Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-05-08

ton they talked over Siwani's bush
uesS affairs for the tir>t time. After
that day. and for many days. the sub
jet became III" keynote 10 their inter-
course. and Siward at last understood
that this man desired 10 10 him srrv-
.se absolutely aud purely from a dis
interested Using Tor him and a. au ex-
preston Of that liking; also he was IN
eNpectedly made aware Of PlauS's Sc
reuely uuerring business saGIciry.
As Tor the qaii pro quo. Siward had
Insisted from the tirst on a business
arrangement The trcachery OF Major
Eclwrther through sheer fright had
knocked the keystone from the syndi-
cate. and the dam which made the
golden pool possible collapsed. shower
IN. Plank'S brokers. who worked pa
rieutlv with buckets and moI,>.
The double trelchery OF Quarter
was BOW perfectly apparent tD Plank.
Siward, true Is his word. held his stock
in the face Of ruin Kemp Ferral. fu-
rinUS with the ma jor and beginning 10
suspect Quarter. came TO Plank for
consultation.
Then the defense formed under Plank.
Legal machinery was set in motion.
meeting followed meeting, until HaI-
ringrUn Cynically showed his hand and
Quarter smiled his rare smile. and the
fight against lnterconnty wa5 On in
the open, preceded by u furious ciamoI
Of charge and countercharge in the col
umEs Of the daily press.
That Quarter had been guilty OF
something or other was the vague i'm
preston of that great news reading
public, which. stunned 10y the reitera-
ton ii figures in the millions. turns 10
the simpler pleasures of a murder trial
Besides. whatever Quarter had done
WAS no doubt done within the chalk
marked courts Of the game. though
probably his shoes may have become
a little dusty.
Siward at his dash. the May sun
shine pouring over him, sat coming
the heaps OF typewriter sheets. striv.
iGg TO see between the tines some sign
o. fortune for his investments Cum |
BE Knocked presently. Siward raised |
his perpieXed eyes.
Miss Page. sir"
OH said Aiward doubtfully Then.
Ask Miss Page TO come up"
Marion strOlled in moment later. !
exchanged q vigorous hand shake with |
Siward pulled Up chair anu dropped |
into it. She was in riding habit and |
boots, faultlessly groomed, as usual. |
her smooth pale hair sleek III its thick |
knot collar and tie immaculate as her |
gloves.
Well" she said, amy news of you |
ankle, Stephen
Il inquired about my ankle" said |
Siward, amused, and they tell me it
is letter, thank you"
Sit horse pretty soon?" she asked.
dropping one leg over the other aud
balancing the riding crop across her
knee.
Not for awhile. You have a fine
day for gallop Marion looking |
a>kance at the sunshine nlteriue
through the first green leaves of the
tree outside his window.
Its all right-the day Where are
your cigarettes. Stephen? Oh, | see.
Don't try TO move-dont be silly"
She leaned over the desk, her fresh
young face close 10 his. and reached |
Tor the cigarettes. The clean cut head
the sweetness Of her youth and felni-
ulEity, bOyish in its allure, were very
attractive to him-more so perhaps he
cause Of his isolation from the atlnos
phere of women
Its all very well, Marion. your com.
ing here, and its all very sweet OF
yol, and | enjoy it immensely" he
said, I'm horribly afraid somebody
will talk about you"
What would YOU do them"
IL he asked. disturbed. What
could dog
Why, suppose" she said slowly,
you'd have TO marry me-"
Then he rejoined. with a laugh
Il should think you'd he scared into
prudence by the prospect"
Il am not frightened she said
grayeIy
Gravity fell upon him too. In thi,
young girls eyes there was no eva
sion. For long while be had fel,
vaguely that matters were not perfect
ly balanced between them. At mo
ments even he had felt an indednabIt
in bnp |
uauon troubled him. too. and. though
he had known her from childhood and
had long ago learned TO discount her
vaSaries Of informally, his common
sense could not countenance this def |
ance Of social usage, sure to involve
even such privileged girl as she in
some unpleasantness.
I'D be very glad to marry you-if1
you c-cared to- she said.
Marion
Yes
'Oh-I-it is-of course it's Joke"
NO; Fin serious"
But but you. don't love-can't be
in love with mer' he stammered.
Il am
GIoved hands Tightening on either
end of her riding crop. she bent her
knee against it, balancing there look
Ing straight at him.
II meant to tell you So" she said. ''if
you didn't tell me first. So l was rath-
er tired waiting. So I've told you"
1T is only fancy" he said. scarce
ly knowing what he was saying.
81 don't think so, Stephen"
But he could not meet her candor l