Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-29

credulous suspicion, Of certainty. and
Mortimer pounced playfully upon him
like a tiger-a big, fat. friendly, jocose
tiger:
plank. is that what you're up to-"
up to. Why, l never thought Of
such a."
"Haw. hawr' roared Mortimer. eff
you could only see your facet
And Beverly Plank, red as beet,
omfortably suffused with reinsurance
under the reaction from his scare. at
tempted to refute the others conclu-
slons: ut doesn't mean anything, Nor
timer She's Just the handsomest girl
l ever saw ! know she's engaged.
only admired her lot"
you're not the only man." said Nor
timer blandly. still striving to recon-
Gle his preconceived theories with the
awk ward half confession of this great,
red listed, hulking horseman riding at
his stirrup.
II wouldn't have her dream" STAN
mered Plank, that had ever thought
Of such a.
why not? 1t would only fatter
her.
PLATTER woman who is engaged to
marry another man" gasped Plank.
Certainly. DO you think any wom-
| an ever had enough admiration In this
world?' asked Mortimer coolly. and
as for Sylvia Lands. she'd be tickled
to death II anybody limited that you
had ever admired her"
Good Lord" exclaimed Plank.
alarmed. You wouldn't make joke
Of 1t! You wouldn't be careless abou
such a thing. And there's Quarter!
I'm not on joking terms with him. I'm
on most formal terms"
"Quarrler.." sneered the other, flick
ing at his stirrup with his crop. He's
on formal terms with everybody, In
GLIDING himself. He never laughed on
purpose in his life; once month only,
| to keep his mouth In; that's his limit.
Do you suppose any woman would
stand for him If better man looked
sideways at herr And, reversing his
riding crop, he deliberately poked Mr..
| Plank in the ribs.
| IA better manv' muttered Plank,
scarce crediting his ears.
| Certainly. A man who can make
good. is good. but man who can
make better is 1t with the ladies-God
bless 'emw he added, displaying q
heavy set of teeth.
Beverly Plank knew perfectly well
| that in the comparison SO delicately
suggested by Mortimer his material
equipment could be scarcely compared
| to the immense fortune controlled by
Howard Quarrier. and as he thought
| 1t his reflections were put into words
| by Mortimer, airily enough.
Nobody stands chance In show
down with Quarter. But
Plank gaped until the tension be.
came unbearable.
| "But-what?" he blurted out
plank" said Mortimer solemnly,
and his voice vibrated with feeling
"let me do a little thinking before
ask you "a vital question"
But Plank had become agitated
again, and he said something so blunt
| ly that Mortimer wheeled on him
! glowering:
Look here, Plank; you don't suppose
I'm capable Of repeating a confidence
do you-if you choose to make me un
derstand it's confidence?"
| ut isn't confidence; 1t isn't any
thing. l mean it is confidential, Of
course. All there's in 1t is what
said. or, rather, what you took me
up on so fast" ended Plank, abashed
about your being in love with
Syr'-
"Confound it," reared Plank, Grim
son to his hair. And he set his heavy
| spurs to his mount and plunged for
ward III a storm Of dust. Mortimer
! followed. silent. profoundly Immersed
In his own thoughts and deductions.
Ito Be Continued.)