.y
353 C&sffi
V
iCl
THE
Masquerades
By KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON,
Author of "The Circle," Etc.
Copyrltfht, 1005. 1004,
CONTINUED.
r-
Ltdor looked down nt lilni. "N'o," lie
,sald decisively. "It's your turn now. ,
It's you who've got to do soniiMltliitr.'
i lilicotos nice turned n snaue grayer.
"I can't." ho said below Ills breath.
"Can't? Oh. yes. you can Wo can
nil do anything. It's not too lute:
there's Just sulllciont time. Chilcote."
he uddod suddenly, "don't you see Unit
the Una: has heen nindno- nil along
has lieen like playing with the most In
fernal explosives? You may thsinlc
whatever you have faith In that no
body has been smash d up! You are
olug back. Do you understand meV
You are going baek-now, today, be- !
fore it's too late." There was u great
change lu Loder; his strong, imper
turbable face was stirred; he was
moved in both volee ami milliner.
Time after time he repeated Ids Injunc
tion, reasoning, expostulating. Insist
ing. It almost seemed that he fought !
some strenuous Invisible force rather
than the shattered man before him.
Chiloolo moved nervously lu his seat.
It was the llrst real clash of personali
ties. He felt it recognized it by in
fctlnet. The sense of domination had
fallen on him; he know himself Im
potent In the other's hands. What
ever he might attempt lu moments of
solitude he possessed no voice In pres
ence of this lnviuclble second self.
For awhile ho struggled lie did not
fight, he struggled to resist then, lift
ing his eyes, he met Coder's. "And
what will you do?" he said weakly.
Loder returned his questioning gaze,
but almost Immediately he turned
aside. "I?" he said. "Oh, I shall leave
Loudon."
CHAPTER XXVII.
UT Loder did not leave Loudon,
and the hour of 12 on the daj
following his dismissal of
Chilcote found him again in his
6
sitting room.
Ho sat at tho center table surrounded
by a cloud of smoke; n pipe was be
tween Ids lips and the morning's
newspapers lay In a heap beside his
elbow. To tho student of humanity
his attitude was intensely interesting.
It was the attitude of a man tram
meled by tho knowledge of Ids
strength. Ilefore him as he sat smok
ing stretched a future of absolute
nothingness, and toward this blank fu
ture one portion of his consciousness
n struggling and as yet scarcely sen
tient portion pushed him inevitably;
while another a vigorous, persistent,
lnimnii portion cried to him to pause.
So actual, so clamorous, was this silent
mental combat that had raged unceas
ingly since the moment of his renun
ciation that at last In physical response
to it he pushed back his chair.
"It's too late," he said aloud. "I'm a
fool. It's too late."
Then nbruplly, astonishingly, as
though in direct response to bis spoken
thought, the door opened and Chilcote
walked Into the room.
Slowly Lodor rose and stared at him.
The feeling he acknowledged to him
elf was anger, but below the anger n
Tory different sensation ran riotously
strong. And It was in timo to this see
ond feeling, this sudden, lawless joy,
that his pulse? beat as ho turned a cold
face on the intruder.
"Well?" he said sternly.
Hut Chilcoto was impervious to stern
ness, lie was mentally shaken and dis
tressed, though outwardly Irreproacha
ble, even to the violets in the lapel of
his coat the violets that for a week
past had been brought each morning
to the door of Loder's rooms by Eve's
maid. Tor one second, as Loder's eyes
rested on the llowers, a sting of ungov
ernable jealousy shot through him;
then ns suddenly it died away, super
ceded by nnother fooling a feeling of
now, spontaneous Joy. Worn by Chil
coto or by himself, tho flowers wore a
symbol!
"Well?" ho said again In a gentler
toIcc.
Chilcoto hod walked to the table and
laid down his hat. Ills face was white
and tho muscles of his lips twitched
nervously as he drew off his gloves.
"Thank heaven, you're hero!" ho said
shortly. "Give mo something to drink."
In sllonco Loder brought out the
whisky and .sot It on the table; then In
Ptlnellvoly ho turned aside. As plainly
ns though ho saw tho action ho men
tally figured Chllcoto's furtlvo glance.
