The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-15

You've got me out Of sticky messes
before. sh? Well. we've weathered a
few, haven't weT
Even the horrible parody on welded
loyalty left her silent unisoyed. dark
eyes brooding, and he began to grow
a little restless and anxious as his
popularity increased without move
ment In either response or aversion
from his wife.
"You needn't be scared II I'm not"
be said reproachfully. THE house Is
worth two hundred and fifty thousand
and there's only fifty on 1t now. II
that fat Dutch skinfint, Plank, shows
his tusks we can clap on another fifty"
And as she made no sound or move
ment In reply: "As far as Plank goes,
haven't | done enough for him to
square It? What have we ever got
out OF him except thousand or two
now and then when the cards went
against me? II took 1t, 1t was prac-
tically what he owes me. And II he
thinks It's too much-look here. Leila,
I've trick up my sleeve. can make
good any time | wish to. I'm In a
position to marry that man to the girl
he's mad about-stark, raving mad"
Mrs. Mortimer slowly raised her
head and looked at her husband.
LEROY, are you madY'
II! Not much" lie exclaimed giee-
fully. II can make him the husband
OF the most run after girl in New
Yorf-if l want to. And at the same
time can puncture the most arrogant,
the most cold blooded. selfish, purse
proud, inflated nincompoop that ever
sat at the head Of a directors table.
Ohio! Now you're staring Leila.
can do it. l can make good What
are you worrying about? Why, I've
got a hundred ways to square that
check, and each separate way is a
winner"
He rose, shook out the creases In his
trousers and adjusted the squat gold
fob which ornamented his protruding
waistcoat
$50 you'll fix 1t, won't you, Leila %
he said. apparently oblivious that he
had expressed himself as able to adj
1ust the matter in a hundred equally
edifying and satisfactory manners.
She did not answer. He fingered q
moment at the door looki Jack with
an tngratiating leer but she paid him
no attention and he took himself off.
confident that her sulkiness could not
result In anything unpleasant to any
body except herself.
Nor did it. as far as he could see.
The days brought no noticeable change
In his wife's demeanor toward him.
Plank. when he met him, was civil
enough, though 1t did occur to Morti-
mer that he saw very little of Plank
In these days.
"Ungrateful beggar," he thought bit
terly. Ties toadying to Belwethe1
now. l can't do anything more for
him. SO l don't interest him.
And for awhile he wore either a
truculent aggrieved air in Plank's
presence or the meeker demeanor Of a
martyr, sentimentally misunderstood,
but patient under the affliction.
Then there came a time when he
needed money. During; the few days
he spent circling tentatively and ap-
prehensively around his wife he learn
ed enough to know that there was
money to be had from her at present.
No doubt the money she raised to pla-
cate Plank-tf she had placated him in
that fashion-was a strain on her re-
sources, whatever those resources
were
not remained very long In ignorance
Of the check drawn against his bal
ance, II indeed, as Mortimer feared,
the bank itself had not communicated
with Plank as soon as the check was
presented for payment Therefore
Plank must have been placated by
Leila-how. Mortimer was satisfied not
to know.
"Some Of these days." he said to
himself. "I'll catch her tripping, and
then there'll be a decent division of
property or there'll be divorce"
But, as usual. Mortimer found such
practices more attractive In theory
than IN execution, and he was really
quite contented to go on as things
were going, ii somebody would see
that he had some money occasionally
One Of these occasions when he need
ed 1t was approaching. He had made
killing at Desnond's and had used
the money to stop up the more threat
ening gaps in the lettering financial
fabric known as his personal &c.
counts The fabric would hold for
awhile. but meantime he needed mon
ey to go on with. And Leila evidently
had none. He tried everybody except
Plank. He had scarcely the impu-
dence to 60 to Plank just yet, but
when completing the vicious circle be
found his borrowing capacity exhaust
ed and himself once more face to face
with the only hope, Plank. be sat
down to consider seriously the posi-
bility OF the matter
OF course Plank owed him more than
"a Nesytd -