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-19
TIL E.
Masquerader
BY KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON,
Author of 1.-The Circle Etc.
Copyright. 1909. by Harper |,
Author Of THE Circle,


but in our sight they will have a very
different meaning.
Eve" he said. more vehemently, "a
whole chapter in my life has been clos
ed tonight, and my first instinct Is to
shut the book and throw it away. But
I'm thinking Of you. Remember. I'm
thinking of you. Whatever the trial,
whatever the difficulty, no harm shall
come to you. You have my word for
that.
"I'll return with you now to Gros-
venor square. I'll remain there till a
reasonable excuse can be given for
Chilcote's going abroad. / will avoid
Fraide. l will cut politics-whatever
the cost. Then at the first reasonable
moment will do what would do
now, tonight, IL 1t were possible. III
go away, start afresh; do In another
country what have done in this"
There was long silence; then Eve
turned to him. The apathy of mo-
ment before had left her face. I'm an
other country" she repeated. In an
other country"
Eyes, fresh career in fresh coun-
try. something clean to offer you. I'm
not too old to do what other men have
done"
He paused. and for moment Eve
looked ahead at the cleaning chain OF
lamps. Then very slowly she brought
her glance back again. NO" she said
very slowly. "You are not too old. But
there are times when age-and things
like age-are not the zeal consideration.
1t seems to me that your own inclina-
ton. your own individual sense OF
right and wrong, has nothing to do
with the present moment. The cues
ton is whether you are justified In 60
ing away"-she paused, her eyes fixed
steadily upon his-"whether you are
free to go away and make new life,
whether 1t is ever justiflable to follow
phantom light when-when there's q
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. Eve"
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.
II understand it all" she repeated
f"I understand every point. 1t was not
chance that made you change your
identity, that made you care for me,
that brought about-his death. don't
believe it was chance. believe 1t was
something much higher. You are not
meant to go away"
AS Loder watched her the remem-
brance Of his first days as Chilcote
rose again, the remembrance of how
he had been dimly filed with the be-
lief that below her self possession lay
a strength-a depth-uncommon IN wo-
man. AS he studied her now the in
stinctive belief famed into conviction.
Ever he said involuntarily.
With quick gesture she raised her
head. 'sNo." she exclaimed, "No; don't
say anything. You are going to see
things as see them-you must do So
you have no choice. No real man ever
casts away the substance for the shad-
ow." Her eyes shone-the color, the
glow, the vitality, rushed back into her
face.
"John," she said softly, II love you,
and / need you, but there Is something
with greater claim-a greater need
than mine. Don't you know what 1t
is?"
He said nothing. He made no ges-
ture.
st is the parH-the country. You
m:.1 put love aside, but duty is differ
emf. You have pledged yourself. You
are not meant to draw back
Loder's lips parted.
. Don't" she said again. Don't say
anything. I know all that is In your
mind. But when we sift things right
through it isn't my loye-or our happf-