The Detroit times., 1913-02-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
Father and Son.

While Afr. Gilmore was exceed
ingly capable accomplish. at once re
sourceful, energetic, unsentlmenta
and constituencies, he yet combined
with these solid merits, certain char
acteristics which rendered unlnLeI'
rupted intercourse with him horror
and q shame TO Marshall Langham
who was daily and almost hourly pay
ing the price the gambler had set on
his silence. And what price II was :
Gilmore was his master coarse
brutal. and hercely exacting. How
he hated him, and yet how necessary
he had become: for the gambler
never faltered, was never uncertain;
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, doubling moments.
he saw always what he had come TO
believe as the inevitable time when
the wicked fabric they were building
would collapse like house or cards
In a gale OF wind, and his terrible
secret would be revealed 10 all men.
All this while, step by step, Gil
more, without haste but without
pause. was moving toward his de
As!res He came and went in the Lang
ham house as IL he were master there
When Marshall had first informed
Evelyn that he expected 10 have Mr.
Gilmore in to dinner. there had been
q scene, and she had threatened to
appea; to the Judge; but he told her
fercely that he would bring home
WHOM he pleased, that IL suited him
TO be decent to Andy and that was AL
there was TO IT, And apparently she
soon found something to like in this
strange intimate OF her husbands
ut least she had made no protest AT
ter the gamblers first visit TO the
housG
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 shc
was not shocked by II. In his unholy
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 SC
lacking in the other women he haC
known
Montgomery was some two days
gone toward the West and Gilmore
had dropped around ostensibly TO set
Marshall Langham, but In reality tC
make love to Marshall Langham':
wife, when the Judge, looking gray
and old, walked in on the little grouI
Inobsorved. He paused for an 1nstan
near the door.
Evelyn was seated before the plano
and Gilmore was bending above her
while Marshall, with an unread boob
in his hands and with half-smokeC
cigar between his teeth, was loungins
in front OF the fire. The Judge:
glance rested questioningly on Gil
more, but only for moment. Their
an angry flame of recognition coloret
his thin cheeks.
Aware now of his fathers pres
once, Marshall tossed aside his book
and quilted his chair For two days
he had been dreading this meeting
and for two days he had done what
he could to avert II.
"You must have had a rather cold
walk, father; let me draw a chair w
close to the fire for you" he said.
Evelyn had risen TO greet the
Judge, while the gambler t,rned to
give him an easy nod A smile hid
itself in the shadow OF his black
he was feeling very sure
OF himself and surer still of Evelyn.
The disfavor or approval OF this
slight man OF so meant nothing to
him.
How do you do. sir" said the
Judge with Icy civility.
Had he met Gilmore on the street