Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-09-04

"What?"
"No, don't think so. However, I'll
let you know tomorrow. 1t all depends
but l don't expect to-" She turned
as her maid tapped on the door. "Oh.
Captain Voucher. Are you at home to
himY' Tipping the pasteboard on to
the table among the scattered cards.
EYES," said Mrs. Yendenning aggres-
sively, unless you expect him to flop
down on his knees tonight Do your
II don't-tonight. Perhaps tomor-
row. / don't know. | can't tell yet"
And to her maid she nodded that they
were at home to Captain Voucher.
Quarter had met him, too, just as
he was leaving the hotel lobby. They
exchanged the careful salutations of
men who had no use for one another.
On the Englishman's clean cut face q
deeper hue settled as he passed.; on
Quarters not trace Of emotion, but
when he entered his motor he sat bolt
upright, stiff backed and stiff necked,
his long gray gloyed fingers moving
restlessly over his pointed beard
The night was magnificent Myri'
ads Of summer stars spangled the
heavens. Plank, driving his big motor
northward through the night, Leila
Mortimer beside him, twice mistook
the glimmer Of freely for the distant
lamp of a motor, which amused Leila,
and her clear young laughter foated
back to the ears Of Sylvia and Siward.
curled up in their corners of the huge
tonneau. But they were too profound,
ly occupied with each other to heed
the sudden care free laughter of the
young matron, though in these days
her laughter was infrequent enough to
set the more merciless tongues wag-
ging when it did sound.
Plank had never seen fit to speak to
her of her husbands scarcely yelled
menace that day he had encountered
him In the rotunda of the Algonquin
Trust company. His first thought was
to do SOTO talk it over with her, con-
slider the threat and the possibility OF
its seriousness, and then come to some
logical and definite decision as to what
their future relations should be. Again
and again he had been on the point OF
doing this when alone with Leila-un
comfortable, even apprehensive, be
% hot nh in
had never had the opportunity to do
without deliberately dragging In tn
subject by the ears In all its ugliness
and implied reproach for her impru-
dence and seeing that dreadful, va
cant change in Leilas face which the
mere mention of her husbands name
was sure to bring turn into horror IN
speakable.
A man not prone to fear his fellows
he now feared Mortimer, but that feal
struck him only through Leila or haG
80 reached him until the days OF bis
closing struggle with Quarter. That
threat of Mortimer's to involve Plans
with Leila In one common ruin, that
boast that he was able to do so could
not be ignored as possible weapon II
Quarter should by any chance learn OF
it.
In all his life he had taken Leila
into his arms but once, had kissed her
but once. But that once had been
enough to arm Mortimer with danger
from head to foot. Some prying serv'
ant had either listened or seen-per-
haps q gIimmer of mirror had be-
trayed them. At all events whoever
had seen or heard had Informed Nor
timer, and now the man was equipped,
the one and only man in all the world
who could with truth accuse Plank.
the only man of whom he stood In
honest fear.
And 1t was characteristic Of Plank
that never for one moment had it oc-
Cured to him that the sheer fault OF
it all lay with Leila; that it was her
imprudence alone that now threatened
herself and the man she loved-that
threatened his very success In life as
long as Mortimer should live.
All this Plank, in his thorough, pains
taking review Of the subject, had tax
en- into account, and he could not see
how it could possibly bear upon the
matters now finally to be adjusted be-
tween Quarter and himself, because
Quarter was in New York and Nor
timer in Saratoga, and unless the lat
ter had already sold his information
the former could not strike at him |
through knowledge Of it.
And yet curious reluctancy, hest
tation inexplicable-unless Overwork |
explained it-had come oyer him when |
Siward had proposed their dining to-
gether on the very eve Of his complet-
ed victory over Quarter.
1t seemed absurd, and Plank was
too stolid to entertain superstitions,
but he could not, even with Leila
laughing there beside him, shake off |
the dull instinct that all was not well;
that Quarters attitude was still the |
attitude Of a dangerous man; that he |
plank should have had this evening !
In his room alone to study out the
matters he had SO patiently plodded
through in the long hours while ST.
ward slept.
Yet not for one instant did he dream
Of shifting the responsibility re-
sponsibility entailed blame-on Siward,
who, against Plank's judgment and
desire, had on the very eve of con-
drawn him away from that
sleepless vigilance which must forever
he the price of a business mans safety. |