Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-06-12

4
Cohfused from hls bwh physical sllf.
fering, the blow had fallen with q
deadened force ON nerves already
numbed, but his half stupefed aequi-
escence had suddenly become d paiu-
full recoil when he remembered where
the brunt of the disgrace would fall,
where the center of suffering must al
ways be and the keenest grief concen-
trated. Reused, appalled,, almost total
ly unnerved, he stood staring at the
letter, beginning to realize what 1t
would mean to his mother. A passion
of remorse and resentment swept him.
She must be spared that! There must
be some way, some punishment for his
offense, that could not strike her
through him. 1t was wicked, 1t was
contemplate, incane, to strike her.
What were the governors of the Lenox
about, a lot of sniveling hypocrites,
wandering to the Mortified snobbery at
the PATRONS? Who were they, any
way. to discipline him? Scarce one
in fifty among the members of the two
clubs was qualified to sit in Judgment
on a Siward!
But that tempest Of passion and NOR
tification passed, too, leaving him
standing there dumb, desperate, star
ing at the letter crushed in his shaking
hand.
He must see somebody, some men,
Der of the Lenox, and do something
something Ferrall! Was that Fer
rails step on the landing?
He sprang to the door and opened
1t. Quarter, passing the corridor,
turned an expressionless visage toward
him and passed on, with nod almost
imperceptible.
"Quarrier!" he called, swept by a
sudden impulse.
Quarter halted and turned.
"Could you give me a moment here
In my room? l won't detain you"
The faint trace Of surprise faded
from Quarters face. He quietly re-
traced his steps and entering Siwards
room, stood silently confronting its
pallid tenant.
"Wil you sit down a moment"
| Quarter seated himself in the arm
chair by the window, and Siward
found chair opposite.
"Quarrier," said the younger man,
turning tensely miserable face on his
visitor. 81 want to ask you something.
I'll not mince matters. You know that
the PATRONS have dropped me, and
you know what for"
eyes, know"
"When I was called before the board
of governors to explain the matter, II
could, you were sitting on that
board"
"Yes."
81 denied the charge, but refused to
explain. You remember
Quarter nodded coldly.
"And I was dropped by the club"
A slight inclination of Quarters
symmetrical head corroborated him.
"Now." said Siward, slowly and very
distinctly. u shall tell you unofficially
! :, i,at refused to tell the other govern
ors officially" And as he began speak
ing Quarters face flushed. then the
features became immobile, set and In
ert and his eyes grew duller and duller,
as though under a smooth surface the
soul inside of him was shrinking back
into some dark corner, silent, watch
full suspicious and perhaps defiant.
'NIr. Quarter" said Siward quietly.
81 did not take that girl to the Pa
troons club, and you know it,
Quarter was all surface now. He
had drawn away internally so far that
even his eyes seemed, to recede until
they scarcely glimmered through the
Sits in his colorless mask. And ST.
ward went on:
81 knew perfectly well what sort of
women | was to meet at that fool sup
per Billy Fleetwood gave, and you
must have, too, for the girl you took in
was no stranger to you. Her name Is
Lydia Vyse, l believe"
The slightest possible gimmer In the
elder mans eyes was all the answer he
granted.
what happened" said Siward calm
ly, "was this: She bet me she could
so disguise herself that l could safely
take her into any club in New York.
bet her she couldn't. never dreamed
of trying. Besides, she was your-din-
ner partner" he added. with shrug.
"Quarrier," said Siward earnestly.
"what happened in the club lobby !
don't exactly know, because ! was not
In condition to know. admit it;
that was the trouble with me. When
| left FleetwoodS rooms | left with
half dozen men. | remember cross
ing Fifth avenue with them. and the
next thing remember distinctly was,
loud talking in the club lobby and
number of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat in the
center of a crowd whose face was the
face of that girl Lydia Vyse. And
that is absolutely all. But | couldn't
do more than deny that | took her
there unless told what | knew, and
Of course that was not possible. even
in self defense. But it was for you
to admit that was right, and you did
not. You dared not! You let another
man blunder into your private affairs
and fall victim to circumstantial evil
dence which you could have refuted,
and it was up to you to say something.
And you did not! And now what are
you going to do? The LenOx club has
taken this thing up. A man can't