Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-05-09

across country and found a farmer to
drive him twenty miles over a sandy
road to local railroad crossing, where
he managed to board train for AL
bany.
at Albany as he stood painting and
sweating on the long concrete platform
which paralleled track No. l he saw
a private car, switched from Boston
and Albany train, shunted to the rear
of the Merchants express.
The private car was lettered in gold
on the central panel, algonquin" He
boarded the Pullman coupled to it for
ward, pushed through the vestibule,
showed aside the Japanese steward and
darky cook, forcing his way straight
into the private car. Quarter, read
ing a magazine, looked up in astonish-
ment. For a full moment neither
spoke. Then Mortimer dropped his
suit case, sat down in an armchair op.
posite Quarter and leisurely mopped
his reeking face and neck.
'Scotch and lithiar' he said hoarse-
~. The Japanese steward looked at
Quarter, then, at that gentleman's al
most imperceptible nod, went away to
execute the commission.
He executed a 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, puffy
fingers as he leaned Closer saying with
cold precision and emotionless empha-
sis something that appeared to require
the full concentration of Mortimer's
half drugged faculties.
And when at length Mortimer drove
away in a hanson Quarters Japanese
steward went with him-perhaps to
carry his suit case-a courtesy that
did credit to Quarters innate thought
fulness and consideration for others.
He was very considerable. He even
called Agatha up on the telephone and
talked with her for ten minutes. Then
he telephoned to Plank's Office, learned
that Harrington was already there,
telephoned the garage for car which
he always kept ready in town and
ference on which the last few hours
had put an entirely new aspect.
1t had taken Plank only a few min
utes to perceive that something had &C.
Cured to change point of view which
he had believed it impossible for Quar-
rier to change Something had gone
wrong in his own careful calculations
some cog had slipped, some rivet Civ
en- way. some bed plate cracked. And
Harrington evidently had not been
aware of it, but Quarter knew it.
There was something wrong.
1t was too late now to go tinkering
in the dark for trouble. Plank under
stood that. Coolly, as though utterly
unaware that the machinery might not
stand the strain, he started it full
speed. And when he stopped it at last
Harrington's grist had been ground to
atoms and Quarter had looked on
without comment. There seemed to be
little more for them to do except to
pay the miller.
to go. 1t was on the edge Of Plank's
lips to say Today" but he was silent,
knowing that Harrington would speak
for him. And the old man did, with
out words, turning his iron visage on
Quarter with the silent dignity Of
despair. But Quarter coldly demand
ed a day before they reckoned with
Plank. And Plank, profoundly dis
turbed, shrugged his massive shoulders
In contemptuOus assent.
So Quarter and Harrington went
away, the younger partner taking
leave of the older with sneer for an
outwOrn prop which no man could
ever again have use for. Old and
beaten, that was all Harrington now
stood for in Quarters eyes. The least
of his victims might now finish him
with a club where he swayed In his
loosened saddle or leave him to that
horseman on the pale horse watching
him yonder on the horizon.
For now, whether Harrington lived
or died, he must be counted as nothing
in this new struggle darkly outlining
its initial strategy in Quarters brain.
What was coming was coming be-
tween himself and Plank alone. The
result must be attained swiftly, with
secrecy and with the aid of no man.
For he did not count Mortimer a man.
At the door of Major Belwether's
house Sylvia's maid received Quarter
smilingly, saying that her mistress was
not at home, but that Mrs. Mortimer
was-which saved Quarter the neces-
sity of asking for a private conference
with Leila, which was exactly what
he had come for. But her first un-
guarded words on receiving him as he
rose at her entrance into the darkened
drawing room changed that plan, too
changed it all SO utterly and so much
for the better that he almost smiled to
think of the crudity of human combi-
nations and inventions as compared to
the mastery Vaccinations of fate
Leila said, laughingly: ooh, you are
too late, Howard. We are dining with
Mr.. Plank at Riverside inn. What in
the world are you doing in town so
Suddenly?"