INT}
ar-
Ruched
of the
mad left
on me
(lros-
chance
I
Q‘Y‘t',
. am 10?
was lwl
. “Will! task. For a mnuwl she rmnuincnl
and fru :noiiamlels. tin-n alm ilmiuvui up 2410“ 1:».
IP sen "4th," she amid. mun-Hy, “so I u :1:
1321 “i” right in my Kilo-us? l‘uii liili (‘nllif‘ trr
cnh flmi ’invl out “hvlhrl‘ l «m in t‘m mumln':
“my h" room with my illlll'i\ I” :u_\ lup ~-0r
"WWW“ wunvlt-n-«l ulmut in worth of enter-
ill “1"" fainmont?"
0?" h. Lndor colored with nlirirv'fnllF‘v nnIi
aplvrnho-naimi i'lxw-y it’wii. every
\ tone of i.lll‘::lr.“; is u tlw'm-H-l'ul to
i. "HOT him. N1) 1:: ”ill-"Ah" r~ . ll-i lmxu l‘v-
if“—-" h" W‘zllwi hnr nu" {Ul‘iy in him than
lli'l his mum in w .‘ 1. lilzt it \"ll‘l nf‘l’
., ”Aik [hp “winch! i'wx' [u'l‘thii'li .ii,fn]l;iiiiit‘.‘;
“lffliil' tht're Wl‘l‘n «)llwr mirth-<4 thuvn his
lll‘Di‘iN‘ v-wn nt stulu- With n.»w resolution
TOW ”‘9 he rotm'nu-Ii lio-r :Enlivc
“’l‘hcn I mus: will wk my first
unliili i... j.u:i'."" ii".- 2.170 “:N
y n fr!» 41,...” so (lll'w'l. {hill 1: timt-nnm-rto-«i
her. She lulmlwl il iiiilc uncouth;
7h! 3"“ “llm'nllso l lull-w." -
.0 "hr" "How did ,\"‘li WWW,”
r in all «“N‘mqu” uh- lws‘nn: lhcn
.d'M‘" uglilti shc ln'lltlrwl "iiHHHWi‘." Filt‘
katmm ”mum quickly. flu if mnvmi by n
.lnrm- rm.“ mums», “.lm-i; ('illit‘l‘ifl mnrle
“m on It VM‘Y (‘il\"ll‘l‘ in W'U‘ "l'" “'h" “'ll»q
“1“"! in mg nloi‘rlil‘rrrnvm ili twcivo
(*UM'? ()‘Clm‘k ind.” liiul ll. n'ulzitl ho you
"I Own and “(it he ulm umllri iu- {oumi illi-
Ol'fl XIII In: N. plnt‘o' till! :yl‘tu-rliunni it's! all
im, tit very '0” to Mil: nlmtlr honor, but
T::tt;; and sees a (Fit'L'TJlll as long as u let-
for open on a luircgni——"
' Tint iilil‘ acnlmu-c was norcr fin-
0:“an labed. imdcr hurl hoard who! he
on on came to heur; nil): (‘rvlll'mwicm she
' ("hm might oiYcr “as u! no moment in his
ng on cyos.
mo ”,0 "My ’i“."ll‘ tr‘rl." ho broke in.
,, door. brusquely. “'ilHi'f trout-IN I should
“- “m" mnko n liilMl llli—uliifirill'itli'l' father
_ way. coon-poor." llu simim quickly. iii!
. ." aha color mm ut-il burn. but not of un-
noy‘ance. llr Sliulu‘nfifl wns from»
m) gag. formed into t::ipiv:iulltil «‘ol'tnil'lly:
,1]. A but the evvimnsi- lwt‘t him surer of
n,“ it himself. His pun-lullv hnd dropped
. 0!, but M n Quint sense- of w-Il'vrclinm'c' his
d mo" inrsnlolmi (io‘erc \“lm for solitude in
recognl- which to pct-purl- i‘ux‘ the task that
lay befnl‘e him: 'he- must congenial
OmN‘l 'nsk tilic “'Hi'i'i lttHiPQ‘N'Hi- tho un-
walnut: t'lvcllinx of t‘hih-utn‘u lunch-ll sin-Ins
Looking into Liillun's‘ «won, in- unliiwi.
i: then “tlor><l.ll_\'cl" he finial. hobiim: out his
u, MW, ‘lshll. “i think uu‘w- finished—401‘
. sH’M-‘ :wtlny.”
