Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-06-19

usually omen to suspicion themselyea'
watch me do the civil now fm
ashamed Of myself" i,
await O moment VIII you be civi'
enough to do something for him at tue
PATRONS? That will mean some
thing"
as he up? Yes, will and, TURN
Ing In his chair, he said to fiank'
lawfully sorry acted like Dounuer
Just now after having accepted your
hospitality ut the FEELS. | dia inean
to be offensive, and I'm sorry for that
too. Hope you'll overlook 1t ana De
friendly"
Plank's face took on the dark req
hue Of embarrassment. He iooAeu
questioningly at Mortimer, whose VS.
age remained noncommittal, then d.
rcctly at O'Hara.
"I should be very glad to be friends
with you," he said, with an ingehu-
GUS dignity that surprised Mortimer.
1t was only the native simplicity OF
the man, yeneered and polished by
constant contact with Mrs. Mortimer
and now showing to advantage In the
grain. And 1t gratified Mortimer, De-
cause he saw that 1t was going 10
make many matters much easier FOR
himself and his protege.
The tall glasses were filed and drain
ed again before they departed to the
cold plunge and dressing rooms above.
whence presently they emerged IN
street garb to drive downtown and
lunch together at the Lenox club
Plank as Fleetwood's guest.
Having O'Hara and Fleetwood to
give him countenance. Mortimer man
aged to make Plank known personally
to several governors Of the club and
to dozen members, then left him to
his fate, whence presently Fleetwood
and O'Hara extracted him, fate at
that moment being personilied by a
garrulous old gentleman, one Peter
Caithness, who divided with Major
Belwether the distinction of being the
club bore, and together they piloted
him to the billiard room, where he
beat them handily for dollar point
at everything they suggested.
"You play almost as pretty game
as Stephen Siward used to play" said
O'Hara cordially. you've something
of his cue Notwithstanding of
his internal facility and touch. Hasn't
he, Fleetwood|
81 wish Siward were back here"
said Fleetwood thoughtfully, return
ing his cue to his own rack. II VOL
der what be does with himself-where
he keeps himself all the while? What
the devil is there for man to do If
he doesn't do anything? He's not 60
ing out anywhere since his mothers
Death He has no clubs to go to, | I'M
derstand. What does he do-go to his
Office and come back and sit In that
shabby old brick house all day and
blink ut the bum portraits of his bum
and distinguished ancestors"
For awhile they talked of Siward
and of his unfortunate story and the
pity Of it, and when the two men
ceased:
"Do you know" said Plank mildly,
81 don't believe he ever did It."
O'Hara looked up surprised, then
shrugged. UNFORTUNATELY he doesn't
deny it, you seG"
T heard" said Fleetwood, lighting
cigarette, ''that he did deny it; that
he said, no matter what his condition
was. he couldn't. have done 1t. If he
had been sober the governors would
have been bound to take his word of
honor. But he couldn't give that, you
see. And after they pointed out to
him that he had been In no condition
to know exactly what he did do, he
shut up. And they dropped him, and
he's falling yet"
Lord! I wish Siward were back
here. He was good deal Of man,
after all, Tom"
They were unconsciously using the
past tense in discussing Siward, as
though he were dead, either physical'
ly or socially.
'In one way he was always a sim
gularly decent man." unused O'Hara.
"How exactly do you mean"
"Oh, about womenw
81 believe it too If he did take that
vyse girl into the PATRONS it was his
limit with her, and believe his limit
with any woman. He was absurdly
decent that way. He was, indeed.
And now look at the reputation he
has. Isn't it funny? Isn't it, now?'
"What sort of an effect do you sup
pose all this business is going to have
on SiwardY
'Tts had one effect already" re.
piled Fleetwood. ''Ferrall says be
looks sick, and Belwether says he's
going to the devil, but that's the sort
Of thing the major is likely to say. BY
the way, wasn't there something be-
tween that pretty Lands girl and ST.
ward? Somebody = some gossiping
somebody-talked about it somewhere
recently"
81 don't believe that, either" said
Plank in his heavy, measured, pas
sionless voice as they descended the
steps of the white portico and looked
around for q cab.
"As for me, I've got to hustle" OBJ
served O'Hara, glancing at his watch.
"I'm due to shine at a function about
8. Are you coming uptown, either OF
you fellows? I'll give you lift as
far as Seventy-second street, Plank"
"Tell you what we'll do" said Fleet
wood impulsively. turning to Plank.
"We'll drive downtown, you and l.,