Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-16

Agathd Cdttfpness
knew how, when or where-had be-
come suspicious of Agatha and him
self; with Major Belwether, who had
deserted him before he could sacrifice
the major and whom he now hated
and feared for having stumbled over
suspicious similar to Mrs. Mortimer's.
He had to deal with Sylvia herself
and with Siward-reckon with 81
wards knowledge of matters which 1t
were best that Sylvia should not know.
But first of all and most important
of all he had to deal with Beverly
Plank And he was going to do it in
| a manner that Plank could not have
foreseen, He was going to stop Plank
where he>stood, and to do this he was
deliberately using his knowledge of
the man and paying Plank the com
! pliment of counting on his sense of
honor to defeat him.
For he had suddenly found the OPP
| portunity to defend himself He had
discovered the joint in Plank's old
| fashioned arnor-the armor of the old
paladins, who placed woman's hon
! or before all. else In the world. Now,
| through his creature, Mortimer, he
could menace Plank with a threat to
involve him and Leila in vile publici-
| ty. Plank must sign the truce or face
with Leila an action for damages and
divorce.
First of all he went to the Lenox
club and dressed. Then he dined spar
ingly and alone. The motor car was
| waiting when he came out ready to
run down to the great Hotel Corona,
whittier the Japanese steward had con-
Quoted Mortimer. Mortimer had dined
heavily, but his disorganized physical
condition was such that 1t had scarce
! ly affected him at ALL
/ Again Quarter went over patiently
and carefully the very simple part he
had reserved for Mortimer that even
ing, explaining exactly what to say to
Leila and what to say to Plank in case
of insolent interruption. Then he told
Mortimer to be ready at 8 O'Clock.
turned ON his heel with curt word to
the Japanese, descended to the street,
entered his motor car again and sped
away to the Hotel Santa Regina.
Miss Caithness was at home, came
the message in exchange for his cards
for Agatha and Mrs. yendenning. He
entered the gilded elevator, stepped
out on the sixth floor into a tiny, ro-
COCO, public reception room. Nobody
was there besides himself Agatht .
maid came presently. and he turned
and followed her into the large and
very handsome parlor belonging to the
suit which Agatha was occupying with
Mrs. Vendenning for the few days that
they We're to stop In town.
4 "Hellor' she said serenely, saunter.
ing in. her long. pale hands bracketed
en- her narrow hips, her lips disclosing
her teeth in smile so like that merry.
Gus muscular recession which passed
. for a smile on Quarters visage that
for one moment he recognized, it and
thought she was moeking him. But
she strolled up to him, meeting his eye
calmly. and lifted her slim neck, lips
passive under his impetuous kiss.
sis Mrs. vendenning out?" he asked
layius his hands on the bare shoulders
of the tall. pallid girl-tall as he and
as pallid
mo, Mrs Ven is In, Howard"
; "Now7 You mean she is coming n
to interrupt
"oh, no! She isn't fond of you
Howard"
"You said he began almost an
grily, but she laid her fingers across
his lips.
81 said very foolish thing. How
ard. / said that I'd manage to dis
pense with Mrs. Ven. this evening"
''You mean that you couldn't manag,
! itY"
Not at all. 1 could easily have man
aged it. Butt didn't care to-"
She looked at him calmly at clos,
. range as he held her embraced, lifted
!. her arms and with slender white fin
gers patted her hair into place wher,
his arm around her head had disar
ranged it, watching him all the. Will,
out of her pale. haunted eyes.
You promised me- he said. "tha
you
"oh, Howard! Do men still believ,
, in promisesT"
Quarters face had color enough
now. His. voice, too, had lost its pas
sionless, monotonous precision. What
ever was in the man of emotion wa
astir. His impatient voice, his lacl
of poise, the almost human lack o
caution In his speech betrayed him Il
a new and interesting light.
Look here. Agatha. How long