, dined She slowly ortcnrlv-«l hvr flngcrs.
ed pay. "or expression um] ut'tltmlc were
slightly pumlcviv n p'lrvivlnvnt that
ad him was citilor spontaneous ..r singularly
well il‘nillllli‘ii. Aa thclr hauls tnuvhed
spoke
- 0 an—
~ I’ll
0 Will
.., ln
. 't you
eyou
on to
It was
d seen
atti-
has"
. phil-
v at
t has
imly
- with
y at
as.
‘ well-
i I“
~ on
lied
e the
tear--
J .
‘l- T
This famouraoiriris
current First National
rtunity.
mmaml
Eve Mo
while
lllnn to
(1. small
but
Judging
wuui'i
d-fl‘li‘lll‘r.
reel-hing
and
called.
few he
do the
shroud
I With
fl and
lnshlnc:
yncintlw
' a room,
d artis-
-culsr
imsg‘
d have
0 been
so the
.. the
His
r
'When you first came into the
room: he said, quietly. “you said. ‘1
though: (ll xwuld be you.’ Why did
you say that?"
Again aha smiled—the smile that
might be malicious or might be mere-
ly amused. "Uh." «he nnswvrmi at
hast. "i only meant that mouth 1 had
been bald Jack l‘hilx‘nin Wurl‘cd run.
it wasn‘t Jack (.lhllcots I expected
to eeel"
'3 “‘D
had re- After her ninioment there was a
«t that futile. Lo'iv-r'a position was llllllmilt.
mam, lustim'tivel} t-nln'ilr'wi thnt, strong
act. re— m the puss-casino or hcr proof, she.
“cation. "I enjoying ills- tzmtniircd discom-
of those fort. he yvi maul-(i the actual evi~
devlm ileum film: alimihi so-i his suspicions
towards l0 rill. Acting upnn the desire. be
ndt the made a n-‘w lu-glnu'ng.
"Im you lmmv “by l camc‘P he
shite-(l.
Liliinn ionkcrl up innocuntly. “it'll
so inn-ll in be r-vrmi'i of unwilling in
this “infill," alu- will, “lint. um! is
always fli‘ liinV‘iy fl u'ln‘kd." ‘.
Again lm “us l*~"‘:vl:-\‘-«i. ”or ntti-
tuch- “EH nu liltitmlo of
- Ullr “it D c un’ :l'i'i )‘Pl——-
”0 i-mliwl i» i :l WWI/limi
scrutiny. \Vhti.‘ H. i will ii iii ili\\'ll_\“
.pvllr-4l tlH- inc u-m- w' my: ,.,1_ lm wus
it his best, ‘11. xtzmlut-WI. l. q surest
in the pruavnvo .lr 1w u i‘--.'liliv.: his
iisndvunlnmu yet tlwlr w ’m-vl tn gnin
ill. o‘nti. h.- llllllil' n ins: ultumpt.
“How tiiti you mnusu inursclf nt
Grant's-nor Square this morning be~
fore m.- «mm- to you'l" he asked.
The ci'i‘ur't “:13 unitwllrliiy blunt. but
it was lllrm-t.
Lillian wua hu'tonlng her 210“!
“he did llIIi tow lwr bt-mi as ho
she smiled lumin,
"W’lll )0" drop in of tho ‘Arr-zvlinn'
plenum?" sh» snlvl. "it'. tho <lr‘11mn-
(330d vpmiun hf ‘Dtlwr \lo-oK‘ S'hm-s!‘
The temptation to llllikl‘ ‘um sp. n
was too lrresistlbicw in you lmuw."
There was a pnum- While who wait-
ed for his anmor~ber lu-nrl inclined
to one side. be: green rye-s gleaming.
