Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-02-26

ing Quarters face flushed. then the
features became immobile, set and IN
ert and his eyes grew duIler abd duller,
as though under a smooth surface the
soul inside of him was shrinking back
into some dark corner, silent, watch
| ful, suspicious and perhaps defiant
'Mr. Quarter" said Siward quietly.
II 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:
Il 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, | believe
The slightest possible glimmer in the
elder mans eyes was all the answer he
granted
What happened" said Siward calm
", twas this: She bet me she could
30 disguise herself that could safely
take her into any club in New York. l
bet her she couldn't 1 never dreamed
of trying. Besides, she was your-din-
ner partner" he added, with a shrug.
Quarter" said Siward earnestly,
what happened in the club lobby l
don't exactly know, because was not
in condition to know. l admit 1t;
that was the trouble with me. When
left Fleetwood's rooms left with
half dozen men. remember cross
ing Fifth avenue with them, and the
next thing remember distinctly was
number Of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat in the
center of crowd whose face was the
face of that girl Lydia Vyse. And
that is absolutely all. But l couldn't
do more than deny that | took her
there unless told what l 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 q victim to circumstantial evil
dence which you could have refuted.
and 1t 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
stand too much of that sort of thing
What am to do? can't defend my
self by betraying my accidental knowl-
edge of your petty private affairs. So
/ leave it to you. l ask you what are
you going to doy'
"Do you mean''-Quarrier's voice
was not his own, and he brought it
harshly under command-"do you
mean that you think it necessary for
me to say l knew her? What object
would be attained by that? did not
take her to the Patroons."
"Nor did l. Ask her how she got
there. Learn the truth from her.
mani"
what proof is there that ever met
her before | took her into supper at
Fleetwood'sY'
Proof! Are you mad? All ask of
you is to say to the governors what
cannot say without using your name"
''You wish me-" asked Quarter icily,
ito deny that you made that wager?
can do that"
You can't do it! did make that
bet"
"Oh! Then what is It you wish me
to sayT'
''Tell them the truth. Tell them you
know l did not take her to the club.
You need not tell them why you know
1t. You need not tell them how much
you know about her, whose brougham
she drove home in. can't defend my
self at your expense-lntrench myself
behind your dirty little romance What
could l say? l denied taking her to
the club. Then Major Belwether con-
fronted me with my wager. Then
shut up And so did you, Quarter
SO did you, seated there among the
governors between Leroy Mortimer
and Belwether II was up to you, and
you did not stir."
''Stirw echoed the other man, exas-
perated "Of course l did not stir.
What did know about it? Do you
think | care to give a man like Morti-
mer hold on me by admitting knew
anything? Or Belwether. do you thlnk
care to have that man know any
thing about my private and personal
business? Did you expect me to say
that | was in position to prove any
thing one way or anotherY And" he
added, with increasing harshness. how
do you know what | might or might
not prove? If she went to the Pa.
troons club, | did not go with her;
did not see her; don't know whether
or not you took her"
a have already told you that l did
not take her." said Siward, turning
whittier.
You told that to the governors too.
Tell them again II you like. decline
to discuss this matter with you. de.
cline TO countenance your unwarranted