Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-07-17

.Ln,,,l, ~ III e " = u III
~ thing" he re-
fIected at last. hating before another
letter box. And as he stood there hes
Itating. he glanced up and saw Quar-
rier entering the Lenox club The
next moment he flung up the metal
box lid. dropped in his letter and fol
lowed Quarter into the club.
Then events tumbled forward al
most without a push from him. Quar-
rler was alone in window corner,
drinkina yichy and milk and glancing
over the afternoon papers. He saw
Mortimer ana invited him to join him.
and Mortimer, being thirsty, took
champagne.
"I've been trying a new COACH" said
Quarter in his colorless and rather
agreeable voice, and he went on lei
surely explaining the points OF the new
mail coach which had been built IN
Paris after plans of his own, while
Mortimer gulped glass after glass OF
chilled wine, which seemed only TO
make him thirstier Meantime he lis
tened. ~really interested, except that
his fleshy head was too full OF alcohol
and his own project to contain addi-
tional statistics concerning coaching
Besides, Quarter. who had never been
oyercordial to him. was more so now
enough for Mortimer TO venture on
few tentative suggestions of a finan-
cial nature. and though, as usual,
Quarter was not responsive, he did
not, as usual, get up and go away.
A vague hope stirred Mortimer that
1t might not be beyond his persuasive
tongue to make this chilly, retieent
young man into friend some day-a
helpful friend. Once or twice he
thought Quarter looked at him rather
strangely, but he would show Quar-
rler that he was friend-a good,
stanch friend-and that Quarter had
long. long undervalued him. Waves
of sentiment spread through and
through him. His affection for Quar-
rier dampened his eyes, and still he
blabbed on and on, gazing with brim-
ming eyes upon Quarter, who sat
back silent and attentive as Mortimer
circled and Numbered nearer and near
er to the crucial point Of his destination.
Midway In one of his linguistic ell
lipses Quarter leaned forward and
caught his arm in grip OF steel. An
other man had entered the room.
Mortimer, made partly conscious by
the pain of Quarters viselike grip,
was sober enough to recognize the Inn
propriety OF his continuing aloud the
veiled story he had been constructing
with what he supposed to be a cum
ming as matchless as 1t was impenetra-
BILE.
Later he found himself upstairs In a
private cardroom, facing Quarter
across table, and still talking and
quenching bis increasing thirst. He
knew now what he was telling Quar-
rier. He was unwilling the parable.
He was stripping metaphor from a
carefully precise story. He used 81
wards name presently; presently he
used Sylvia's name. A moment later
-or was 1t an hour?-Quarrier stopped
him. coldly. without trace of passion,
demanding corrOboratlye detail. And
Mortimer gave 1t, wagging his head
and one fat forefnger as emphasis.
"You saw that?' repeated Quarter.
deadly white Of sudden.
Eyes. and r.
at 3 in the morningf"
Eyes. an | want
"You saw him enter her roomW
Eyes. AM wan tersay thish to you,
because I'm your fr'en'. Don wan
amy fr'en's mine get fooled on won-
en-. See? Thash how feel. respec'
the sect. See? Women. lovely wom-
en-. See? Respec' sect. Gimme y'han',
buzzer : err brother Quarter. Your
m fr'en'; I'm your fr'en'. l know how
1t Is. Gotter wife m'own. Rotten
one. Stingy. Takes money OUTER m
pockets. Dam 'stravagant. Ruin me.
Say, old boy. what about dividend due
morrow on Orange County Eclectic
mean Erlextic = no = mean Letric!
masser tongue"
Opening his fond and foggy eyes
and finding himself alone in the card
room he began to cry. and little later.
attempting to push the electric button.
he fell over lounge and lay there. his
shirt front soiled with wine. one fat
leg trailing to the floor. not the ideal
position for slumber perhaps. but what
difference do attitudes and postures
and poses make when a gentleman. In
the sacred seclusion of his own club.
Is wooing the drowsy goddess with
blasts of votive music through his EN-.
purpled nose?
In the meantime, however. he was
due to dine at the Belwether house.
and when o'clock approached and lie
had not returned to dress Leila called
up Sylvia Lands on the telephone:
"My dear. Leroy hasn't returned, and
suppose he's forgotten about the
bridge can bring Mr. Plank. If You
like"
"very WELL" said Sylvia. adding, "it
Mr. Plank is there may speak to him
q momentT
So Leila rose, setting the receiver on
the desk, and Plank came in from the
library and settled himself heavily In
the chair.
"Did you wish to speak to me, Miss
Landis9'
ais that you. Mr.. Plank? Yes. With
you dine with US at 8? Bridge after
ward, If you don't mind"
N"Thank you"