The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-11-26

the sudden care free laughter or the
young natron, though In these days
her laughter was infrequent enough 10
set the more merciless tongues wag-
ging when 1t did sound.
Plank had never seen At to speak to
her of her husbands scarcely yelled
menace that day he had encountered
him in the rotunda Of the Algonquin
Trust company. His first thought was
to do SOTO talk 1t over with her, con-
slider the threat and the possibility Of
its seriousness, and then come to some
logical and definite decision us to what
their future relations should be. Again
and again he had been on the point Of
doing this when alone with Leila-un-
comfortable, even apprehensive, be-
cause Of their frank intimacy. But he
had never had the opportunity to do so
without deliberately dragging In the
subject by the ears In all its ugliness
and implied reproach for her impru-
dence and seeing that dreadful. va
cant change in Leila's face which the !
mere mention of her husbands name |
was sure to bring turn Into horror un-
speakable.
A man not prone to fear his fellows,
he now feared Mortimer, but that fear
struck him only through Leila or had
SO reached him until the days Of his
closing struggle with Quarter. That
| threat ~of Mortimer's to involve Plank
with Leila in one common ruin, that
bonst that he was able to do SO could
not be ignored as possible weapon II
Quarter should by any chance learn of
it.
In all his life he had taken Leila
into his arms but once, had kissed her
but once. But that once had been
enough to arm Mortimer with danger
from head to foot. Some prying serv-
ant had either listened or seen-per-
haps a glimmcr of q mirror had be-
trayed them. At all events whoever
had seen or heard had Informed Nor
timer, and now the man was equipped,
the one and only man in all the world
who could with truth accuse Plank,
the only man Of whom he stood IN
honest fear
And 1t was characteristic Of Plank
that never for one moment had 1t oc-
Cured to him that the sheer fault Of
1t all lay with Leila; that 1t was her
imprudence alone that now threatened
. herself and the man she loved-that
threatened his very success In life as
long as Mortimer should live.
All this Plank, in his thorough, pains
taking review Of the subject, had TAX
? en- into account, and he could not see
! how 1t could possibly bear upon the
matters now finally to be adjusted be-
tween Quarter and himself, because
Quarter was In New York and Nor
timer In Saratoga, and unless the lat
D ter had already sold his information
! the former could not strike at him
b through knowledge Of it.
And yet curious reluctancy, hest
0 tation Observation-Disclosures overwOrl
explained it-had come over him wher
: Siward had proposed their dining to
gether on the very eye of his complet
ed victory over Quarter.
1t seemed absurd, and Plank wa'
: too stolid to entertain superstitions
but he could not, even with Leil'
laughing there beside him, shake OF
. that Quarters attitude was still tn
T. attitude Of dangerous man; that b
; plank should have had this evening
In his room alone to study out tn
~ matters he had SO patiently plodde
s. through In the long hours while 81
= ward slept.
l. Yet not for one instant did he drear
e Of shifting the responsibility Re
3 sponsibility entailed blame-on Siwart
who, against Planks judgment an
9. desire, had on the very eve of col
le summation drawn him away from tina
" sleepless vigilance which must foreve
III be the price Of business mans safet!
Leila, gay and excited as a schoo
Ct girl, chartered on ceaselessly to Planl
all the silence, all the secrecy of tn
+, arid years turning to laughter on be
~ red lips, pouring out in broken phrase
20 of delight, words strung together Il
y the sheer pleasure Of speech and til
- happiness Of her lot to be with hi
q unrestrained
And would you believe 1t, Beve
: ly," she said, II formed the habit {
Shotover OF walking across the boun'
airy and strolling into your greenhouse
y and deliberately helping myself. An
Us every time did 1t was certain OF
60 Of your men would march me out"
~ He laughed, but did not tell her th'
10 his men had reported the first episot
10 and that lie had instructed them thu
+. Mrs. Mortimer and her friends wei
81 to do exactly as they pleased at II
op Fells. However, she knew 1t, becau
]! garrulous gardener, proud OF b
OF service with Plank, had Informed he
Beverly" she said. you are dea
ey II people only knew what known
h He began to turn red. She cou
as see 1t even in the pickering lamp 81
ey darkness. And she teased him I
OF awhile, very gently, even tenderly. al
er' their voices grew lower In half se
GUS badinage that ended with quiz