Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-26


WI HILE Mr.. Gilmore was an ex-
w ceedingly capable accomplice,
at once resourceful, energetic,
unsentlmental and conscienceless, he
yet combined with these solid merits
certain characteristics which rem
dered uninterrupted intercourse with
him horror and shame to Marshall
Langham, who was daily and almost
hourly paying the price the gambler
had set on his silence. And what a
price 1t was! Gilmore was his mas
ter coarse, brutal and fiercely exact
ing. How he hated him. and vet how
necessary he had become; for the
gambler never faltered was never un-
certain; he met each difficulty with
callous readiness which Langham
knew he himself would utterly have
lacked. He decided this was because
Gilmore was without imagination
since in his own many fearful, doubt
ing moments he saw always what he
mad come to believe as the inevitable
time when the wicked fabric they
were building would Collapse like
house of cards in a gale of wind. and
his terrible secret would be revealed
to all men,
All this while. step by step, GIL
more, without haste but without
pause, was moving toward his de-
stres. He came and went in the
Langham house as if he were master
there.
When MARSHALL had first informed
Evelyn that he expected to have Mr..
Gilmore in to dinner, there had been
scene, and she had threatened to
appeal to the judge; but he told her
fiercely that he would bring home
whom he pleased, that it suited him
to be decent to Andy and that was
all there was to it. And apparently
She soon found something TO like in
this strange intimate of her hus-
! bands at least she had made no pro-
test after the gamblers first visit to
the house.
| On his part Gilmore was quickly
conscious of the subtle encourage
ment she extended him. She under
stood him, she saw into his soul, she
OWNED his passion for her and she
was not shocked by It, In his I'M
holy musings he told himself that
here was a woman who was dead
game-and a lady, too, with all the
| pretty ways and refinements that
were so lacking in the other women
he had known.
/ Montgomery was some two days
gone toward the West and Gilmore
had dropped around ostensibly to see
Marshall Langham. but in reality to
make love to Marshall Langhams
wife, when the judge. looking gray
and old, walked in on the little group
unobserved He paused for an in
| slant near the door.
Evelyn was seated before the piano
and Gilmore was bending above her
while Marshall. with an unread book
in his hands and with a half-smolled
cigar between his teeth was loung-
ing in front of the fire. The Judges
glance rested questioningly on Gill
more, but only for moment Their
an angry flame of recognition col
ored his thin cheeks.
i Aware now of his fathers presence
Marshall tossed aside his book ano
quilted his chair For two days ht
had been dreading this meeting, anc
for two days he had done what hi
could to avert it.
"You must have had a rather cole
walk, father; let me draw chail
up close to the fire for YOU" h,
said.
Evelyn had risen TO greet thu
: Judge. while the gambler turned t.
give him an easy nod. A smile hit
| itself In the shadow of his blacl
mustache; he was feeling very sur,
, of himself and surer still of Evelyn
: The disfavor or approval of thii
! slight man of sixty meant nothing t
; him.
How doc you do. sirl" said tn
:. Judge with icy civility
Had he met Gilmore on the stree
: he would not have Fpoken to him