Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-06-26

look well, Stephen. You are too much
alone"
Siward did not answer. His face and
body had certainly grown thinner
since Fleetwood had last seen him.
Plank, too had been shocked at the
change in him-the dark, hard lines un-
der the eyes; the pallor. the curious
immobility of the man, save for his
fingers, which were always restless,
now moving in search Of some small
object to worry and turn over and
over, now nervously settling into a
grasp on the arm of his chair.
"How is Amalgamated Electric|'
asked Fleetwood abruptly.
81 think it's all right Want to buy
some?" replied Siward, smiling.
Plank stirred In his chair ponder
ously. Somebody is kicking 1t to
pieces" he said.
Somebody Is trying to-" smiled ST.
ward
Harrington" nodded Fleetwood. ST.
ward nodded back Plank was silent.
"Of course" continued Fleetwood
tentatively, you people need not wor'
ry with Howard Quarter back OF
you"
Nobody said anything for awhile
Presently Siward's restless hands,
moving in search of something, en-.
countered pencil lying on the table
beside him, and he picked 1t up and
began drawing initials and scrolls on
the margin of newspaper, and all the
scrolls framed initials, and all the
initials were the same, twining and
twisting into endless variations of the
letters S. L.
Eyes, must go to the office tomor'
row." he repeated absently 81 am
better-in fact, am quite well except
for this sprain" He looked down at
his bandaged foot; then his pencil NOV
ed listlessly again, continuing the end
less variations on the two letters. It
was plain that he was tired.
Fleetwood rose and made his adieus
almost affectionately Plank moved
forward on tiptoe. bulky and noiseless.
and Siward held out his hand, saying
something amiably formal
would you like to have me come
again." asked Plank. red with embar-
rassment, yet so naiyely that at first
Siward found no words to answer him;
then:
would you care to come, Mr..
Plank"
Eyes"
Siward looked at him curiously, al.
most cautiously. His first impressions
of the man had been summed up In
one contemptuous word. Besides. bar
ring that, what was there in common
between himself and such type as
Plank? He had not even troubled
himself to avoid him at ShotOver. He
had merely been aware of him when
Plank spoke to him.
Perhaps Plank had changed, perhaps
Siuard had, for he found nothing Of
fensive in the bulky young man now
nothing particularly attractive, either,
except for certain simplicity, GER
tain direct candor in the heavy blue
eyes which met his squarely.
Come in for cigar when you have
few moments idle" said Siward
slowly.
st will give me great pleasure"
said Plank, bowling.
And that was ALL He followed Fleet.
wood down the stairs. Wands held
their coats and bowed them out into
the falling shadows Of the winter twi-
light.
Siward, sitting beside his window,
watched them enter their hanson and
drive away up the avenue. A dull
flush had settled over his cheeks, the
aroma of spirits hung In the air, and
he looked across the room at the de-
canter. Presently he drank some OF
his tea, but it was lukewarm, and he
pushed the cup from him.
"Gumble, are you there?' he asked
carelessly.
The butler entered from the hall
way. "Yes, sir"
"You may leave that decanter."
But the old servant may have mis-.
understood, for he only bowed and
ambled off downstairs with the de-
canter, either needless or deaf to his
masters sharp order to return.
Lamplight brought out sharply the
physical change in Siward-the angu-
lar shadows fiat under the cheek bones,
the hard, slightly swollen flesh in the
blush shadows around the eyes. The
mark of the master vice was there
its stamp in the swollen. worn out hol-
lows; its imprint in the fine lines at
the corners of his mouth; its sign
manual in the faintest relaxation OF
the under lip. which had not yet be-
come a lOoseneSS.
For the last Of the Siwards had at
last stepped into the highway which
his doomed forebears had travelled be-
fore him.
"Gumble!" he called irritably.
A quavering voice, an unsteady step,
and the old man entered again. "Mr.
Stephen. sir?'
Bring that decanter back. Didn't
you hear me tell you just nOw%
"Sir?"
didn't you hear mer'
eyes, Mr.. Stephen. sir"
There was a silence.
"Gumblew
"Sir."
"Are you going to bring that de-
canter?"