Loder. conscious of her regard.
hesitated for a niozm-nt. Then his
face cleared. "Right r" be said. glow-
iy. “The Arcadian“ to—nlghtl"
CHAPTER XXiX.
LODER'S frame of mind as be left
Cadognn ”unions “'3: pccuilar.
Once more he was lzvlnz in the pres-
mb—the forceful. exhilarating pros.
out, and the knowledge bran-vi him,
Upon one point his mind was satis-
fied. Lillian Astrunp had found the
telegram. and it remained to him to
render her and valueless. How he
proposed to do this. how he proposed
to come out triumphant in face of
such a situation. was a matter that
as yet was abapcicss in his mind:
nevertheless. the danger—the sense
of impending conflict’bad a savor
of life after the inaction of the day
and night Just passed. Chllcote in
his weakness and his entanglement
had turned to him: and he in his
strength and capacity had responded
to the appeal.
spoke. but hcr nilfll'l‘fl [unused in their
question, why liiii lull nay, 'i thought
or lmly- it
when one wnlk: info on cmpty room
in‘ serial
with .
political ally of
of crystal—gazing.
scar on his finger.
dine with Lady Lillian. He
places with Loder. who. noting the
his rings. lie refuses. She
nies nor affirms. but warns her
masquerade.
gone for long.
inating telegram he
mines to unravel the tangle.
JOHN LODER. his exact counterpart in appearance.
the deception that the masterful Loder becomes not only the strong
FRAIDE. the great party leader, but he is not suspected by the servants
nior by Cbilcote's beautiful but unhappy wife,
EVE, who, however. is mystified by her husband’s change in manner.
a social function Lode: is inveiglod into a darkened tent. where
LADY LILLIAN ASTRUPP, intimate of Chiicote, indulging- her hobby
makes him rcmotve his rings, exposing the give-away
Loder, recognizing her as the woman who had jilted
him in the past. eludes'bcr without explanation.
Chilcote. who resumes his own life.
forgets the appointment and again changes
engagement book, mistakes it for a political appointment with
LAKELY, editor of St. George's. Loder is start]
into the home and presence of Lady Astrupp.
declares he is not Chilcote.
before leaving that none will believe
her story. Russian acts of aggression again British trading interests
in Persia give Loder his great political opportunity. News of the as—
sassination of a British consul-general fires him to an epochal speech
in Parliament that overturns the cabinet.
and there are tears of joy in Eve's eyes.
he goes back to Chilcote and announces that he intends to quit the
The wretched Chilcote leaves for home. but he is not.
He returns to Loder with the news that an incrim-
had written Lodcr imploring him to resume the
deception disappeared after a. visit by Lady Autrupp.
K I
'
I BYIATHBRINE ICBCIL THIIRSTON 7‘;
formlvymuungcmentwithmchardwm
odapnd from John ammBooths dmgsntimtlon.
4
THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY
JOHN CEILCOTE. member of the House of Commons. a party to a love-
less marriage and a confirmed drug addict. changes places in lib
So successful is
'At
Loder is recalled by
Chilcote makes an appointment to
date and the initial “L" in Cbilcotc's
ed when he is ushered
She asks him to remove
He neither de-
lie is the hero of the hour
Realizing that he loves her
Loder deter-
‘5
I“
O.
K. ‘e..‘
'lle—
Masquerader.”]
ills step was firm and his hearing:
assured as be turned into (lrosvenor
Square and walked towards the fam-
iliar house.
The habit of self—deceit is as in-
sidious and tenacious as any vice.
For one moment on the night of his
great speech, as he leaned out of
Chilcote's carriage and met Chil-
cote's eyes. Loder had seen himself
«and under the shock of revelation
had taken decisive action. But in
the hours subsequent to that action
the plausible. inner voice had whis-
pcred uncenslngly, soothing his
wounded . self-esteem, rebuilding
stone by stone the temple of his ego-
tlsm; until at last when Chllcote.
panic-stricken at his own action. had
burst into his rooms ready to plead
or to coerce, be had found no need
for either coercion or cntrcaty. By a
power more subtle and eflective than
any at his command, Loder had been
prepared for his coming-.uncon-
sclously ready with an acquiescence
before his appeal had been made. It
was the fruit of this preparation, the
inevitable outcome d it. that
strengthened his step and steadied
his hand as be mounted the steps
and «filled the ball door of Chil-
cote's house on that eventful after-
noon.
