Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-05-27

7"
Billy Fleetwood.
ligence, OF wholesome desire and sane
curiosity-the intellectual restlessness.
the capacity for passion, the renais-
sance of the simpler innocence-had
subsidized into the laissez faire Of dull
quiescence.
Riding there, head bent her pulses
timing the slow pacing of her horse,
she presently became aware, without
looking up, that Quarter was watching
her. She moved slightly In her saddle
to look at him and for an instant fan
cied that there was something furtive
In his eyes. Only for an instant, for
he quietly picked up the thread OF con-
versation where she had dropped IT,
saying that 1t had been raining for the
last ten minutes and that they might
ter.
without reason, through and through
her shot SILVER of loneliness-utter
loneliness and isolation. Without rea-
son, because from him she expected
nothing required nothing, except what
he offered-the emotionless reticence
Of indifference, the composure of per-
feet Formally. What did she want,
then = compartment She had them.
Friends? She could scarcely escape
from them. Intimates? She had only
to choose one or a hundred attuned
responsive to her every mood, every
caprice. Lonely? With the men of
New York crowding. shouldering.
crushing their way to her feet? Lone
ly? With the women Of New York
struggling already for precedence In
her favor?-omen significant of the
days TO come, of those future years
diamond linked in one unbroken, tri-
umphant glitter.
About that Amalgamated Electric
company" she began without prelude.
would you mind answering a ques-
ton or two, HowardT
you could not understand It." he
said, unpleasantly disturbed by her
abruptness.
"As you please. 1t is quite true
can make nothing of what the newspa-
pers are saying about II, except that
OF things"
'Tnjunctions and other matters" OBJ
served Quarter.
els anybody going to lose any money
In it?"
"Who. for example?"
"Why-you. for example" she said.
laughing.
81 don't expect to-"
''Then II is going to turn out all
right? And Mr.. Plank and Kemp Fer
rail- and the major and-the other peo-
pie interested are not going to be al
most ruined by the Intercounty peo-
ple?"
"Do you think a man like Plank Is
likely TO be ruined. as you say. by
Amalgamated Electric?"
"No. But Kemp and the major
81 think the major is out of danger"
! replied Quarter. looking at her with
the new. sullen narrowing of his eyes.
81 am glad OF that Is Kemp-and
the othersT
"Ferrall could stand II IL matters go
wrong. What othersT'
"why-the other owners and stock
holders
what others? Who do you meanf'
"Mr. Siward, for example," she said
In an even voice, leaning over to pat
her horses neck with her gloved hand.
"Mr. Siward must take the chances
we all take" Observed Quarter.
"But. Howard, IL would really mean
ruin for him II matters went badly.
yvnnIdn't H9"
II am not familiar with the details
u Mr.. Siward's investments"
"Nor am l." she said slowly.
She spoke about other things. lie
responded i'm his impassive manner
Presently she turned her horse, and
Quarter wheeled his, facing a warm
fine rain slariting thickly from The
south.
His silky vandyke beard was all wet
with the moisture. she noticed 1t, and
unbidden arose the vision of the gun
room at Shotover Quarters sofi
beard wet with rain, the phantoms OF
people passing and repassing, Siward's
straight figure swinging past, silhou
cited against the glare Of light from the
billiard room. And here she made m
effort to efface the vision. shutting hel
eyes as she rode there In the rain, bu
clearly against the closed lids she saw
the phantoms passing - specters Of
dead hours. the wrath Of an old hap
piness masked with youth and wear
ing siwards featuresl
She saw herself beside him among
the cushions; tasted again the ROSE
petals that her lips had stripped from
the blossoms; saw once more the
dawn Of something In his steady eyes
felt his arm about her. his breath