Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-02-14

had stirred him agreeably, leaving q I
slight exhilaration. Even her engage
ment to Quarter added a tinge Of NAL |
Ice TO his interest. Besides, he was |
young enough to feel the f1attery of |
her concern for him.
Perhaps, as like recognizes like, he !
recognized in her the instincts of the |
born drifter momentarily at anchor |
the temporary inertia of the opportu
mist, the latent capacity Of an inform
ed character for all things and any
thing. Add to these her few years
her beauty and the wholesome igno
rance so confidently acknowledged
what man could remain unconcerned,
uninterested, in the development of
such possibilities? Not Siward. anus
ed by her sagacious and impuisive
prudence, worldliness and innocence in
accepting Quarter and touched by her
profitIess, frank and unworldly friend.
liness for himself.
Not that he objected to her marry
ing Quarter. He rather admired her
| for being able to do 1t. considering the
general scramble for Quarter, But
| let that take care of itself Mean
| while their sudden and capricious In
| timacy had aroused him from the NOR
| bid reaction consequent upon the CHEAP.
| notoriety which he had brought upon
/ himself. Let him sponge his slate
clean and begin again better record
J battered by the solicitude she had so
/ PRETTY displayed,
Whistling under his breath tbs same
gay, empty melody, he opened the top
drawer of his dresser, dropped In his
mothers letter and, locking the drawer.
pocketed the key. He would have
time enough to read the letter when
he went to bed. He did not just now
feel exactly like skimmng through the
fond, foolish sermon which he knew
had been preached at him through his
mothers fayorite missionary, Grace
Ferrall. What was the use of drag
ging in the sad old questions again, Of
repeating his assurances of good be-
havior, of reiterating his promises OF
moderation and watchfulness, of ex-
planning his own self confdencef Bet
ter that the letter await his bedtime.
His prayers would be the sincerer the
fresher the impression, for he was old
fashioned enough to say the prayers
that an immature philosophy proved
superfuous, for, he thought, if prayer
is any use 1t takes only few minutes
to be on the safe side.
So he went downstairs leisurely, pre-
: pared to acquiesce in any suggestion
, from anybody, but rather hoping to
saunter across Sylvia Lands path be-
+ fore being committed.
! She was standing beside the fire with
r Quarter, one foot on the fender, ap.
parently too preoccupied to notice him
So he strolled into the gunroom, which
i was blue with tobacco smoke and arc
matte with the volatile odors from de
Q canters.
e There were few women there, ane
u the majority of the men, Lord Alder
D lene, Major Belwether and Mortimer
were at table by themselves. Stacks
8 of ivory chips and five cards spread IL
d the center of the green explained tht
+ nature of their game, and Mortimer
), raising his heavy inf1amed eyes an(
l. seeing Siward unoccupied, said wheel
q ily: "Cut out that widow and Civ,
Siward his stack! Anything abov'
Z two pairs for a jack triples the ante
+? Come on, Siward, there's decen
IT chapr
D So he seated himself for a sacrifice
e to the blind goddess balanced upon he
u winged wheel, and the cards ran higl
so high that sta9ss dwindled or top
pied within the half hour, and MORT
mer grew redder and redder, and Ma
ior Belwether blander and blandel
a. and Alderdene's face wore continue
h nervous smoker, showing every whit
% hounds tooth, and the ice in the Ia
glasses clinled ceaselessly.
d. 1t was late when Quarter 'sat in,
III with an expressionless acknowledl
IL lment of Siward's presence and a
Id emotionless raid upon his neighbor'
IS resources with the first hand dealt,
is which he participated without draw
IS ing card.
H. And always Siward. eyes on b
rt cards, seemed to see Quarter befoI
him, his aforementioned fingers cares
ing his silky beard, the symmetrici
ot pompadour dark and thick as the vii
Is, ter fur on a rat, tufting his smoot
nd blank forehead.
n. 1t was very late when Siward tir
To- began to be aware of his increasir
,le deafness. the difficulty, too, that
do had in making people hear, the ammo
Iat ing contempt in Quarters woma
ar like eyes. He felt that he was ma
up ing fool of himself, very noiseless
NC somehow, but with more racket ths
IN he expected when he misealculated Il
distance between his hand and d
ia canter.
en- It was time for him to go unless
40. chose to ask Quarter for an explain
M ton of that sneer which he found d
ties tasteful But there was too. mu
the noise, too much laughter.
be- Besides, he had a matter to atte1
fiji to-the careful perusal of his mot