The dignity. the air of quiet solid-
ity. impressed him as it never failed
to do, as he crossed the large ball
and seconded the stairs—the same
stairs that he had passed down al-
most as an outcast not so many
hours before. He was filled with the
sense of things regained: belief in
his own star lifted him as it had
done a hundred times before in these
same surroundings.
a. quiekaned his steps as the sen-
sauon came to him. Then. reaching
the head of the stairs. he turned di-
rectly cowards Bve's 1m
q.
Chilcote eyed him doubtfuily.
.»-'.
[Guy Bates Post in “The
and. raisin: the door, knocked. The
strensth or his eagerness. the quick
beating of his pulse as he waited for
told himswir many times that his
passion. huwm‘er strong, would
anPr again conquer as it had done
two nights ago—“and the fact that ho
had come thus candidly to Eve's
room mu to his-mind a proof that
temptation could be dared. Never-
theless thcre was something discon-
Ccl'linz to a strong man in this merc-
iy, lthysivnl pcrturbation: and when
Eve's voice I'nme to him. giving per-
mission to enter, he paused for an
instant to stcndy himself; then‘with
sudden decision be opened the door
and walked into the room.
The blinds were partly drawn,
there was it scent of violets in' the
alt-Laud a fire glowed .warme In the
grate. He noted these things care-
fully. telling himself that a man
should always be alertly sensible of
his surrmmdinzs: then all at once
the nice balancing‘of detail suddenly
gave way. He forgot everything but
the one clrcumstance,th_at Eve was.
standing in' the whidow—her back
to" the light. her face 11!de -him.
With his pulses beating~-fa'ster‘ and
an unsteady, sensation in hillsrain.
he moved forward holding out his
band. - ‘ - - 7- -
:1 response, surprised mm. He had '
Guy
surged up at sight of tar—had risen
a fierce. unqucnchable recollection.
“Evo-" he began again in a new.
abrupt tone.
And then it was that live showed
herself in a fresh light. From his
entrance into the room she had
stayed motionless. save for her first
glance of acute inquiry: but now
her demeanor changed. For almost
the first time in Loder's knowledge
of her the vitality and force that he
had vaguely apprehended below her
quiet. serene exterior sprang up like
a flame within whose radius things
are illuminated With a quick gem
cure she turned towards him. her
warm color deepening, her eyes and
denly alight.
“I understand." she said. “I under-
stand. Don': «try to explain! Can't
you see that it's enough‘ to—to see
you as you are—l"
Loder was surprised.‘ Remember-
ing their last passionate scene. and
the damper Chllcote’s subsequent
presence must inevitably have cast
upon it. be had expected to be
doubtfully received; but the reality
of the reception left him bewildered.
Eve’s manner was not that of the
ill-used wife; its v bemence, its note
of desire and cpreciatiou. were
more suggestive of his own ardent
seizing of the present. as distin-
guished from past or future. With
an odd sense of confusion he turned
to her afresh.
“Then I am forgiven?” he said.
And unconsciously. as he moved
nearer, he touched her arm.
At his touch she started. All the
yielding sweetness, all the submis-
sion. that had marked her two
nights ago was gone; in its place
she was possessed by a curious ex-
citement that stirred while it per-
olexcd.
.'.mlcr. moved by the sensation.
took another step forward. “Then I
am forgiven?” be repeated, more
softly.
Her face was averted as he spoke.
but he felt her arm quiver; and
when at last she lifted her head,
thclr eyes met. Ncither spoke. but
in an instant Loder's arms were
round her.
For a long, silent space they stood
holding each other closely. Then.
with a sharp movement, Eve freed
herself. Her color was still high.
her eyes still peculiarly bright, but
the bunch of violets she had worn
in her belt had fallen to the ground.
