Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-04-15


three. ten, several. Billy, whose weasel
bellied pinto was that you were kick
ing your heels into In the park? Some
of the squadron men asked me-the
major. Oh. beg pardonl Didn't know
you were trying TO stick Mortimer with
him. He might do for the troop am
bulance-lnside. What? Oh, yes; met
Mr.. Blank-I mean Mr. Plank-at
Shotover, | think. How dye do? Had
the pleasure Of potting your tame
pheasants. Rotten sport, you know.
What do you do 1t for, Mr. Blank?"
what did you come for If it's rot
ten sportT' asked Plank so simply that
IL took O'Hara moment TO realize be
had been snubbed
81 didn't mean to be offensive" no
drawed.
Il suppose you can't help II" said
Plank very gently. "Some people can't.
you know" And there was another ST.
lence, broken by Mortimer. whose en-
tire bulk was tinging with a mixture
OF surprise and amusement over his
protege's developing ability TO take
care Of himself. did you say that
Stephen Slward is In Westbury. BillyT
NO; he's In town." replied Fleet
wood. Il took his horses up to hunt
with. He isn't hunting you know"
II didn't know. Nobody ever sees
him anywhere" said Mortimer. II
guess his mothers death cut him up"
Fleetwood lifted his empty glass and
gently shook the ice In 1t. "rhat. and
the other business-is enough to cut
any man up. Isn't it?'
you mean the action of the Lenox
club?" asked Plank seriously.
Eyes. He's resigned from this club.
too. hear Somebody told me that he
has made a clean sweep of all his
clubs. That's foolish. A man may be
an ass TO join too many clubs. but he's
always n fool to resign from any OF
'em. You ask the weatherwise what
resigning from a club forecasts. It's
the first ominous sign in young mans
career"
Under cover OF a rapid fire exchange
OF pleasantries between Fleetwood and
O'Hara. Plank turned to Mortimer.
hesitating:
II rather liked Siward when | met
him at Shotover." he ventured. I'm
very sorry he's down and out"
"He drinks" shrugged Mortimer, di-
luting his mineral water with Irish
whisky. HE can't let 1t alone. He's
like all the Siwards'
Mortimer doesn't care for Siward.
but he's an awfully good fellow, all the
same said Fleetwood. turning to
Plank. He's been an ass. but who
hasn't? | like him tremendously. aud
| feel very bad over the mess he made
OF II after that crazy dinner / gave In
my rooms. What? You hadn't heard
OF 1t? Why. man. it's the talk of the
clubs"
II suppose that is why haven't
heard said Plank simply. MY club
life is still In the future"
"Ohi" said Fleetwood. with an invol-
untary stare, surprised trife uncom-
Portable, yet somehow liking Plank.
and not understanding why.
Mortimer continued a desultory dis
russion with O'Hara concerning a very
SiNale uiAhci WHICH SOiheDOuy toiu
somebody that somebody had given TO
Quarter and the Intercounty Electric
people. which. II true. plainly indicat-
ed who was financing the Intercounty
scheme and why Amalgamated stock
had tumbled again yesterday and what
might be looked for from the Algon-
quin Trust company's president.
"Amalgamated Electric doesn't seem
TO like it little bit" said O'Hara.
"Ferral. Belwether and Siwa d are in
It up to their necks. and II uarrier is
really the god I'm the machine and If
he really is doing stunts with Amalga-
mated Electric and Is also mixing feet
fro BE Continued