The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-04-24
EVOntinued from Yesterday,

VII " 000Ao
absolutely satisfactory to you and to
me-and to Harrington"
You are mistaken said Plank, ris-
ing. Good afternoon"
Stepping out of the elevator on the
ground floor, he encountered Mortimer
M halted instinctively. He had not
seen Mortimer for weeks; neither had
Leila, and now he looked at him inquir-
lngly, disturbed at his battered and
bloodshoL appearance.
oh" said Mortimer, "you down
here?"
Have you been out of town." asked
Plank, cautiously.
Mortimer nodded and started to pass
on towar dthe bronze cage of the eieva-
tor, but something seemed to occur to
him suddenly. He checked his pace,
turned and waddled after Plank, re-
joining him on the marble steps of the
rotunda.
Look here" he said, 81 promised you
something once, didn't II"
Did your" said Plank, with his
bland. expressionless stare of an over
grown baby.
ooh, cut that out! You know I did,
and when 1 say "a thing 1 make good.
Dye see?"
II don't see,' said Plank, "what you
are talking about
Pm talking about what | said I'd
do for you. Haven't I made good
Haven't | put you into everything I
said / would? Don't you go every
where? Don't people ask you every
where?"
Eyes, in a way" said Plank, YEARLY.
81 am very grateful. I always will be.
Can l do anything for you Leroy?"
Mortimer had attended a killing
at Desmond's and, as usual, had pro-
Vided the piece de resistance for his
s~oft-Yoiced host. All he wanted was
a temporary deposit to tide over mat
ters. He had never approached Plank
in vain, and he did not do so now, for
Plank mad q pocket check book and a
sty~lograph.
He Pockets the Check.
ITS little to ask, isn't it?" he NUT
tered, resentfully. '"That will only
square matters with Desmond. 1t
doesn't leave me anything to go on
with" And he pocketed his check with
a scowi.
Plank was discreetly silent.
And that is not what 1 chased you
for, either" continued Mortimer. "Bev-
erly. old boy, I've got a certain mealy-
faced hypocrite where any decent mar
would like to have hinr-by the scruf
of his neck. He's fit only to kick, and
I'm going to kick him good and plenty
and in the process he's going to let e.
of several things. One of 'em yours
Plank looked at him.
st told you once that I'd let vol
know when to step up and say GOOD
evening" didn't II"
Plank continued to stare.
Didn't II" repeated Mortimer, peev-
ishly, beginning to lose countenance.
IT don't understand you," said Plank
"aud K4don't think I want to understand
you"
What do you mean?" demanded
Mortimer, thickly. Don't you want to
marry that grip" But he shrank dis
mayed under the slow blaze that light
ed Piank's blue eyes.
"AlI right" h stammered, strug-
Cling to his fat legs and instinctlvely
backing away. ri thought o meant
business. What the devil do 1 care
who you merry! It's the last time I
try to do anything for you or for any
body else!"
Let 1t go at that, them said Plank,
reddening. "And now let me ask you
, la question-where were you going when
! met you?"
"Wha do you want to know for?"
asked Mortimer, sullenly.
why I'll tell you, Leroy. If you
have any idea of Identifying yourself
with Quarters people, of seeking him
at this ~juncture with the expectation
of investing any money in his schemes,
you had better not do so"
'Investing!' sneered Mortimer. well,
no, not exactly, having nothing to in
vest, thanks to my being swindled into
Joining his Amalgamated Electric gang.
Don't worry. II there's any shaking
down to be done I'll do it, my friend"
And he rose and started toward the
elevators.
wait said Plank. "Why, ma you
can't brighten Quarter. What did you
sell YOUR holdings for? Why didn't you
come to us-to me? What's the use of
going to Quarter now and scolding?
You can't scare a man like that"
Mortimer fairly grinned in his face.
Not Afraid of Quarter.
your big mistake" he sneered, "is
in undertaking. others. / want you to
understand a few things, my friend,
and one of them is hat I'm not afraid
of Quarter, and another Is I'm not
afraid of YOU"
Leroy
No, not afraid of you either!" re-
heated Mortimer, with an ugly stare.
"You keep a civil tongue in your head
after this-do you understand?-and
we'll get on all right. If you don't, I've
the means to make you!"
Are you craZy?"
mot a bit of It! To- sane for you
and Leila to hoodwink!"
you are crazy!' repeated Plank,
aghast.
"Am /? You and Leila can take the
matter INTO court If you want to-un-
less | do. And" here he eaned for
ward, showing his teeth agatn-'the
next time you kiss her close the door,
Then he went away up the marble
stems and entered an elevator
Plank, grave and pale went out INTO
the street and entered his big touring
car. But the drive up town and through
the sunlit park gave him no pleasure
and he entered his great house with a
heavy. lifeless step. head bent as
though counting every crevice IN the
stones under his tagging feet. for the
first time in all his life he was AFRAID OIL