Ilie furtive movement of his lingers to
his waistcoat pockot, tho hasty drop
ping of the tabloids Into tho glass.
For nn Instant (bo sense of his tacit
connlvanco came to him sharply; the
next, ho flung It from lilm. The hu
man, Inner voice was whispering Its
old watchword. Tho stroug man has
ao time to waste over IiIh weak
by llnrper Is Brother
brother!
When ho heard Chilcoto lay down his
tumbler he looked back again. "Well,
what Is It?" he said. "What have you
come for?" He strove resolutely to
keep his voice severe but. try as he
might, ho could not quite subdue tho
eager force that lay behind his words.
Once again, as on the night of their
second Interchange, life had become a
phoenix, rising to fresh existence even
while he sifted Its ashes. "Well?" he
said once again.
Chilcote had set down hh glass. lie
was nervously passing his handker
chief across his lips. There was some
thing lu the gesture that attracted Lo
der. Looking at him more attentively.
he saw what his own feeling and the ;
other's conventional dress had blinded j
him to the almost piteous panic and
excitement In his visitor's eyes. i
"Something's gone wrong!" he said, '
with abrupt Intuition.
Chilcote started. "Yes-no-that Is,
yes," he stammered. '
Loder moved around the table, j
"Something's gone wrong," he repeat- j
ed. "and you've come to tell me."
The tone unnerved Chilcote. He sud
denly dropped Into a chair. "It It
wasn't my fault!" he began. "I I have
had a horrible time!"
Loder's lips tightened. "Yes." ho
said, "yes, 1 understand."
The other glanced up witli n gleam
of his old suspicion. " 'Twas all my
nerves, Loder"
"Of course. Yes, of course." Lo
der's Interruption was curt.
Chilcote eyed him doubtfully. Then
recollection took the place of doubt,
nud a change passed over his expres
sion. "It wasn't my fault," ho began
hastily. "On my soul, It wasn't! It
was Crnphaui's beastly fault for show
ing her Into the morning room"
Loder kept silent. Ilia curiosity hud
.on Lie at the other's
i he 1 eared to break the shat
ttsvil train of thought oven by a word.
In the silence Chilcote moved un
easily. "You see." he went on at last,
"when I was here with you I I felt
strong I I" lie stopped.
"Yes. yes. When you were here with
me you felt strong."
"Yes. that's It. While I was here I
felt 1 could do the thing. Hut when I
went home when I went up to my
rooni.V Again ho paused, passing his
handkerchief across his forehead.
"When you went up to your rooms?"
Loder strove hard to keep Jiis control.
"To my room? Oh, I I forget
about that. I forget about tho night"
lie hesitated confusedly. "All I re
member is the coming down to break
fast next morning this morning nt
12 o'clock"
Loder turned to the table and poured
himself out some whisky. "Yes," he
acquiesced In a very (pilot voice.
At the word Chilcote rose from his
seat. His disquietude was very evi
dent. "Oh, there was breakfast on tho
table when I came downstairs break
fast, with llowers and a horrible, daz
zling glare of sun. It was then, Lodor,
as 1 stood and looked Into the room,
that the Impossibility of It all came to
me -that I knew I couldn't stand It
couldn't go on."
Loder swallowed his whisky slowly.
Ills sense of overpowering curiosity
held him very still, but he mado no
effort to prompt his companion.
Again Chilcoto shifted his position
agitatedly. "It had to be done," he
said dlsjolntedly. "I had to do It-then
and there. The things were on the bu
reau tho pons and Ink and telegraph
forms. They templed me."
Lodor laid down his glass suddenly.
n exclamation rose to his lips, but he
checked it.
At the slight sound of the tumbler
touching tho table Chilcoto turned, but
there was no expression on the other's
face to affright him.
