Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-06-17


thing 20 attract him beyond the rant
~ amused curiosity of one man for
another who Is I'm process OF estab-
fishing himself as the first of race.
As for reciprocation In other forms
except the most superficial or OF per
hitting personal note 10 sound ever
80 discreetly, Siward tolerated no
such idea. Even the tentative ad-
vances OF Plank limiting on willing
ness and perhaps ability to help 81
ward In the Amalgamated tangle were
pleasantly ignored. Unpaid services
rendered by men like Plank were i'm
possible; any obligation to Plank was
utterly out OF the question. Mean
while they began to like one another
at least Siward often found himself
looking forward with pleasure to q
visit from Plank. There had never
been any question OF the latter's at
titude toward Siward.
Plank began to frequent the house,
but never informally. 1t Is doubtful
formality In that house event at 81
wards invitation.
One very bad night Plank came to
the house and was admitted by Gum
Bile. Wands, the second man, stood
behind the aged butler. Both were
apparently frightened.
That something was amiss appeared
plainly enough and Plank, instructive
~ producing a card, dropped II on a
table and turned TO go. 1t may have
been that the old butler recognized the
innate delicacy of the motive or 1t
may have been sudden confidence
born of the necessities of the case, for
he asked Plank to see his young mas
ter.
1t was bad night outside, and ii
was a bad night for Siward. The mas
ter vice had him by the throat. He
sat there clutching the arms Of his
chair, his broken leg In its plaster
casing extended in front of him, and
when he saw Plank enter he glared at
him.
Hour after hour the two men sat
there. the one white with rage, but
helpless: the other stolid inert, deaf to
demands for intercession with the arch
vice, dumb under pleadings for com
promise. He refused TO Interfere with
the butler, and Siward insulted him.
He refused to go and find the decan-
tiers himself. and Siward deliberately
cursed him.
Once toward morning Siward feign-
ed sleep and Plank, heavy head ON his
breast, feigned it too. Then Siward
bent over stealthily and opened
drawer In his desk, and Plank was on
his feet like fash, Jerking the NOR
phine from Siward's fingers.
The doctor arrived at daylight, re-
spending to Planks summons by tele-
phone, and Plank went away with the
morphine and Siward's revolver bulg-
ing in the side pockets Of his dinner
coat
He did not come again for week.
A short note from Siward started him
toward lower Fifth avenue.
There was little said when he came
into the room
Hello, Plank! Glad to see you"
Hello, Are you all rightf'
"All right Much obliged for pulling
me through Wish you'd pull me
through this Amalgamated Electric
knothole, too, some day
"Do-do you mean IT." ventured
Plank, turning red with delight.
"Mean 1t? Indeed l 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"
81 don't care fer anything" said
Plank.
"Whenever you please, then. You
know the house, and you don't mind
my being unceremonious, do you"
NO" said Plank.
Good 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 Plank's shy sugges
ton they talked over Siwards 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 az an ex-
preston of that liking; also be was I'M
expectedly made aware OF Plank's Sc
renely uuerring business sagacity.
AS for the quid pro quo, Siward had
insisted from the first on a 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.
Siward. true TO his word. held his stock
I'm the face OF ruin. Kemp Ferrall. fu-
rious with the major and beginning to
suspect Quarter, came to Plank for