The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-04-01


der the eyes; the pallor the curious
immobiity Of the man, save for his
fingers, which were always restless
now moving in search of some small
object to worry and turn over and
over, now nervously settling into n
grasp on the arm of his chair.
How is Amalgamated ElecTicT'
asked Fleetwood abruptly.
Il think all right Want to buy
some?" replied Siward, smiling
Plank stirred in his chair ponder
ously. Somebody is kicking it to
pieces" he said.
Somebody is trying to-" smiled ST.
ward.
Harrington" nodded Fleetwood. ST.
ward nodded back. Plank was silent
"Of course" continued Fleetwood
tentatively, you people need not wor-
ry with Howard Quarter back of
you"
Nobody sold anything for awhile
Presently Siward's restless hands.
moving i'm search of something, en-
countered pencil lying on the table
beside him, and he picked it up and
began drawing initials and scrolls on
the margin # a newspaper, and all the
scrolls framed initials. and all the
initials were the same. twining and
twisting into endless variations of the
letters $. L.
Yes | must go to the Office tomor
row." he repeated absently. Il am
better-in f ct, am quite well except
for this sprain." lie looked down al
his bandaged foot; then his pencil moy-
ed listleSsly again, continuing the end
less variations on the two letters.
was plain that he was tired.
Fleetwood rose and made his adieus
almost affectiOnately. Plank moved
forward on tiptoe, bulky and noiseesS.
and Siward held out his hand, saying
something amiably formal.
Would you like to have me come
again. asked Plank, red with embar-
rassment, vt so naively that at first
Siward found no words to answer him:
then:
Would you care to come, NJ
Plank"
Yes"
Siward looked at him curiously, a.
most cautiously His first impression;
Of the man had been summed up /!
one contemr .uous word. Besides. lar
ring that what was there in commci
between himself and such a type a
PLANK? lie had not even troubled
himself to avoid him at Shotover He
nad merely been aware of him when
Plank spoke to him.
Perhaps Plank had changed, perhaps
Siward had. for he found nothing Of
fensive in the bulky young man now
nothing particularly attractive either
except for a certain simplicity, a GER
tain direct candor in the heavy blue
eyes which met his squarely.
"Come in for a cigar when you have
few moments idle" said Siward
slowly.
at will give me great pleasure"
paid Plank, bowling.
And that was all. He followed Fleet
wood down the stairs. Wands hel
their coats and bowed them out into
the falling shadows of the winter twi-
light.
Siward, sitting beside his window,
watched them enter their hanson and
drive away up the avenue. A dull
flush had settled over his cheeks, the
aroma of spirits hung in the air, and
he looked across the room at the de-
canter. Presently he drank some of
his tea, but it was lukewarm, and he
pushed the cup from him.
"Gumble, are you thereT he asked
carelessly.
The butler entered from the hall
way. Eyes. sir"
"You may leave that decanter."
But the old servant may have mis-
understood, for he only bowed and
ambled off downstairs with the de
canter, either needless or deaf to his
masters sharp order to return.
Lamplight brought out sharply the
physical change in Siward-tbe angu-
lar shadows fiat under the cheek bones.
the hard, slightly swollen flesh in the
blush shadows around the eyes. The
mark of the master vice was there
its stamp IN the swollen, worn out hol-
lows; Its imprint In the fine lines at
the corners of his mouth: It's sign