Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-31

u
But the passage was more easily de-
sired than made. In the few moments
since he had entered the supper room
the press of people had considerably
thickened until a block had formed
about the doorway. Drawing Eve with
him he moved forward for a dozen
PAGES, then paused, unable to make
further Roadway.
AS they stood there he looked back
at her. what study in democracy
crowd always isr' he said.
She responded with bright, appre-
ciative glance, as if surprised into
naturalness. He wondered sharply
what she would be like if her enthu-
siasms were really aroused. Then
stir in the corridor outside caused a
movement inside the room, and with
certain display Of persistence he was
enabled to make passage to the door.
There again they were compelled to
halt. But though tightly wedged into
his new position and guarding Eve with
one arm, Loder was free to survey
the brilliantly thronged corridor over
the head of man few inches shorter
than himself. who stood directly in
front of him.
what are we waiting for?" he asked
good humoredly, addressing the back
of the strangers head.
The man turned, displaying a genial
face, red mustache and an eyeglass.
sHullo, Chilcoter' he said Hope
fn1+ CD ~
Loder laughed. NO." he said. "And
don't change the position. If you were
an inch higher should be blind as
well as crippled"
The other laughed. 1t was a pleasant
surprise to find Chilcote amiable under
discomfort. He looked round again In
slight curiosity.
Loder felt the scrutiny. To create
diversion he looked out along the cor
ridor. II believe we are waiting for
something" he exclaimed. Whats
this?" Then quite abruptly he ceased
to speak.
Anything Interestingly Eve touched
his arm.
He said nothing. He made no effort
to look round His thought as well as
his speech was suddenly suspended.
The man in front of him let his eye
glass fall from his eye, then screwed
| it in again.
"Jove," he exclaimed, there comes
our sorceress! It's like the progress of
a fairy princess. believe this is the
meaning of our getting penned in
here" He chuckled delightedly.
Loder said nothing. He stared
straight on over the others head.
Along the corridor, agreeably con-
scious of the hum Of admiration she
aroused, came Lillian Astrupp, sur
| rounded by little court. Her delicate
face was Lit up; her eyes shone under
| the faint CLEAN of her hair: her gown
of gold embroidery swept round her
gracefully. She was radiant and tri-
umphant, but she was also excited. The
excitement was evident in her laugh, in
her gestures, in her eyes, as they turn
ed quickly in one direction and then
another.
Loder, gazing in stupefaction over
| the other mans head, saw it-felt and
understood it with a mind that leaped
back over a space of years. As in a
| shifting panorama he saw night of
| disturbance and confusion in farof
italian valley-a confusion from which
| one face shone out with something Of
! the pale, alluring radiance that filtered
| over the hillside from the crescent
moon. 1t passed across his conscious
ness slowly, but with a slow complete
ness, and in its light the incidents of
the past hour stood out in a new as
pect. The echo of recollection stirred
| by Lady Bramfells voice, the re-echo
Of it in the sisters tones; his own
blindness, his own egregious assurance
all struck across his mind.
| Meanwhile the party about Lillian
drew nearer. He felt with instructive
certainty that the supper room was its
| destination, but he remained motion
| less, held by species Of fatalism. He
watched her draw near with an un-
moved face, but in the brief space that
passed while she trayersed the corridor
hexgaugeds to the full the hold that the
new atmosphere, the new existence.
had gained over his mind. With an I'M
looked for rush of feeling he realized
how dearly he would part with it.
AS Lillian came closer the meaning
Of her manner became clearer to him.
She talked necessarily, laughing now
and then, but her eyes were never
quiet These SKINNED the length of the
corridor, then glanced over the heads
crowded in the doorway.
'Tll have something quite sweet,
Godfrey" she was saying to the man
beside her as she came within hearing
'sYou know what Ikea sort Of snow
fake wrapped up in sugar" AS she
said the words her glance wandered.
Loder saw it rest uninterestedly on a
boy yard or two in front Of him, then
move to the man over whose head he
gazed, then lift itself inevitably to his
| face.