Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-03
lCHApTERl
! SEVEN
(Continued.)

1t. Quarter, passing Tue coffldoi,
turned an expressionless visage toward
him and passed on, with u nod almost
imperceptlDe.
"Quarrier." he called, swept by a
sudden impulse.
Quarter halted and turned.
Gould you give me moment here
In my room? won't detain YOU
The faint trace of surprise faded
from Quarters face. He quietly re-
traced his steps and entering Siwards
room, stood silently confronting Its
pallid tenant.
will YOU sit down moment?"
Quarter seated himself In the arm
chair by the window, and Siward
found chair opposite.
"Quarrier," said the younger man
turning q tensely miserable face on his
visitor, 81 want to ask you something
I'll not mince matters You know that
the PATRONS have dropped me, and
you know what for"
Eyes, know
when l was called before the board
of governors to explain the matter. If
j could, you were sitting on that
board"
Yes
81 denied the charge. but refused to
explain. You remember?'
Quarter nodded coldly.
And l was dropped by the club!'
A slight inclination Of Quarters
symmetrical head corroborated him.
Now" said Siward, slowly and very
distinctly. Il shall tell you unofficially
what refused to tell the other govern
ors officially" And as he began speak
ing Quarters face flushed, then the
Textures became immoblle, set and In
ert and his eyes grew duller and duller,
as though under smooth surface the
soul inside of him was shrinking back
into some dark corner, silent, watch
full, suspicious and perhaps defiant.
"Mr. Quarter" said Siward quietly
81 did not take that girl to the Pa
troons club, and you know it."
Quarter was all surface now. He
had drawn away internally so far that
even his eyes seemed to reeede until
they scarcely glimmered through the
Sits in his colorless mask. And 81
ward went on:
81 knew perfectly we'll what sort OF
women l was to meet at that fool sup
per Billy Fleetwood gave, and yor
must have. too, for the girl you took In
c,tr 70 IIar Is
Lydia Vyse. I believe"
The slightest possible glimmer In the
elder mans eyes was all the answer nc
granted.
What happened" said Siward calm
ly. was this: She bet me she could
so disguise herself that l could safely
take her into any club In New York.
bet her she couldn't. l never dreamed
of trying. Besides, she was your-dln
ner partner" he added. with shrug.
"Quarrier," said Siward earnestly
"what happened in the club lobby
don't exactly know, because was no
in a condition to know. | admit 1T
that Apas the trouble with me. Whe1
| left Fleetwoods rooms l left WITT
a half dozen men. remember cross
ing Fifth avenue with them, and thu
next thing | remember distinctly wa:
loud talking in the club lobby and
number of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat in thu
center of crowd whose face was the
face of that girl Lydia Nyse. Ant
that is absolutely all. But couldn'
do more than deny that l took be-
there unless | told what 1 knew, ant
of course that was not possible, ever
in self defense. But 1T was for YOU
to admit that was right, and you die
not. You dared not. You let anothe
man blunder into your private affairs
and fall victim to circumstant1al evi
dence which you could have refuted
and it was up to you to say something
And you did not! And now what ar
you going to do? The Lenox club ha
taken this thing up. man can
stand too much Of that sort of thing
What am l to do? l can't defend my
self by betraying my accidental knowl
edge of your petty private affairs. -
l leave it to you. ask you what ar
you going to do"
DO you mean"-Quarrier's voic'
was not his own, and he brought i
harshly under command-"do yo'
mean that you think it necessary TO
me to say | knew her? What objec
would be attained by that? did no
+ol,o bor IN tho patrOOnS"
"Nor did l. Ask her how she so
there. Learn the truth from hel
man."
"What proof is there that ever me
her before | took her into supper a
Fleetwood's"
"Proof! Are you mad? All l ask o
YOU is to say to the governors what
cannot say without using your name
You wish me-" asked Quarter icily
"to deny that you made that wager
can do that"
| "You can't do it! 1 did make tina
/ bet
| "Oh, Then what is it you wish m
| to say:''
Tell them the truth. Tell them yo1
| know I did not take her to the club
You need not tell them why you know
+, it. You need not tell them how muc]
you know about her, whose broughan
| she drove home in l can't defend my
self at your expense-intrench mysel
behind your dirty. little ronaa nce.-- VIVA