"They tempted me," ho repeated has
tily. "They seemed like magnets; they
seemed to draw mo toward them. I
sat nt the bureau staring at them for a
long time. Then a terrible compulsion
seized mo something you could never
understand and 1 caught up tho near
est pen -and wrote Just what was lu my
mind. It wasn't a telegram, properly
speaking. It wns more a letter. I
wanted you back, and I had to make
myself plain. Tho writing of tho mes
sage seemed to steady mo; tho mere
forming of tho words quieted my mind.
I was almost cool when I got up from
tho bureau and pressed tho bell"
"Tho bell?"
"Yes. I rang for a servant. I had
to send tho wire myself, so I had to
get a cab." Ills volco roso to Irrita
bility. "I pressed tho boll several
times, but tho thing had gone wrong;
'twouldn't work. At last I gave It up
and wont Int io corridor to call somo
one,"
l.
"." .
Ai
WI
DRESS
x We ar - - witm a full lino of
Goods of the
'i V.M.OU-
I. I f,uiilw
' ' '"'..
1 1
I
I PlaicK
1 l .i.U
frl iliili.n
& n
j I f ' P'laii''
(l) nP
Guar.'
u;ir
V an
l.ip.n
A .
Mill1
30c to $ i oo
i . ,6 iiu'ixs wide 50c, 6oc
hai s 6ie
(! '.' in Silk .ii 25c
1 I .ffu Silk, 36 m wide $1.00
T.i IT 1. 1 Silk. 36 in wide 1.25
i' . ,;6 inch- i I - 1.50
.Mlk. 7 inches u if c;o
of M nvrliiu' .hkI La Sirene Silks, Or
ni"rl .iiul India Swisses, etc , I 5 to 60c.
Percales, Etc.
26 in. I''i 'iii'
32 in Percales ..."
36 in. Percales 1
.7c
IOC
2 '.c
Ginghams 7 to 12AC
Madras 15 to iSc
Muslin Underwear
We have a full line of
Ladies' Muslin Underwear.
Collars
Turnover 7 to 50c
Stock Collars 15 to 60c
"Well?" In the Intense suspense of
tho moment the word escaped Loder.
"Oh, I went out of the room, but
there nt tho door, before I could call
anybody, I knocked up against that
Idiot Greening. He was looking for 1110
for you, rather about some beastly
Wnrk affair. I tried to explain that I
wasn't In a state for business. I tried
to shako him off, but he was worse
than Hlosslngton! At fast, to be rid of
the fellow, I went with him to tho
study"
"Hut tho telegram?" Loder began.
Then again he checked himself. "Yes
yes I understand," he added quietly.
"I'm getting to the telegram! I wish
you wouldn't Jar me with sudden ques
tions. I wasn't hi the study more than
a minute more than live or six min
utes" Ills voice became confused, tho
strain of the connected recital was tell
ing upon him. With nervous haste ho
made a rush for tho end of his story.
"I wasn't more than seven or eight
"Loder, what arc you uoliiy to dof"
minutes In the study; thon, ns I enmo
downstairs Crapham met 1110 in tho
hall. Ho told mo that Lillian Astrupn
f. MWHOUSE, M CloMJebr.
Dry Goods j
GOODS
Spring and Summer Dress
latest patterns. W'S1
. UUMICS Willi', !U.. I2AC M&ufc
iit'lic iirirli, m 1 or wZJix:
- .- " ...,,..... .-IV. J,-
had called and wished to we ins and
that he had shown her Into the morn
ing room"
"The morning room?" Loder sudden
ly stepped back from the tnble. "The
morning room? With your telegram
lying on the bureau?"
Ills sudden speech and movement
startled Chilcote. The blood rushed to
his face, then died out, leaving It ashen.
"Uou't do that, Lodor!" he cried. "I 1
can't bear It!"
With an Immense effort Loder con
trolled himself. "Sorry," ho snld. "Go
on!"
"I'm going on. I toll you I'm going
on! I got a horrid shock when Crap
ham told me. Your story came clatter
ing through my mind. I knew Lllllnn
had come to see you. I know there wan
going to bo a scene"
"Hut the telegram! The telegram!"
