The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-12-25


rier. and, thinking OF him. glanced u
TO see him within earshOt and mOvin
straight toward them from the veraI
da above
There was a short silence, q tents
tive civil word from Siward, the
Miss Lands took command of some
thing that had a grotesque reseu
blance to situation. A few minute
later they returned slowly to til
house. the girl walking serenely be
tween Siward and her preoccupied aft
anced.
IF your shoes are as wet as M
skirts and slippers you had bette
change, Mr.. Siward." she said, paus
ing at the foot of the staircase.
So he took his congee, leaving hel
standing there with Quarter ant
mounted to his room.
In the corridor he passed Ferrall
who had finished his business CORR
spondence and was returning to thu
cardroOm.
Here's a. letter that Grace wants
you TO see," ne said Read ii before
you turn in, Stephen"
"All right but I'll be down later"
replied Siward, passing on, the letter
In his hand. Entering his room, he
kicked off his wet pumps and found
dry ones; then moved about, whistling
q gay air from some recent vaudeville,
busy with rough towels and silken
footgear, until, reshod and dry, he was
ready to descend once more.
The encounter, the suddenly inform
al acquaintance with this young girl.
had stirred him agreeably, leaving a
slight exhilarat ton. Even her engage
ment to Quarter added a tinge Of mai
ice to his interest Besides, he was
young enough to feel the fattery of
her concern for him.
Perhaps, as like recognizes like, he
recognized In her the instincts of the
born drifter mOmentarily at anchor
the temporary inertia of the opportu-
mist, the latent capacity of an Uniform
ed character for all things and any
thing. Add to these her few years.
her beauty and the wholesome igno-
rance so confidently acknowledged,
what man could remain unconcerned,
uninterested, in the development of
such possibilities? Not Siward, anus
ed by her sagacious and impulsive
prudence, worldllness and innocence In
accepting Quarter and touched by her
profitless, frank and unworldly friend
Illness for himself
IaA 10 he 4A hovs
ing Quarter He rather admired her
for being able to do it, considering the
general scram BILE for Quarter. But
let that take care of itself Mean
while their sudden and capricious In
timacy had aroused him from the NOR
bid reaction consequent upon the cheap
notoriety which he had brought upon
himself. Let him sponge his slate
clean and begin again a better record,
battered by the solicitude she had so
prettily displayed
Whistling under his breath the same
gay, empty melody, he opened the top
dra wer of his dresser dropped in his
mothers letter and locking the drawer,
pocketed the key. He would have
time enough to read the letter when
he went to bed. He did not just now
feel exactly like skimming through the
fond. foolish sermon which he knew
had teen preached at him through his
mothers favorite missionary, Grace
Ferrall. What was the use Of drag |
cling in the sad old questions again, of !
,epea ting his assurances of good be- /
lavior of reiterating his promises of
planning his own self confidence? Bet
er that the letter await his bedtime.
His prayers would be the sincerer the
resher the impression, for he was old
ashioned enough to say the prayers
hat an immature philosophy proved
uperhuous, for, he thought If prayer
J any use it takes only few minutes
0 be on the safe side.
So he went downstairs leisurely, pre-
AIRED to acquiesce in any suggestion
rom anybody, but rather hoping to
aunter across Sylvia lands path be-
pre- being committed
She was sanding beside the fire with :
uarrier, one foot on the fender, APP ,
arently toe preoccupied to notice him. I
0 he strolled into the gunroom, which
as blue with tobacco smoke and arc q
attic with the volatile odors from de- 7
lnters. Q
There were a few women there, and =
e majority of the men, Lord Alder
me, Major Belwether and Mortimer,
ere at table by themselves. Stacks G
ivory chips and five cards spread In
e center of the green explained the s.
ture of their game, and Mortimer, t
Using his heavy inhamed eyes and s;
cling Siward unoccupied, said wheel G
:: "Cut out that widow and give II
ward his stack! Anything above d.
o pairs for a jack triples the ante. W
me on, Siward, there's a decent -
apr m
10 he seated himself for a sacrifice
the blind goddess balanced upon be- SC
nged wheel, and the cards ran high re