Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
cHApTERB#
SEVEN @1

so they we're making the most OF the
waning week un lawn and marsh, IN
covert aud lliAI. or motoring madly
over the state or riding in parties to
Vermllron Iight. Tennis and lawn
bowls came into fashion. Even water
polo AMI squash ai,ernated ON days 100
raw for u.ole rugged sport.
And during all these days Beverly
Plank appeared With miiaggng per
sistence and assiduity. until his Ia
miliar hig round head ana patient
delft blue. Dutch eyes became Il mat
ter of course at ShotOyer, indoors ana
out
The accomplished establishment OF
Beverly Flank was probably due as
much 10 his own obstinate and good
tempered persistence rs To Mrs. Mortl-
mar. He was Il Harvard graduate
there are all kinds of thcm-enormous-
" wealthy, and. though he had no par
ticular personal tastes to crafty, lie
was willing ana able to gratify the
tastes Of others. lie did whatever
ANYBODY else lid and did ii well
enough to be amusing, and as lack OF
intellectual development never barred
ANYBODY from any section of the fash
ionabe world. it seemed fair to infer
that he vouH land where he wanted
to sooner o. later. .
Meanwhile Mrs. Mortimer led him
about with the confidence that was
t.. 1,n ,4l,D
that in due time he would have house
parties of his own at Black Fells not
the kind he had wisely denied himself
the pleasure Of giving, with such
neighhorS rs the Ierralls to observe,
but the sort he desired. However,
there were many things to lie accom-
plshed for him and by him before he
could EXPECT to use his great yacht
and his estates and his shooting boxes
and the vast granite mansion recently
completed and facing Central park
Just uoY i IF the new palaces built on
the edges of the outer desert where
Fifth avepue friuges the hundreds.
Meanwhile he had become in meas
ure G0maSticaled at Shotovcr, and
ShOtovcr people gradually came to
ride. drive and motor over the Fells,
which was n good beginning. though
not necessarily promise for anything
definite IN he future.
Mortiler riding huge chestnut
he could still wedge himself into a
saddie-had now made it Il regular
practice to affect the iocuIar early
bird squire and drag Plank ont of he'd
Plank's acquaintance among people
who knew Mortimer being limited. he
had no means of determining the lat
ter's social value except through hear
say and Il toadying newspaper or two
Therefore he was not yet aware OF
Mortimrr's perennial need of money
and when Mortimer laughingly allud
ed to his poverty Plank accepted the
proposition IN purely comparat
sense ana laughed, too, his thrifty
Dutch soul untrolhled by miSgiyings.
Meanwhile Mortimer had come
among other things, on information
how much, and precisely OF what ma
turc. he was almost too much ashamed
to admit definitely, even to himself,
There was much about Plank tina
was unaffected, genuine, even simple
in one sense. He cared for people fo
their oNn sakes, and only stubborn ad
herence to Il logged ambition had en-
abled him to dispense With the societ,
of many people he might easily hay,
cultivated and liked-people nearer hi
own sort, and that, perhaps, was tn
reason he so readily liked Mortimer
whose coarse fiber soon wore through
the polish when rubbed against by
closer, finer fiber. And Plank like
him aside from gratitude, and they go
on famously on the basis of such mu
tual recognition. Then, one day, yer
suddenly, Mortimer stumbled on some
thing valuable-a thread. II mere clew
so astonishing that for an instant 1t al
solutely upset all his unadmitted the
cries and calculations
1t was nOthing-a vague word or tw
"a forced laugh-and the scared S
lence of this man Plank, who had blur
dered on the verge Of a confidence t
man he liked.
moment of amaZement, or half II
credulous suspicion, of certainty. an
Mortimer pounced playfully upon hl
like tiger-a big, fat, friendly, jocos
tiger:
"Plank, is that what you're mp to-"
up to! Why, | never thought Q
such a.
"Haw. haw" roared Mortimer. al
you could only see your facet
And Beverly Plank. red as bee
comfortably suifused with reassuranc
under the reaction from his scare, a
tempted to refute the others conclt
sions at doesn't mean anything. Mo
timer. She's just the handsomest ri
ever saw. know she's engaged.
only admired her lot"
You're not the only man." said Mo
timer bandly, still striving to recon
Gle his Dreconceived theories with I'll
awkward half confession of this grea
red fsted, huIking horseman riding
his stirrup.
Il wouldn't have her DREAM stan
mercd Flank, that had ever though
Of such a.
"Why not? 1t would only aatt'
her.
"Flatter a woman who is engaged
marry another man, gasped Plank.
certainly. Do you think any Won
an ever had enough admiration IN til
world?" asked Mortimer cooly. IAN
as for Sylvia Lands, she'd be tickle
to death If anybody limited that yc
had ever admired her"
Good Lord!' exclaimed Planl
alarmed. You wouldn't make ioli
of it! You wouldn't be careless abo'
such Il thing! And there's Quarter