Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-20

rom me tnlS mornlnS!
 Yes"
 "Please disregard it."
 If you wish"
 T do. It is not worth while" And as Plank made no comment. "I have
 no further interest in the matter. Dc you underestimate"
 "No." ssid Plank doggedly.
 "I have nothing more to say. l am
 sorry. We dine at S." concluded Syl via hurricdly
 Plank Eung up the receiver and sal eying it :or awhile in silence Then
 his jaw began to harden and his under lip protrUded and he folded his great hands. resting them in front of him on the edge of the desk. breeding there with eyes narrowing like a sleepy giant at prayer.
 When Leila entered in bar evening wraps she found him there, so i'm, mersed in reverie that he failed to the doorway, smiling to herself. think. ing how pleasant it was to come down ready for the evening and find him there, as though he belonged where he sat and was part of the familiar environment
 Recently she had grown younger in a smooth skinned. full Tipped way-so much younger that it was spoken of.
 Ivy hn
 Plank stood up, dazed from his rev erie, and walked toward her. His white tie had become disarranged. She raised her hands. halting him, and pulled it into shape for him. conscious ly innocent of the intimacy.
 Thank you,' he said. Do you know how pretty you are this even. ing?"
 'Yes. I was very happy at my mir TOT Do you know. the withered years seem to be dropping from me like leaves from an autumn sapling And l feel young enough to say so poetic ally. Did Sylvia try to fiirt with you over the wire?'
 Yes, as usual" he said drily, de- scending the stairs beside her.
 And really you don't love her any more?" she queried.
 Scarcely" His voice was low and rather disagreeable, and she looked up.
 Il wish l knew what you and Sylvia find to talk about so frequently, if you're not in love"
 But he made no answer, and they drove away to the Belwether house. a rather wide, old style mansion of brown stone. with stoop dividing its ugly facade. and a series of unneces- sary glass doors blockading the vesti- bule.
 A drawing room and a reception room fanked the marble tiled hall. Behind these the dining room ran the width of the rear.
 There were half dozen people there lounging informally between the living room on the second floor and Sylvia's apartments in the rear-the residue from luncheon and bridge party giv- en that afternoon by Sylvia to g score or so of card-mad women. A few of these she had asked to remain for an informal dinner and desperate game later-the sort of people she knew we'll enough to lose to heavily or win from without remorse-Grace Ferrall. Ma rion Page. Agatha Caithness. Trusting to the telephone that morning. she had secured the Mortimers and Quarrier. failing three men. and now the party. with Plank as Mortimer's substitute. was complete. all thorough gamesters sex matterins pothing in the prepa- -ation.
 In Sylvia's Goudolr Grace FerraIl md Agatha Calthness sat before the ire; Sylvia. at the mirror of her dress r. was correcting the paIlor incident O the unbroken dissipation of a bril- iant season; Marion. with her inevita- 'le cigarette. wandered betweeD Syl- jas quarters and the library. where lusrrier and Major Belwether were fitting in low voiced confab.
 Leila. greeted gayly from the hon. ioir. went in. Plank entered the libra Y vas mauled eTusively by the ma or. returned Quarters erm hand hake and sat down with al ilquIring mile. 'Oh, yes. we're out for blood to- light. filtered Major Belwether. 1 Quarrier's arm humorOusly . nd shaking it to emphasize his words l a habit that Quarrier thoroughly dis ! iked- Sylvia had a lot of women iere playing for the season score. SD suggested she keep the pick of them or dinner and call in a few choice mes 10 make a night Of It."
 Its agreeable tO me" said Plank. till looking at Quarrler with the same 1quiring expression. which that gen .eman presently chose to understand. T haven't had a chance tO look into hat natter he said careIessly. Some ay when you have time to go over t-
 T have time now said Plank There's nothing 10 go over. There's Do eason for any secrecy All wrote ou was that proposed to control the -ock of Amalgamated Electric and hat ! wished your advice in the mat sr-
 T could not give you any sdvice 1hsad on such an extraordinary sug- ssti0n.- returned Quarrier coIdIy. If Ou know where the stock Is yoa'E 
 Do yOu mean what It Is qCoted at ' who owns itZ" interrupted Plank Who owns l. ErerYbOdy knows -here it has d-Oppel to. suppose lost people know. too. where t iS eld-~
 ~Y@. I do-