Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-02


had parted with Lillian--but
III I at 8 o'clock in the afternoon
Loder, dressed in Chilcotes
clothes and with Chilcote's heavy
overcoat slung over his arm, walked
from Fleet street to Grosvenor square.
He walked steadily, neither slowly nor
yet fast. The elation Of his last jour-
ney over the same ground was temper
ed by feelings he could not satisfac-
torily bracket even to himself. There
was less of vehement elation and more
of Inatured determination in his gait
and bearing than there had been on
that night, though the incidents Of
which they were the outcome were
very complex
On reaching Chilcote's house he
passed upstairs, but, still following the
routine Of his previous return, he did
not halt at Chilcotes door, but moved
onward toward Ewes sitting room and
there paused. ~
In that pause his numberless irreg-
ular thoughts fused into one.
He had the same underlined sense Of
standing upon sacred ground that had
touched him on the previous occasion,
but the outcome Of the sensation was
different. This time he raised his
hand almost Immediately and tapped
on the door.
He waited, but no voice responded
to his knock With a sense of disap-
pointment he knocked again; then,
pressing his determination still fur
Their, he turned the handle and entered
the room.
No private room Is without mean
ing, whether trivial or the reverse. In
"a room perhaps more even than in
speech, in look or in work does the
impress Of the Individual make itself
felt. There on the wax of outer things
the inner self imprints its seal, en-
forces its fleeting claim to separate in
dividuality. This thought, with its
arresting interest, made Loder walk
slowly, almost seriously, halfway
across the room and then pause to
study his surroundings.
The room was Of medium size-not
toe large for comfort and not too small
for ample space. At first impression
it struck him as unlike any anticipa-
ton of woman's sanctum. The walls
pa1leled in dark wood, the richly
bound books, the beautifully designed
bronze ornaments, even the flowers,
deep crimson and violet blue in tone, had
an air Of somber harmony that was
scarcely feminine. With strangely
pleasant impression he realized this,
and, following his habitual impulse,
moved slowly forward toward the fire.
place and there paused, his elbow rest
ing on the mantelpiece.
de had scarcely settled comfortably
into his position, scarcely entered on
his second and more comprehensive
study Of the place, than the arrange
ment of his mind was altered by the
turning of the handle and the opening
of the door.
The newcomer was Eve herself. She
was dressed in outdoor clothes and
walked into the room quickly; then, as
Loder had done, she, too, paused.
The gesture, SO natural and sponta-
neous, had peculiar attraction. AS
she glanced up at him, her face alight
with inquiry, she seemed extraordi-
narily much the owner and designer
of her surroundings. She was framed
BY them as naturally and effectively
as her eyes and her face were framed
by her black hair. For one moment
b.. forgot that his presence demanded
explanation; the next she had made
explanation needless. She had been
looking at him intently; now she came
forward slowly.
"John?" she said, half in appeal, half
i'll question.
He took step toward her. Look
at me-" he said quietly and involun-
tslrily. In the sharp desire to estab-
nsh himself in her regard he forgot
that her eyes had never left his face.
But the incongruity of the words did
not strike her. "Oh," she exclaimed,
I'll believe I knew directly | saw
you here" The quick ring Of life Vi
bratng in her tone surprised him. But 1