Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-10

knothole, too, some day."
"Do-do you mean itf" ventured
Plank, turning red with delight.
"Mean IL? Indeed / do-if you do. |
Sit here. Ring for whatever you want,
or perhaps you'd better go down to the |
sideboard. I'm not to be trusted with |
the odor in the room just yet"
II don't care for anything" said
Plank.
whenever you please, then. You
know the house, and you don't mind
my being unceremonious, do your
mo" said Plank.
"Goodr" rejoined Siward, laughing
81 expect the same friendly lack of
ceremony from YOU"
But that for Plank was impossible.
All he could do was to care the more
for Siward without crossing the Dor
der line so suddenly made free. All he
could do was to sit there, rolling and
unrolling his gloves into wads with his
clumsy. highly colored hands, and gaze
consciously at everything in the room
except Siward.
On that day at Planks shy sugges-
ton they talked over Siward's bust
ness affairs for the first time. After
that day, and for many days, the sub
ject became the keynote to their inter
course, and Siward at last understood
that this man desired to do him a serv-
Ice absolutely and purely from a dis
interested liking for him and as an ex-
preston of that liking; also he was I'M
expectedly made aware of Plank's Sc
renely unerring business sagacity.
AS for the quid pro quo, Siward had
insisted from the first on business
arrangement The treachery of Major
Belwether through sheer fright had
knocked the keystone from the syndi-
cate, and the dam which made the
golden pool possible collapsed, shower
ing Plank's brokers, who worked pa
tiently with buckets and mops.
The double treachery Of Quarter
was now perfectly apparent to Plank.
Siwartl. true to his word, held his stock
in the face of ruin Kemp Ferrall, fu-
rious with the major and beginning to
suspect Quarter. came to Plank for
consultation.
| Then the defense formed under Plank.
Legal machinery was set in motion,
meeting followed meeting, until Har-
rington cynically showed his hand and
| Quarter smiled his rare smile, and the
fight against Intercounty was on in
the open, preceded by furious clamor
of charge and countercharge in the col
umns of the daily press.
That Quarter had been guilty Of
something or other was the vague i'm.
preston of that great ne % reading
public, which, stunned by t-Ie reitera-
ton Of figures in the millions. turns to
the simpler pleasures of murder trial.
Besides, whatever Quarter had done
was no doubt done within the chalk
marked courts of the game. though
probably his shoes may have become
little dusty.
Siward, at his desk, the May sun
shine pouring over him. sat coming
the heaps of typewriter sheets, striv-
ing to see between the lines some sign
of fortune for his investments. Gum
bic knocked presently Siward raised
MS pefpieAeu eyes.
Miss Page, sir"
"Ohr said Siward doubtfully. Then
ASK Miss Page to come up"
Marion strolled In a moment later
exchanged vigorous hand shake with
Siward. pulled up a chair and dropped
into it. She was in riding habit ant
boots, faultlessly groomed, as usual
her smooth pale hair sleek in its thicl
knot, collar and tie immaculate as hel
gloves.
WELL" she said, "any news of you
ankle, Stephen"
II inquired about my ankle sait
Siward, amused, land they tell me /
is better. thank you"
"Sit horse pretty soon?" she asked
dropping one leg over the other anC
balancing the riding crop across he
knee.
Not for awhile. You have a fin
day for a gallop, Marion" looking
askance at the sunshine fllterinl
through the first green leaves of tn
f! tree outside his window
''It's all right-the day. Where ar
your cigarettes, Stephen2 Oh. see
} Don't try to move-don't be silly"
! She leaned over the desk, her fres
young face close to his, and reache
! for the cigarettes. Tbe clean cut head
the sweetness Of her youth and fem
ninity, boyish in its allure. were yer
! attractive to him-more so perhaps bC
cause of his isolation from the atno>
. | rhera of V-Ompn
; ITS all very web, Marion, your con
ing here and it's all very sweet {
you, and enjoy it immensely" b
said. Tn horribly afraid somebod
will talk about you"
''What would you do then?"
F "Iy' he asked, disturbed. wis
+ could do?'
2 why, | suppose" she said slowl!
: ''you'd have to marry me-"
r ''Then," he rejoined. with a laugl
81 should think you'd be scared int