Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-15

TEN

dow together. collversing in low voices
Belwether. at n desk, sat mutterine
and fussing with check book. The
others were in Sylvias apartments.
A few moments later Kemp F'errall
arrived in the best of spirits, very
much inclined to consider the night as
still young. but his enthusiasm met
with no response and presently he de
parted with his wife and Marion In
their big car.
Leila. In her wraps. emerged In a
few moments. looking at Plank out of
serious eyes. and they made their brief
adieus and went away in Plank
brougham.
When Agatha's maid arrived Quar-
rier also started to take his leave, but
Sylvia. seated at a card table, idly
arranging the cards In geometrical de-
signs and fanciful arabesques, looked
up at him, saying:
II wanted to say something to you,
Howard"
Agatha passed them. going into Syl-
Was room for her wraps. and Quar-
rier turned to Sylvia.
"Well?" he said. with the slightest
hint Of Impotence.
Cant you stay a minute" asked
Sylvia, surprised.
Agatha is going in the motor with
me. Is it anything important:
She considered him without replying
h,I Iaf Iafnrfn1 fbnt
manner. that hardness In voice al
ways SO even in quality
"What is III" he repeated.
She thought moment, putting aside
for the time his manner, which She
could not comprehend. Then:
II wanted to ask you a question-a
rather ignorant one perhaps. It's about
your AmaIgamated Electric company,
May | ask it. Howardw
After seconds stare, Certainly"
he said.
Its only this: II the other people
the Intercounty, ! mean-are slowly
running Amalgamated. why don't you
stop it?"
Quarters eyes narrowed. ooh. And
who have you been discussing the mat
ter WITH
"Nir. Plank" she said simply 81
asked him He shook his head and
said I'D better ask you. And do
ask YOU"
For moment he stood mute. Then
his lips began to shrink back over his
beautiful teeth in one of his rare
laughs.
"I'll be very glad to explain it some
day" he said. but there was no mirth
In his voice or eyes. only the smoker
ing lip wrinkling the pallor
"Will you not answer now?" she
asked
mo. not now. But I desire you to
understand 1t some day-some day be-
fore November. And one or two other
matters that it Is necessary for you to
understand. l want to explain them,
Sylvia, in such a manner that you will
never be likely to forget them. And l
mean to. For they are never out of
my mind and wish them to be as in
effaceably impressed on yours. Gooo
Oight."
He took her limp hand almost brisk
ly, released it and stepped down the
stairs as Agatha entered. cloaked, to
say good night.
They kissed ut parting-"life EN-
bracing death" as Mortimer had
sneered on similar occasion. Then
Sylvia. alone stood in her bedroom.
hands linked behind her. her lovely
head bent, cropping with the very
ghosts Of thought which eluded her.
fleeing, vanishing. reappearing, toNpeep
out at her only to fade into nothing
ere she could follow where they fitted
through the dark labyrinths of mem
DRY.
The major, craning his neck in the
bay window, saw Agatha and Quar-
rier enter the big yellow motor and
disappear behind the limousine. And
it worried him horribly, because he
knew perfectly we'll that Quarter had
lied to him about jeweled collar
precisely like the collar worn by
Agatha Caithness, and what to do O..
say to anybody on the subject was
for the first time in his life utterly be-
yond his garrulous ability.
Another matter. He had violated his
word and had been caught at it by hi's
prospective phew-in-law-broken his
pledged word not to sell his Amalga-
f,,;n hol on6 had H0np
it. Yet how could Plank dominate I'M
less another also had done what he
had done? And it made him little
more comfortable to know he was
sharing the esult with somebody
; probably with Siward. whom he now
had the luxury of despising for the
very thing he himself had done.
"Drunkard" he muttered to himself.
"He's in the gutter at last!'
And he repeated it unctuously, al
most reconciled to his own shortcom-
ing, because 1t was the first time, Els
far. as he knew. that Belwether
might legitimately enjoy the pleasures
of holding the word of Siward in
contempt.
Sylvia had dismissed her maid, the
old feeling of distaste for the touch OF
another had returned since the last
mad, crushed embrace in Siward' 8
arms had become a memory. Now,
blue eyes dreaming under the bright
masses of her loosened hair, she sat
watching the last glimmer amid the
ashes whitening on the hearth, think
inp of Siward and of what had been