Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-03-04
The
Fighting
Chance.
By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.
Copyright. 1903. by the Curtss Publishing
Company.
Copyright. 1905. by Robert w. Chambers.



and cock. was driven almost fran
tic by the ruffed grouse; Voucher
did better for a day or two and then
lost the knack; Marion Page attended
10 business In her cool and thorough
style. and her average on the gun
room books was excellent and was
also adorned with clever pen and ink
sketches by Siward.
Leroy Mortimer had given up shoot
Ing and established himself as haunt
er OF cushions in sunny corners. Tom
O'Hara had gone back TO Lenox; Mrs.
Vendenning. to Hot Springs. Beverly
Plank, master of Black Fells, began TO
pervade the house after a tentative APP
pearance. and he and Major Belwether
pottered about the coverts. usually aft
er luncheon. the latter doing little dam
age with his fowling piece and nobody
knew how much with his gossiping
tongue Quarter appeared in the field
methodically shot with judgment. TAX
ing no chances for brilliant perform
ance which might endanger his re-
spectacle average. AS for the Page
boys they kept the river ducks stir
ring whenever Eileen Shannon and
Rena Bonnesdel could be persuaded
TO share the canoes with them. Other
wise they haunted the vicinity OF those
bored maidens suffering snubs sor-
rowfully, but perslstently faithful.
They were a great nuisance In the
evening. especially as their sister did
not permit them to lose more than
$40 day Mt cards
Cards-that is. bridge and preference
ruled. as usual. and the latter game,
being faster. suited Mortimer and Fer
rail-, but did not aid Siward toward re
coupling his bridge losses.
Two matters occupied him. Since
cup day he had never had another OPP
portunity to see Sylvia Lands alone;
that was the first matter. He had
touched neither wine nor spirits nor
malt since the night Ferrall had found
him prone. sprawling in a stupor on his
disordered bed-that was the second
matter, and II occupied him. at times
required all his attention, particularly
when the physical desire for it set IN
steadily. mercilessly mounting mex
orably Ike a tide But. Ike the tide
It ebbed at last particularly when a
eleepless nirSt had exhausted him
Re haEone back to his shooting
" attr a cool review Of the ethics
Hved ], even amused him TO
~ that a girl who had cleyerness
Ljugh 10 marry many millions. with
Quarter thrown in. could have so
moved him TO sentimentalitv He had
coded the big cup Of antique silver TO
Quarter, too. matter which troubled
him little. however as in the rrita
ton of the reaction he had been shoot
Ing with the brilliancy of a demon. and
the gunroom books were open 10 any
\oubting guests inspection
(Time, therefore. was never heavy on
" hands save when the tide threat
, 3ed-when az night be stirred and
awOse. conscious Of its crawling al
vance. aware of it's steady mounting
menace: moments nj table when the
aroma oil Wine made him catch his
breath. moments In the gunroom redo
lent Of spicy spirits. a maddening VIOLA
tile fragrance clngng to the card
room too. Yes. the long days were
filed with such moments for him.
But afied the desire faded. and even
during the day indoors he shrugged de-
sire aside. IL was night that he dread
ed-the long hours, lying there tense.
stark eyed, sickened with desire.
AS for Sylvia, she and Grace Ferrall
had taken TO motoring, driving away
into the interior or taking long flights
north and south along the coast Some
times they took Quarter; sometimes.
when Mrs. Ferrall drove, they took in
ballast IN the shape of a superfuous
Page boy and a girl for him. Once
Grace Ferrall asked Siward to join
them: but, no definite time being set,
be was scarcely surprised to find them
gone when he returned from morn
ing on the snipe meadows. And Syl-
via, leagues away by that time. curled
up In the tonneau beside Grace Fer
rail-. watched the dark pines flying
past. cheeks pink, eyes like stars,
while the rushing wind drove health
into her and care out Of her. cleansing,
purifying. overwhelming winds flowing
through and through her till her very
souI within her seemed shining thrvrgh
the beauty Of her eyes. Besides, she
had just confessed.
''He kissed your repeated Grace Fer
rail- incredulously.
Eyes: "a number OF times. He was
silly enough to do Il, and let him
Il don't know what he said | was
ell nerves, confused, scared--a perfect
stick, IN fact. don't believe he'd care
to try again.
Then Mrs. Ferrall deliberately set
tied down IN her furs to extract from
the girl beside her every essential de-
tail. and the girl. frank at first, grew
shy and silent-retlcent enough to wor-
~ her friend into a silence which last
ed a long while for cheerful little
matron OF her sort
Presently they spoke Of other mat.
fers-matters interesting To pretty wo-
men with much 10 do IN the coming
winter between New York. Hot Springs
and Florida surmises as to dinners.
dances and the newcomers In the
younger sets, and the marriages to be
arranged OF disarranged, and the scan
dals humanity is heir to, and the atti'
fude Of the bishop toward divorce.
Then at last as the big motor car