Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-29

AuAp ouoplSAOuo anu pei NChohI'
"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 recede until
they scarcely glimmered through the
Sits in his colorless mask. And 81
ward went on:
II knew perfectly well what sort Of
women l was to meet at that fool sup
per Billy Fleetwood gave, and you
must have, too, for the girl you took in
was no stranger to you. Her name is
Lydia Vyse, believe"
The slightest possible glimmer in the
elder mans eyes was all the answer he
granted.
"What happened" said Siward calm
", twas this: She bet me she could
so disguise herself that 1 could safely
take her into any club in New York. |
bet her she couldn't. l never dreamed
of trying. Besides, she was your-din-
ner partner" he added, with a shrug.
"Quarrier," said Siward earnestly,
"what happened in the club lobby |
don't eXactkS know, because l was not
in a condition to know. | admit it;
that was the trouble with me! When
l left Fleetwood's rooms l left with
a half dozen men. l remember cross
ing Fifth avenue with them. and the
next thing l remember distinctly was
loud talking in the club lobby and
number of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat in the
center of crowd whose face was the
face Of that girl Lydia Vyse. And
that is absolutely all. But l couldn't
do more than deny that l took her
there unless l told what knew, and
of course that was not possible, even
in self defense. But it was for you
to admit that l was right, and you did
not. You dared not! You let another
man blunder into your private affairs
and fall victim TO circumstantial evil
dence which you could have refuted,
and it was up to you to say something
And you did not! And now what are
you going to do? The LenOX club has
taken this thing UP. A man can't
stand too much of that sort of thing.
What am to do? 1 can't defend my
self by betraying my accidental knowl-
edge of your petty private affairs. So
1 leave it to you. l ask you what are
you going to do?"
"Do you mean''-Quarrier's voice
was not his own, and he brought it
harshly under command-'do you
mean that you think it necessary for
me to say 1 knew her? What object
would be attained by that? l did not
take her to the PATRONS"
''Nor did 1. Ask her how she got
there. Learn the truth from her.
mani!
''What proof is there that 1 ever met
her before l took her into supper at
Fleetwood'sY
proof! Are you mad? All l ask Of
you is to say to the governors what l
cannot say without using your name"
''You wish me-" asked Quarter Jelly,
'to deny that you made that wager?
can do that"
'You can't do it! / did make that
bet.'
"Oh! Then what is it you wish me
to say?''
''Tell them the truth. Tell them you
know / did not take her to the club.
You need not tell them why you know
it. You need not tell them how much
you know about her, whose brougham
she drove home in. l can't defend my
self at your eXpense-intrench myself
behind your dirty little romance. What
could / say? l denied taking her to
the club. Then Major Belwether con-
fronted me with my wager. Then l
shut up. And so did you, Quarter
so did you, seated there among the
governors between Leroy Mortimer
and Belwether. It was up to you, and
you did not stir"
''Stirw echoed the other man, exas-
perated. "Of course 1 did not stir.
What did l know about it? Do you
think I care to give man like Morti-
mer hold on me by admitting 1 knew
anything? Or Belwether, do you think
l care to have that man know any
thing about my private and personal
business? Did you expect me to say
that l was in q position to prove any
thing one way or another? And" he
added, with increasing harshness, show
do you know what / might or might
not prove? If she went to the Pa
troons club, did not go with her; /
did not see her; don't know whether
or not you took her."
81 have already told you that did
not take her." said SiWard, turning
whittier.
"You told that to the governors too.
Tell them again if you like. 1 decline
to discuss this matter with you. / de-
cline to countenance your unwarranted
intrusion into what you pretend to be-
lieve are my private affairs. 1 decline
to confer with Belwether or Mortimer.
It's enough that you are inclined to
meddle." His cold anger was stirring.
He rose to his full, muscular height.
slow, menacing, his. long pale fingers
twisting his silky beard. 'It'S enough