Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-09-04


Agatha CatthnesS.
knew how, when or where-had be-
come suspicious Of Agatha and him.
self; with Major Belwether, who had
deserted him before he could sacrifice
the major and whom he now hated
and feared for having stumbled over
suspicious similar to Mrs. MOrtimer's.
He had to deal with Sylvia herself
and with Siward-reckon with ST.
wards knowledge of matters which 1t
were best that Sylvia should not know.
But first of all and most important
of all he had to deal with Beverly
Plank. And he was going to do 1t In
a manner that Plank could not have
foreseen. He was going to stop Plank
where he stood, and to do this he was
deliberately using his knowledge Of
the man and paying Plank the COM
pliment of counting on his sense Of
honor to defeat him.
For he had suddenly found the op-
portunity to defend himself. He had
discovered the joint in Plank's old
fashioned armor-the armor of the old
paladins, who placed a woman's hon.
or before all else in the world. Now,
through his creature, Mortimer, he
could menace Plank with a threat to
involve him and Leila in vile publici-
ty. Plank must sign the truce or face
with Leila an action for damages and
divorce.
First of all he went to the Lenox
club and dressed. Then he dined spar
ingly and alone. The motor car was
waiting when he came out ready to
run down to the great Hotel Corona,
whittier the Japanese steward had con-
Quoted Mortimer Mortimer had dined
heavily. but his disorganized physical
condition was such that it had scarce
ly affected him at all.
Again Quarter went over patiently
and carefully the very simple part he
had reserved for Mortimer that even
ing. explaining exactly what to say to
Leila and what to say to Plank IN case
of insolent interruption Then he told
Mortimer to he ready at 8 o'clock.
turned on bis heel with curt word to
the Japanese. descended to the street,
entered his motor car again and sped
away to the Hotel Santa Regina.
Miss Caithness was at home. came
the message in exchange for his cards
for Agatha and Mrs. Vendenning. He
entered the gilded elevator, stepped
out on the sixth floor into tiny. ro-
coco, public reception room. Nobody
was there besides himself. Agatha's
maid came presently, and he turned
and followed her into the large and
very handsome parlor belonging to the
suit which Agatha was occupying with
Mrs. yendenning for the few days that
they were to stop in town.
"Hellow she said serenely, saunter-
ing in, her long, pale hands bracketed
on her narrow hips, her lips disclosing
her teeth in q smile so like that nerv-
Gus muscular recession which passed
for a smile on Quarters visage that
for one moment he recognized 1t and
thought she was hooking him. But
she strolled up to him, meeting his eye
calmly, and lifted her slim neck. lips
passive under his impetuOus kiss.
"Is Mrs. veudenning out?" he asked,
laying his hands on the bare shoulders
Of the tall, pallid girl-tal as he and
as pallid
"No, Mrs. Ven. Is in. Howard"
"Now? You mean she is coming III
to interrupt
ooh, no! She isn't fond of you,
Howard"
"You said"-- he began almost an
grily, but she laid her fingers across
his lips.
81 said very foolish thing, How
ard. I said that I'd manage to dis
pense with Mrs. Ven. this evening"
"You mean that you couldn't manage
it?"
"Not at ALL could easily have man.
aged it. Butt didn't care to-"
She looked at him calmly at close
range as he held her embraced, lifted
her arms and with slender white fin
gers patted her hair into place where
his arm around her head had disar-
ranged 1t. watching him all the while
out Of her pale, haunted eyes.
"You promised me-" he said, that
YOU
"Oh, Howard! Do men still believe
IN PROMISES"
Quarters face had color enough
now. His voice, too, had lost its pas
sionless monotonous precision. What
ever was in the man of emotion was
astir His impatient voice, his lack
Of poise, the almost human lack OF
caution in his speech betrayed him in
q new and interesting light.
Look here, Agatha! How long is
this going to last? Are you trying to
make a fool of me? What is the mat
ter? Is there anything wrong"
"Wrong? Oh, dear, no! How could
there be anything wrong between you
and me-
agatha, what is the matter? Look
here! Let's settle this thing now and
settle it one way or the other! won't
stand it! IL can't! Did you ever
me? Did give you
any chance to? Were you ignorant Of