The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-02-26

threatened to hang heavily
4 \ on Mortlmer's notified hands.
After the second day afeld he recog-
nized that his shooting career was
practically over. Then Mortimer, not
yet done with self indulgence in more
convenient forms, cast about him with
in his new limits for occupation be-
tween those hours consecrated to the
rites of the table and the card room.
He drove four, but found that 1t
numbed his arms and that the sea air
made him sleepy. Motor cars agreed
with him only when driving with "A
pretty woman. Forced through ennui
TO fish off the rocks, he soon tired of
the sea perch and rock cod and the
malodors of perlwinkle and clam.
Then he took up his headquarters in
the reading room on the chance of his
wife's moving elsewhere, which she
did, unobtrusively carrying Captain
Voucher with her In a sudden zeal for
billiard practice on rainy mornings
now too frequent along the coast.
Mortimer possessed that mysterious
talent, so common among the financial
ly insolvent, for living lavishly on an
invisible income, but, plan as he would,
he had never been able to increase that
income through confidential gossip
with men like Quarter or Belwether
or even FerraH. What information his
pretty wife might have extracted he
did not know. Her income had never
visibly increased above the vanishing
point although, like himself, she de-
MED herself nothing. One short lively
interview with her had been enough to
drive all partnership ideas out of his
head.
He was always studying women.
Years before. Grace Ferrall had snap
ped her slim fingers in his face, and
here at Shotover the field was limited.
Mrs. Vendennlng had left Agatha
Caithness was still pale and reticent
puzzle. Rena, Kathryn and Eileen
tormented him. Marion Page coolly
an fat yawned I'm his face. There re
NAMED Sylvia. who, knowing nothing
about his species, met him halfway
with the sweet and sensitive Difference
due a somewhat battered and intirm
gentleman of forty-eight, until sleek
aside from Major Belwether spoiled
everything. as usual, for her, leaving
her painfully conscious and perpleXed
between doubt and disgust
Meanwhile the wealthy master Of
Blacks FEELS. Beverly Plank, had found
encouragement enough at Shotover to
venture on tentative informality. There
was no doubt that ultimately he must
be counted on in New York. but no
body except him was impatiently cor
dial for the event and So at the little
house party he slipped and slid from
every attempt at closer quarters until
rolling smoothly enough. he lanued
without much discomfort somewhere
between Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Nor
timer And it was not question as
to (which would he good to him. OBJ
served Major Belwether, with his mis-
leading and benevolent mirth. ut was
which would be coolest CuickeSt!'
And Mrs. Mortimer. abandoning Cap
tain Voucher 10y the same token. dis
played certain warning notices per
fectly comprehensive to her husband,
and at first he was inclined to recog
nlze defeat
But the general unsuccess which had
SO faithfully attended him recently
had aroused the long dormant desire
for a general review of the situation
with his wife-perhaps even the fur
tive hope OF some conjugal arrange
nent tending toward an exchange OF
views concerning possible alliance.
The evening previous, to his intense
disgust, host, hostess and guests had
retired early in view Of the point
shooting at dawn, for not only was
there to he no point shooting for him,
but he had risen from the card table
heavily hit, and, besides, for the first
time his apples and port had disagreed
with him.
AS he had not risen until midday, be
was not sleepy. Books were an aver
Jion equaled only by distaste for his
own company. Irritated, bored, he
had perfOrce sulkily entered the ele-
Vator and passed to his room. where