Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-09-04

"A man dislike" he rejOined with
the slightest emphasis.
81 am sorry" she said simply.
$50 am |, Sylvia. And / am going
to ask you to make him an excuse.
Any excuse will do"
Excuse? What do you mean, How
ard?"
II mean that do not care to have
you seen with Mr.. Siward. Have
ever demanded very much Of you. Syl-
via? Very well. I demand this OF
you now"
And still she stood there, her eyes
wide, her color gone, repeating: "Ex-
cuse? What excuse? What do you
mean by excuse Howard!"
81 have told you. You know my
wishes. If he has telephone you can
communicate with him
"And say that THAT you forbid
me-
"If you choose. Yes, say that l OBJ
ject to him. Is there anything extraor-
binary in man Directing to his future
wife dining in the country at COM
mon inn with notorious outcast from
every decent club and circle In New
York;"
"Whatw she whispered, white as
death. "What did you sayT'
"Shall repeat what everybody ex-
cept you seems to be aware Of? Do
you care to have me explain to you
exactly why decent people have ostra-
cized this man with whom you are
proposing to figure in public resort"
He turned to Leila, who stood at the
window, her back turned toward them:
"Mrs. Mortimer. when Mr.. Plank ar
rives you will be kind enough to ex-
plain why Sylvia is unable to accom-.
pany you"
If Leila heard she neither turned
nor made sign Of comprehension.
1--WE will dine at the Santa Regina"
he said to Sylvia. Agatha is there.
and I'll find somebody at the club
to-
"Why bother to find anybody" said
Leila, wheeling on him, exasperated.
"Why not dine there with Agatha
alone? 1t will not be the first time, l
fancy"
"What do you mean?" he said fierce
ly under his breath. The color had
left his face, too, and in his eyes Leila
saw for the first time an expression
that she had never before surprised
in any eyes except her husbands.
"What do | mean?" repeated Leila.
IT mean what l say, and if you don't
understand it you can find the key to
it, l fancy. Nor shall answer to you
for my guests. invite whom choose.
Mr.. Siward is one, Mr.. Plank Is an.
other. Sylvia, if you care to come l
shall be delighted"
81 do care to come" said Sylvia.
Her heart was beating violently; her
eyes were on Quarter.
'If you co." said Quarter. showing
the glimmering edge of teeth under his
beard, "you will answer to me for 1t.
81 will answer you now Howard.
am going with Mrs. Mortimer. What
have you to say"
''Ill say it tomorrow" he replied,
contemplating her In dull, impassive
manner as though absorbed in other
things.
"Say what there is to be said now"
she insisted, the hot color staining her
cheeks again. do you desire me to
free you? Is that all3 will If you
wish"
"No. And I shall not free you. Syl.
via. This-all can be adjusted In
time"
"As you please" she said slowly.
an time" he repeated, his passion
less voice now under perfect control
He turned and looked at Leila. All
the wickedness of his anger was con.
centrated in his gaze. Then he took
his leave of them as formally. as pre-
cisely as though he had forgotten the |
whole scene. and minute later the
big motor car ran out into half cir
Gle, backed wheeled and rolled away |
through the thickening dusk, the glare |!
of the acetylenes sweeping the desert.
ed street.
Into the twilight sped Quarter, head
bent, but his soft, dark dashed eyes OF
a woman fixed steadily ahead. Every |
energy. every thought was now bent
to this newest phase Of the same ques-
ton which he and fate were finding
simpler to solve every minute. OF all
the luxuries he permitted himself open
~ or furtively. one-the rarest OF them |
all - his self denial had practically |
eliminated from the list, the luxury of
furnishing where no end was served !
save that Of mere personal satisfac-
ton. The temptation of this luxury |
now presented itself. and the means
of qualification were so. simple, so Sc
cret, so easy to command, that the |
temptation became almost duty.
Siward he had rot turned out of his
way to iuiure Siward had been In !
the way, that was all, and his ruin
was to have hPpn merely an agreeable |
coincidence with the purposed ruin Of
Amalgamated Electric before Inter-
county absorbed the fragments. But
here was new phase. Mrs. Morti-
mer, whom he had expected to use,
and if necessary sacrifice, had sudden
~ turned vicious. And he now hated
her as coldly as he hated Major Bel
wether for betraying suspicious of
similar nature. AS for Plank. fear
and hatred of him were becoming ha.
tired and contempt He had the means
of checking Plank IL Mortimer did
not drop dead before midnight. There
romainad sylvia Long 400 whafaver