Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-07-03

10 NO.lQ anu uio Si'J H"N -
~ most ceased to think of ST.
ward. But there were two
a L people who had not forgotten
him-Howard Quarter and Beverly
Plank-and one other, third, who
could not yet forget him If she would.
but as yet she had not tried very des-
perately.
The day that Siward left New York
to visit everybody's friend, Mr.. Null
queen, in the country, Plank called on
him for the second time in his life and
was presently received in the south
drawing room, the library being linn
tied to an informally and intimacy
not for Mr.. Plank.
Siward, still lame and using unSkill-
fully two shiny new crutches, came
down the stairs and stumped into the
drawing room, which, in spite of the
somber. clustering curtains, was bright
ly Illuminated by the winter sunshine
reflected from the snow in the street.
Plank was shocked at the change in
him-at the ghost Of voice, listleSsly
formal at the thin, nerveless hand Of
fered; startled so that he forgot his
shyness and retained the bony hand
tightly in his and instinctively laid his
other great cushionlike paw over 1t,
holding it imprisoned, unable to speak.
unconscious, in the impulse Of the
moment, of the liberty he permitted
himself and which he had never dream
ed of taking with such a man as 81
ward.
The effect on Siward was composite
his tired voice ceased; surprise, in
ability to understand, tinged with in
stinctive displeasure, were succeeded
by humorous curiosity, and very SLOW
ly it became plain to him that this
beefy young man liked him, was naive
~ concerned about him, felt friendly
toward him and was showing it as
spontaneously as child.
II thought I'd come" began Plank.
growing redder and redder as he be-
gan to realize the enormity of familiar
ity committed only on the warrant Of
impulse. "You don't look WELL"
1T was good of you to think Of me"
said Siward. Come up to the library
If you've a few minutes to spare an
invalid. Please go first I'm trif1e
lame yet"
81 am sorry" muttered Plank;
Every, very sorry"
At first, in the library, Plank was
awkward and silent, finding nothing to
say and nowhere to dispose of his
hands until Siward gave him cigar
to occupy his fingers.
Siward rang for tea, although the
hour was early. After a little while
either the toast or the tea appeared to
act on Plank as lingual laxative, for
he began suddenly to talk, which is
Characteristic Of bashful men, and 81
ward gravely helped him on when he
f1oundered and turned shy. After
little matters went very well with
them, and Plank, much more at ease
than be had ever dared to hope he
could be with Siward. talked and talk
ed, and Siward, his crutches across his
knees, lay back in his armchair, chat
ting with that winning inf0rmality so
becoming to men who are unconscious
Of their charm.
Watching Plank, it occurred to him
gradually that this great, cumbersome
creature was not shrewd, thrifty.
self made and self finished adult at
all-only big, wistful, lonely boy
without comrades and with nowhere
to play.
Plank spoke Of himself after awhile,
the personal note with tenta-
tive timidity. Siward gravely encour'
aged him, and in little while the out
lines of his crude autobiography ap-
peared, embodying his eventless boy
hood In a Pennsylvania town, his ca
reer at the high school, the dawning
desire for college equipment. satisfied
by his father, who owned shares In
the promising Deepvale Steel Plank
the unhappy years at Har-
years, for he learned with
difficulty; solitary years, for he was
not sought by those whom he desired
to know. Then he ventured to speak
of his fathers growing interest in
steel, the merging and absorbing of
Independent plants, his own entry up
on the scene on the death Of his ia
Their, and-the rest-material fortune
and prosperity, which perhaps might
stand substitute as social sponsor
for him; stand perhaps for something
of what he lacked in himself, which