Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-08-28

M si'ARHaR|8
YF mans grief does not awaken his
dignity, then he has none. In that
| event grief is not even respecta.
4 Bile. And so 1t was with Leroy
Mortimer when Lydia at last turned
on him. II you caress an Angora too
long and too persistently 1t runs away.
And before 1t goes it scratches.
Lydia Vyse left Saratoga when the
financial stringency began to make it
unpleasant for her to remain. She
told Mortimer without the slightest
conjunction that she was going.
He did not believe her, and he gave
her the new big yellow and black car.
She sold it the same day to book
maker, an old friend of hers; with
drew several jewels from limb0-gems
which Mortimer had given her-and
gathered together everything for which
If he turned ugly she might not be
criminally liable.
She had never liked him. She had
long disliked him. So she wrote note
to the governors of the PATRONS club
saying that both Quarter and M0rti-
mer were aware that the guilt Of her
escapade could not be attached to ST.
ward; that she knew nothing Of ST.
ward, had accepted his wager without
meaning to attempt to win 1t, had new
er again seen him and had on the i'm
pulse of the moment made her entry
in the wake of several men. She add
ed that when Quarter, as governor.
had concurred in Siward's expulsion he
knew perfectly well that Siward was
not guilty, because she herself had so
Informed Quarter. Since then she had
also told Mortimer, but he had taken
no steps to do justice to Siward, al
though he (Mortimer) was still a gov
ernor of the PATRONS club.
This being about all she could think
of to make mischief for two men whose
recent companionship had nourisbed
and irritated her, she shipped her
trunks by express. packed her jewel
case and valise and met Desmond at
the station.
Desmond had business In Europe.
Lydia had as much business there as
anywhere and, although she had been
faithless to Mortimer for compare
lively short time, within that time
Desmond already had sworn at her
and struck her. So she was quite
ready to follow Desmond anywhere In
this world or the next. And that, too
had not made her the more considerate
toward Mortimer.
When the latter returned from the
races to find her gone the last riddled
props to what passed for his man
hood gave way, and the rotten fabric
came crashing into the mud.
Creditors with sharp noses scented
the whirlwind afar off and hemmed
him In with unsettled accounts, mostly
hers. Somebody placed lien OH his
horses, deputy sheriff began to fol-
low him about, all credit ceased as by
magic, and men crossed the street to
avoid meeting with an old companion
In direst need.
Still, alternately stupe6ed by his own
grief and maddened into the necessity
for action, he packed suit case,
crawled out of the rear door. toiled
across country and found farmer to
drive him twenty miles over q sandy
road to a local railroad crossing, where
he managed to board train for AL
bany. AZ
At Albany as he stood painting az
sweating on the long concrete platter
which paralleled track No. he sa
a private car, switched from BosiJ
and Albany train, shunted to the redf
of the Merchants express.
The private car was lettered In gold
on the central panel, algonquin" He
boarded the Pullman coupled to 1t for
ward, pushed through the yestibule,
showed aside the Japanese steward and
darby cook, forcing bis way straight
into the private car. Quarter, read
ing magazine, looked up in astonish-
ment. For full moment neither
spoke. Then Mortimer dropped his
suit case. sat down in an armchair OPP
.posite Quarter and leisurely mopped
his reeking face and. neck.
Scotch and lithiaw he said hoarse
iy. The japanese steward looked at
Quarter then, at that gentleman's al
most imperceptibie nod, went away to
execute the commission.
He executed great many similar
commissions during the trip to New
York. When they arrived there at 5
O'clock Quarter offered Mortimer his
hand and held the trembling. putty
fingers as. he leaned closer. saying with
cold precision and emotionless empha'
sis something that appeared to require
the full concentration of Mortimers
half dfpgEed faculties
z. - ITO BE coNTIsUED.I q.