The Red Cloud chief., 1907-01-04

"th.uk-th!.& ii over before you re-
fuse
For Il moment Lodcr remained mo-
tiOulcss. then he rose suddenly, push
Ing back his chair.
'Tush. man! You don't know what
You say. The fact OF your being mar
riel bars il. Can't YOU see 'hdt!'
Again Chilc0tc caught his arm.
"Gou misundcrstand," he said. You
mistake the position. | tell you my
wife and | are nothing TO each other.
she goes her way; / 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. If you take up my life
nobody in it will trouble you less than
Eve-I can promise that" He laugh
cd unstcadily.
Loder's 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 is
known there as he Is known in his
own club lie drew away from Chill
cotc's touch.
"Very possibly. Very possibly"
Chilcote laughed quickly and excitedly.
but what club is without its eccentric
member? | am glad you spoke of that.
/ am glad you raised that point. 1t
was Il long time ago that | hit upon Il
reputation for moods as Il shield for
for other things, and the more useful
It has become the more ! have let 1t
grow. | tell you you might go down to
the house tomorrow and spend the
whole day without speaking to, even
nodding TO. Il single man. II as long
as you were | to outward appearances
no one would raise an eyebrow. In
the same way you might vote in my
place, ask II question. make Il speech
If you wanted to-
AT the word speech Loder turned in
voluntarily. For a fiectlng second the
GOODNESS of his manner dropped and
his face changed.
Chilcotc, with his nervous ~quickness
of perception, saw the alteration, and a
new look crossed his own face.
why not?" he said quickly. "Iou
once had ambitions in that direction.
why not renew the ambitions?'
"And drop back from the mountains
into the GUTTER" Loder smiled and
slowly shook his head.
Better to live for one day than tc
exist for a hundred!" Chilcotc's voice
trcmbled with anxiety. For the third
time he extended his hand and touched
the other.
This time LOder did not shake off the
OBTAINING hand. He scarcely seemed tC
feel its pressure.
Look here" Chilcote's fingers tight
cned. "A little while ago you talked OF
influence. Here you can step into
position built by influence. You nigh
do all you once hoped to do
Loder suddenly lifted his head. "Ab
surd.' he said. Absurd! such Il scheml
was never carried through
"Precisely why il viii succeed. Pee
pie never suspect until they have
precedent. VIII you consider it? A
least consider it. Remember, if Their
is a risk it il | who am running II. %
your own showing you have no position
to jeopardlze."
The other laughed CURLY.
Before go tonight will you promis
me to consider itf'
mo"
"Then you will send me your decisio
by wire tomorrow. ! won't take you
answer now"
Loder freed his arm abruptly. "Wh
not?" he asked.
Chllcote smiled ~nervously. "Becaus
| know men and mems temptation
We are all very strong till the quick
touched. Then we all vince. IL
morphla with one man, ambitions wit
another. In each case it's only Il ma
fer of sooner or later" He laughed
his satirical, unstrung way and bel
out his hand. You have my address
he said. "Au revoir."
Loder pressed the hand and droppe
it. "Goodby." lie said meaninGly. The
he crossed the room quietly and he
the door open. "Goodby," he said aga
as the other passed him
As he crossed the threshold Chilled
paused. "Au %revoir," he correcte
with emphasis.
Until the last echo of his visitor
steps had died away Loder stood wi
his hand on the door. Then closing
quietly he turned and looked arour
the room. For a considerable space
stood there as IL weighing the merits