Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-28

Tomorrow" said Plank, with a
manner of closing discussion. And in
his brusque ending Of the matter
Quarter detected the ringing under
tone of an authority he never had and
never would endure. If Plank suspect
ed him, he must also suspect him Of
completely in the Intercounty grab.
He must suspect him of the ruthless
crushing power that corrupts or ami
hilates opposition, making a mockery
of legislation, a jest of the courts and
an epigram of a peoples indignation.
AS Quarter sat there meditating,
his long white fingers caressing his
soft, pointed beard, Sylvia came in,
greeting the men collectively with a
nod and offering her hand to Plank.
Dinner is announced" she said.
"Please go in farm fashion. Waitr'
as Plank, following the major and
Quarter, stood aside for her to pass.
''No, you go ahead, Howard, and you"
to the major
Left for a moment in the room with
Plank, she stood listening to the others
descending the stairs, then:
'Have you seen Mr.. Siward?"
eyes," said Plank.
ooh! Is he we'll"
f'Not very"
els he well enough to read a letter
and to answer oneY'
ooh, yes; he's well enough in that
way"
81 supposed so. That is why said
to you, over the wire, not to trouble
him with my request"
"You mean that / am not to say
anything about your offer to buy the
hunter?"
'No If l make up my mind that
want the horse I'll write him-per-
haps.'
Lingering still, she let one hand fall
on the banisters, turning back toward
Plank, who was following.
* understood you to mean that
that Mr. Siward's financial affairs were
anything but satisfactory Y'-the sweet,
trailing, upward infection making it
a question.
when did l say thatY' demanded
Plank
"Once-a month ago."
81 didn't" said FLANK bIfntly.
ooh, l had inferred it, then, from
something you said or something you
were silent about. Is that it?'
81 don't know"
Gam quite wrong then?" she asked.
looking him in the eyes.
And Plank. who never lied, found no
answer. Considering him for a mo-
ment in silence, she turned again and
descended the stairs.
The dinner was one of those thor
oughly well chosen dinners Of few
courses and faultless service suitable
for card players, who neither care to
stuff themselves as a preliminary to a
battle royal nor to dawdle through
courses, eliminating for themselves
what is not good for them. The men
drank a light, sound, aromatic Irish of
the majors; the women-eXcept Ma
rion, who took what the men took
used claret sparingly. Coffee was
served where they sat; the men smok-
ing, Agatha and Marion producing
their own cigarettes.
will go through the ceremony of cut
ting for partners = unless otherwise
you decide. How say your" said Syl-
via.
Il don't care to enter the scramble
for a man." cried Grace. eff it's to
choose, I'd as soon choose Marion"
Plank looked at Leila, who laughed.
Cali right; choose, them" said Syl-
via. Howard, you're dying, of course,
to play with me, but you're looking
very guiltily at Agatha"
The major asked Leila at once, so
Plank fell to Sylvia, pitted against Ma
rior and Grace Ferrall.
A few moments later the quiet of
the library was broken by the butler
entering with decanters and ice and
glasses that tinlzled frostily.
Play began at table No. 1 on pass
ed make of no trumps by Sylvia, and
at the other table on doubled and re
doubled heart make. which sent a
delicate flush into Agatha's face and
drove the last vestige Of lingering
thoughtfulness from Quarters, leay-
ing it a tense, pallid and eXpressionless
mask, out of which looked the velvet
fringed eyes of woman.
OF all the faces there at the two la
bles Sylvia's alone had not changed,
neither assuming the gamblers mask
nor the infatuated glare of the anna
teur. She was thoughtful, excited, de-
lighted or dismayed by turns, but al
ways wholesomely so, the game for
its own sake and not the stakes al
sorbing her, partly because she had
never permitted herself to weigh mon
ey and pleasure in the same balance,
but kept a mental pair of scales for
each.
AS usual, the fever Of gain was
fiercest in those who could afford to
lose most. Quarter, playing to rule
with merciless precision, coldly exact
ed every penalty that lapse in his