“John—" she said. quickly: but
on the word her breath caught.
With a touch of nervousness she
stooped to pick up the flowers.
Lodcr noticed both voice and ges-
ture. "\tht is it?" he Mid. “What
were you going to say?"
But she made no answer. For a
second longer she searched for the
violets: then, as be bent to assist
her. she stood up quickly and
laughcd—a short. embarrassed
laugh.
“How absurd and nervous I am!"
she. cxclaimed. “Like a schoolgirl
instead of a woman of twenty-four.
You must help me to be sensible."
Iler checks still burned; her man-
ner was still excited. like one who
holds an emotion or an impulse at
bay. '
Loder looked at her “certainly.
”E\'e—" he began afresh with his
odd. characteristic perseverance. but
she. instantly checked him. There
was a finality, a faint suggestion of
fear, in her protest.
"Don’t!" she said. "Don't! I
don't want explanations. I Want to
——to enjoy the moment without hav-
ing things analyzed or mouthed
lawsy. Can't you understand? Can't
you see that I'm wonderfully, terri-
bly happy to—to have you—as you
are!" Again her voice broke—a
break that might have been a laugh
or a sob.
The sound was an emotional
crisis, as such a sound invariably
is. It arrested and steadied her.
For a moment she stood absolutely
still: than, with something very
closely resembling her old repose of
manner, she stooped again and
quietly picked up the flowers still
lying at her feet.
“Now." she said. quietly. "I must
say what I've wanted to say all
along. How does it feel to be a
great man?" Her manner was con-
trolled. she looked at him evenly
and directly: save for the faint vi-
bration in her voice there was
nothing to indicate the tumult of
a moment ago.
But Loder was still uncertain- He
caught: her hand, his eyes searching
hers.
“But W he began.
Then Eve played the last card in
her mysterious game. laughing
quickly and nervously. she freed her
hand and laid it over his month.
"No!” she said.
All this past fortnight has belonged
to you; now it's my turn. Today is
mine.” ,,
.s._.._——
CHAPTER XXX.
1% . arm 'ecs'ecnwé" rd
rostrum
“Not one word l:
“Eve—l" he said beiaw‘his breath. l
But Eve remained modulus“: All
be came info. fire room afis‘ hid
gflnced at bird—’a‘ glam of m
latching question: then with equal
suddenness she vhsd raverted her:
eyes. As he drew closd b “I I".
she remained immovable. .
“Eve—1" he said I’ll- “I want5
edl to see you-I want“ “J min
about yesterday and- about this
morning." He passed. sum, an:
tnrbed. The fun‘ mm
ND so.,once again, the woman
_ . conquered. Whatever, Eve‘s
intentions .were. whatever she wish.
oil-.to evade or ward off. she was
successful, in gaining her end. For
more than two hours she
at her dds. There may
moments in
the tension .
forts she made to W‘
i i ~— W.“ V“ V
of the due person concerned: for it
was long after tea had been
longaftcrmvehadoflsredtodo
ance for her monopoly of him by
driving him to Clilcots’s dish. that
Lodor realised with any degree of
«cinemas that it wu she and
not he who had taken the lead in
their interview; that it was she and
not he who had bridged the difficult
silences and given a fresh direction
to dangerous channels of talk. It
was long before be recognised this:
but it was still longer before he
realised the far more potent fact
that. without any coldness. without
any lessening of the subtle consid-
eration she always showed lira, she
had given him no further opportuni-
ty of making love.
Talking continuously, elated with
the sense of conflict still to echo.
he drove with her to the club. Con-
sidering that drive in the light of
after events. his own frame of mind
invariably filled him with incredul-
ity. In the eyes of any sane man
his position was not worth an hour's
purchase: yet in the blind self-con-
fidence of the moment he would not
have changed places with Fralde
himself. The great song of Self was
sounding in his ears as he drove
through the crowded streets. con-
scious of the cool. crisp air. of Eve's
close presence. of the numberless lu-
nnlteslmal things that went to make
up the value of life. It was this
acknowledgment of personality that
upheld him; the personality, the
power that had carried him un-
swervingly through eleven colorless
years; that had impelled him to-
wards this new career when the new
career had first been opened/ to him;
that bad bewn away for him in this
fresh existence against colossal
odds. The indomitable force that
had trampled out Chllcote's foot-
marka in public life, in private life
——in love. It was a triumphant
pmun that clamored in his cars,
something persistent and prophetic
with an undernote of menace. The
cry of‘tbe human soul that has dar-
ed to stand alone.