Chilcoto paid no heed to tho Interrup
tion, lie was following his own train
of Ideas. "I knew she had come to see
you. 1 know there was going to be a
scene. When I got to tho morning room
my hand was shaking so that I could
scarcely turn tho handle; then, ns tho
door opened, I could have cried out
with relief, live was there as well!"
"Eve?"
"Yes. I don't think I was ever so
glad to see her lu my life." Iio laughed
1 almost hysterically. "I was quite
I civil to her, and sho was quite sweet
Loder's lips tightened.
"You see, It saved tho situation.
Even If Lllllau wanted to bo nasty,
sho couldn't while live was there. Wo
talked for about ten minutes. Wo
were quite an amiable trio. Then Lil
lian told mo why she'd called. She
wanted me to mako a fourth lu n
theater party at tho Arcadian tonight,
and I I was so pleased and so relieved
1 that I said yes!" Ho paused and
laughed again unsteadily.
In his tense anxiety Loder ground
his heel into the tloor. "Go on!" ho
said llercely. "Go on!"
"Don't!" Chilcote exclaimed. "I'm
going on I'm going on." Ho passed
his handkerchief across hla lips. "Wo
I talked for ten minutes or so, nud then
! T Mil.... 11-1- T ....., ...1,1. .,. 1 II. n
Allium IUII. X UIIl Willi lll'i IM IIIU
hall door, but Crapham was thero too
so I was still safe She laughed nud
chatted and seemed In high spirits as
wo crossed tho hall, and she was still
jfe I, 1 1 fl
Ei sL&l ILL m
NuJ?.J2t: irfffWi rrvrr
a WAMja v,i .in ,' .. . ."
PfliPP I
.rtfVtiNA "?rSK -s Tk
MkPtfEJrO SM
iC2:i WAU i v
J l 7S. Yr .
M) Fll r 1
fi iflSil
Ss3Sm'll 1
iff.' Pl'liL '
hmW&m I
Infants'
Long Dresses
Infants' Long Dresses at 35c
to Si. 00.
Infants' Long Skirts, 25 to 50c
Infants' Short 1 iresses, 25 to
75
Infants' Short Skirts, at 20c
to 40c.
Gloves
White Silk Gloves at
50c
Long - wristed Black
Gloves, Si. 25.
I
smiling as she waved to me rrom her
motor. Hut then, Loder then, as I
stood In the hall, it all came to me
suddenly. I remembered that Lillian
must have been alone In the morning
room before Eve found her! 1 remem
bered the telegram! I ran back to
the room, meaning to question Eve as
to how long Lillian had been alone,
but sho had left the room. I ran to
tho. bureau but tho telegram wasn't
there!"
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone. That's why I've como
straight here."
For a moment they confronted each
other. Then, moved by a sudden Im
pulse, Loder pushed Chilcoto aside
and crossed the room. An Instant lat
er the opening and shutting of doors,
the hasty pulling out of drawers and
moving of boxes cumo from tho bed
room. Chilcote, shaken and nervous, Btood
for a minute where his companion had
I loft him. At last, Impelled by curios
ity, he too crossed tho narrow pnssago
mid entered the second room.
The full light streamed lu through
the open window; tho keen spring air
blew freshly across the housetops, and
on tho window sill a band of grimy,
Joyous sparrows twittered and preened
themselves. In the middle of the room
stood Loder. Ills coat was off, and
round him on chairs and floor lny an
array of waistcoats, gloves und ties.
For n space Chilcoto stood In the door
way staring nt him, then his lips part
ed and ho took n step forward.
"Lodor," he said anxiously, "Lodor,
what are you going to do?"
Loder turned. Ills shoulders wero
stiff, his face alight with energy- "I'm
going back," ho said, "to unravel tho
tanglo you have mode."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
ODER'S plan of action wns ar
rived at before ho reached
Trafalgar square. Tho facts
of tho case wore simple. Chil
L
coto had left an Incriminating telegram
on tho bureau In tho morning room nt
Grosvonor square. Hy an unlucky
chanco Lillian Astrupp had been shown
up Into that room, where she had ro-
(Continued nn Fne rilx.)
Get one of those clocks wo are giv
ing away.
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