The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-05-20

dropped heavily, the old stolid express
sion came back into his face, leaving
II calm, bovine, almost stupid again.
And he turned, moving slowly toward
the door, holding his hat carefully In
his glOved hand.
Stepping out OF the elevator on the
ground floor. he encountered Morti-
mer and halted instinctively. He had
not seen Mortimer for weeks; neither
had Leila, and now he looked at him
inquiringly, disturbed at his battered
and bloodshot appearance.
oh" said Mortimer, you down
here?'
"Have you been out of town." asked
Plank cautiously.
Mortimer nodded and started to pass
on toward the bronze cage Of the ele-
vator, but something seemed to occur
to him suddenly. He checked his pace,
turned and waddled after Plank. re
joining him on the marble steps of the
rotunda.
look here" he said, Il promised
you something once, didn't ~
odd you:" said Plank, with his
bland, cXpresSionless stare Of an over
grown baby.
"Oh. cut that out. You know l did,
and when ! say a thing l make good.
Dye see?"
Il don't see said Plank. what you
are talking about"
l. hnN
do for you. Haven't l made good
Haven't | put you into everything l
said | would? Don't you go every
where? Don't people ask you every
where?"
Yes, in a way" said Plank YEARLY.
81 am very grateful. l always will be.
Can do anything for you. LerOyT
Mortimer had attended a killing"
at DesmOnd's and. as usual, had pro
vlded the piece de resistance for his
soft voiced host. All he wanted was
a temporary deposit to tide over mat
ters He had never approached Plank
in vain, and he did not do so now, for
Plank had a pocket check book and a
stylOgraph.
ITS little to ask, isn't it," he NUT
tered resentfully. That will only
square matters with Desmond. 1t
doesn't leave me anything to go on
with" And he pocketed his check with
a scOwl.
Plank was discreetly silent
"And that is not what l chased you
for, either" continued Mortimer. "Bev-
erly, old boy. I've got a certain mealy
faced hypOcrite where any decent man
would like to have him-by the scruff
OF his neck. He's fit only to kick, and
I'm going to kick him good and plenty,
and in the process he's going to let go
Of several things. One Of ems yours"
Plank looked at him.
Il told you once that I'd let you
know when to step up and say Good
evening didn't II"
Plank continued to stare.
Didn't IL" repeated Mortimer peev-
ishly beginning to lose cOuntenance.
Il don't understand YOU" said Plank,
land | don't think | want to under
stand you"
What do you mean" demanded
Mortimer thlckly. Don't you want to
marry that girlY But he shrank dis
mayed under the slow blaze that light
ed Planks blue eyes
"All right" he stammered, strug-
Cling to his fat legs and instinctively
backing away. Il thought you meant
business. what the devil do l care
who you marry! It's the last time
try to do anything for you or for any
body elser'
Plank gazed at him for a moment
The anger in his face died out.
81 am not ungrateful," he said.
"You may say almost anything except
that, Leroy. l am not disloyal, no
matter what else 1 may be. But you
have made a bad mistake. So let US
forget the matter"
But Mortimer, keenly appreciatiye
of the pleasures Of being misunder-
stood squeezed some moisture out of
his distended eyes and sat down, a
martyr to his emotions. ITO think, "
he gulped, that you of all men should
q. l.