His glance was keen and bright
as he waited for a moment at the
carriage door and took Eve's hand
before entering the club.
“You're dining out tonight?” he
said. H.“ fingers, always tenacious
and masterful. continued to hold
hers. The compunctloa that: had
driven him temporarily towards sac-
rifice had passed. His pride. his
confidence, and with them his de-
sire, had flowed hack in full mea-
sure. '
Eve, watching him attentively.
paled a little. “Yes.” she said, "I‘m
dining with the Bramfells.”
"What time will you get home?"
He scarcely realized why he pdt the
question. The song of Self still
sounded triumphantly, and be re.
sponded without reflection.
His eyes held hers. his fingers
pressed her hand; the’lntense mas-
tery of his will passed through her
inra sudden sense of fear. Her lips
parted in dcprecatlon. but he-
closely attentive of her expression
——spoke again quickly. .
“When can I see you?” he asked,
very quietly.
Again she was about to speak. She
leaned forward. as if some thought
long suppressed trembled on her
lips; than her courage or her de—
sire failed her. She leaned back,
letting her lashes droop over her;
eyes. “I shall be home at eleven,
she said below her breath.
Loder dined with Lakely at Cbll~
cote's club; and so absorbing were
the political interests of the hour—
the resignation of Sir Robert Isf-
borough. the King's summoning of
Frame. the probable features of the
new ministry—that it was after nine
o'clock when at last he freed himself
and drove to the "Arcadian" The-
atre. -
The sound of music came to him
as he entered the theatre—light.
measured music suggestive of tiny
streams, toy lambs. and painted
shepherdesses. It sounded singu-
larly inappropriate to his mood-—-as
inappropriate as the theatre itself
with its gay gildlng. its pale tones
of pink and blue. It was the setting
of a different World—a world of
laughter, light thoughts. and shal-
low impulses. in which he had no
part. He baltcd'for an instant. out—
side the box to which the attendant
had shown him; then. as the door
was thrown open, be straightened
himself resolutely and stepped for-
ward. ‘
It was the interval between the
first and second acts. The box was
in shadow, and Loder's first impres.
sion .was of voices and use 3
skirts. broken in upon by the mur-
mur of frefiusnt, amused laughter:
later, as his eyes grew accustomed
to the light. he distinguished the
occupantb—two women and a‘ man.
The man was speaking Il-jl. ulter-
as
was evidently interesting from the
faint exclamations of Man. and
delight that punctuated it in g: Ils-
taners' higher. softer velour the
newcomer entered thew .all‘thrcs
turned undilooksflat him. j p I_
"an. harassm- tholegiaidtor l”
exclaimed Leonard Inns-m tit
"was he who few. the ele-
mantis-them ‘; s
"The - ”slum wleiniel'f
; “nun?
ed. and the story he was relating vial
..
meaningly as she closed her fan.
“logoodofyoueocomahckr'she
added. “Let me introduce you to
Miss Esseltyn: I don't think you two
have met. This is Mr. Ohilcots.
nary—the great. new Mr. Ohllcots.‘
Again she laughed. \
Loder bowed and moved to the
front of the box. nodding to Kain.
as he passed.
“It’s only 10': an hour." be ex-
plained to Lillian. “I have an ap-
pointment for eleven.” He turned
and bowed to the third occupant of
the box—a remarkably young and
well-dressed girl with wide-awake
eyes and a rctrousse nose.
"Only an hour! Oh, how unkind!
How should I punish him. Lennie?“
Lillian looked round at Kaine with
a lingering, caressing glance.
