Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-08-14

anu cHG or tiiGm 10 tuut w WI, nit"'u
Oh uuafrier. ahd Another ID I'm not
afraid of your
Leroy
mo, not afraid Of you eltherw re.
peated Mortimer, with an ugly stare.
"You keep civil tongue In your head
after this--do sou understand?--and
we'll get Oh all right. If you don't,
I've the neanssto make you"
"Are you crazy?"
"Not bit of it! Too sane for you
and Leila to hoodwink!"
"You are crazy repeated Plank.
aghast.
."AmI You and Leila can take the
matter into couft IL you want to-un-
less | Go. And"-here he leaned for
ward, showing his teeth again-"the
next time you kiss her close the door,
Then he went away up the marble
steps and entered an elevator. and
Plank, grave and pale. went put 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 Of q man.
The man be was afraid Of had gone
directly to Quarters Office, missing
the gentleman he was seeking by such
a small fraction Of minute that he
realized they must have passed each
other In the elevators. he ascending
while Quarter was descending.
Furious to think of the time he had
wasted with Plank. he crawled into a
hanson and babe the driver take him
to number he gave, designating one
.of the new limestone basement houses
on the upper west side.
All the way up town as he JOlted
about III his seat he angrily regretted
the meeting with Plank even In spite
of the check. What demon had pos
sessed him to boast-to display his
hand when there had been no neces-
sity? Plank was still ready to give
him aid at crisis. had always been
ready. Time enough when Plank turn.
ed stingy to use persuasion.
He lay back, rolling about In the
jouncing cab, scowing at space.
"I'll shake down Quarter" he said
to himself. "Pll make him pay for his
treachery-scaring me out of Amalga-
mated! That will be restitution, not
extOrti0n!'
He was angry because he had been
for days screwing up his courage to
the point of seeking Quarter face to
face. He had not wished to do 1t. The
scene and his own attitude In it could
only be repugnant to him. although he
continually explained to himself that
It was restitution. not extortion.
"Oh," be groaned, what an ass !
amw And he got out Of his cab In
front Of very new limestone base
ment house with red geraniums bloom
ing on the window stills and let him
self In with latchkey.
The interior Of the house was attrac.
tive In rather bright, new, clean
fashion. The maid, too. who appeared
at the sound Of the closing door aud
took bis hat and gloves was as newly
groomed as the floors and woodwork
and so noiseless as to he conspicuous
In her swift. silent movements
anybody here?" he growled. leer'
ing into the drawing room at tiny
grand piano cased In unvarnished Cir
cassian walnut
"There is nobody at home, SIR" said
the maid
He began to ascend the stairway.
breathing heavily. thud. thud over the
deep velvet strip his fat hand grasp
ing the banister rail-
Somewhere on the second floor a
small dog barked. and Mortimer ira
versed the hail and opened the door
into "a room hung with gold Spanish
leather and pale green curtains.
Hello. Tinto. he said affably as a
tiny japanese spaniel hurled herself at
him. barking furiously, then began
writing and weaving herself about
him. gurgling recognition and vel.
come.
Presently another maid entered. with
an apple cut into thin waters and q
decanter of port, and Mortimer lay
back In his chair, sopping his apple In
the thick, crimson wine and feeding
morsels of the combination to himself
and to Tinto at intervals until the ap-
pie was all gone and the decanter
three-fourths empty.
1t was very still In the roOm-so still
that Mortimer. opening his eyes at
longer and longer intervals to peer at
the door, finally opened them no more.
It was still daylight when Mortimer
awoke, conscious Of people about him
AS be opened his eyes man laughed
Several people seated by the windows
Joined in. He yawned laughed. turn
Ing bis heavy eyes from one to an
other. recognizing couple of young
girls at the window. He didn't want
to get. up, but there is in the society he
now adorned stringency Of etiquette
known as refinement and which to
ignore Is to become unpopular.
So he got on to his massive legs and
went over to shake hands with gray.
ity becoming the ceremony.
"How dye do. Miss Hutchinson?
Thought you were at Asbury Park.
l.