. He bent towards her in quick re-
sponse and answered in a whisper.
She laughed and replied in an
equally low tone.
Loder. to whom both nmarks had
been inaudible, dropped into the va-
cant seat beside Mary Esseltyn. He
had the unsettled feeling that things
were not falling out exactly as be
bad calculated.
“What is the play like?" he has-
arded as he lokcd towards his com.
p'anlon. At all times social trivial-
ltles bored him; tonight they were-
intolerable. He had come to fight.
but all at once it seemed that there
was no opponent: Lillian‘s attitude
disturbed him; her careless gra-
ciousncas. her evident ignoring of
him for Kaine, might mean nothing
——but also it might mean much.
So he speculated as he put his
question and spurred his attention
towards the girl's answer: but with
the speculation came the resolve to
hold his own—to meet his enemy
upon whatever ground she chose to
appropriate. ,
The girl looked at him with inter-
est. she. too. had heard of his
triumph.
“It is a good play," she responded.
“I like it better than the book.
You've read the book. of course?"
“No." Lodcr tried hard to fix bl!
thoughts.
“It‘s amusing—but fabfctched.”
“Indeed?” He picked up the pro-
gram lying on the edge of the box.
His ears were strained to catch the
tone of Lillian's voice as she laugh-
ed and whispered with Kaine.
“Yes; men exchanging identities.
you know.” -
He looked up and caught the girl‘s
self-possessed glance. “0h!" he
said. "Indeed?" Then again he
looked away. It was intolerable this
feeling of being caged up! A sense
of anger crept through his mind. It
almost seemed that Lillian had
brought him there to prove that she
had finished with bins—had cast:
him aside, having used him for the
day's excitement as she had used
her poodles. her Persian cats. her
crystal-gazing. All at once the imo
potency and uncertainty of his posi-
tion goaded him. Turning swiftly
in his seat. he glanced back to where
she sat. slowly swaying her fan, her
pale. golden hair and her pale-col- -
ored gown delicately silhouetted
against the background of the box.
, "What’s your idea of the play.
Lillian?“ he said. abruptly. To his
owu ears there was a note of chal-
lenge in his voice.
She looked round languidly. P'Oh.
it's quite amusing." she said. “It
makes a delicious farce—absolute
French." .
“French?"
“Quite. Don’t you think so. Ina
ale?"
"Oh. quite." Kaine agreed.
"They mean that it's so very light
—-—and yet so very subtle. Mr. Ohllo'
cote." Mary Emltyn explained- .
“Indeed?” he said. ‘Then my
imagination was at fault. I thought
the piece was serious.” .
"Serious!" Lillian "smiled again;
“Why, where's your sense of humor? ‘»
The motive of the play debate all:
seriousness.” . i
Loder looked down at the program ,
still between his hands. “What is;
the motive?" be asked. I
Lillian waved her fan once org
twice. then closed it softly. “Love-
is the motive.” she said.
Now the balancing—the adjusting}
of impression and lnSPlratlon—ois. of;
all processes in life. the most deli-l
cately use. The simple sound of‘
the word “love" coming at that pre-
cise juncture changed the whole cur-
rent of Loder’s thought. It fell like;
a-aecd; and like a seed in ultra-pm;
ductive sell. it here fruit with
amusing rapidity. i
The word itself was small andthe:
manner in which it was spoken iriv—l
lal. but Loder's mind was attracted:
andheldhylt. Thelasttlmeiti
had met his ears his eavirenmantl
had been vastly dlglersnt: and till.
echo of it in an racongenlal am
phere stung mete man. The;
became suddenly dominant.
Imove?" her-spewed. coldly,
lsvellthenstlvei‘ . ‘5
“'10s." This time it was [also
who responded in his anthem;
contentedvolc's. "The mouve'efi
the phyla love. as Hillel royal
And wb-waslove ever smooch;
a three-act comedy—4m or a! they
stage? He. leaned forward’ in mg;
seat. iahlaeyeglan.‘ esd'
laailyssannedthestalla.
‘ ’ '———. I \i
Norwalk Chronicler