Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-06
(Chapter Ten--Continued.l


you dine with us at s? Bridge after
ward, If you don't mind"
THANK you."
"And, Mr.. Plank, you had note
from me this morningT
Yes
.Please disregard it."
IF you wish"
II do. 1t is not worth while" And
ms Plank made no comment, Il have
no further interest In the matter. Do
you understand?
NO" said Plank doggedly.
II have nothing more to say, am
sorry. We dine at s." concluded Syl-
via hurriedly.
Plank hung up the receiver and sat
eying 1t for awhile in silence. Then
his Jaw began to harden and his under
lip protruded and he folded his great
hands, resting them in front Of him
on the edge of thetesk. brooding there,
with eyes narrowing like sleepy
giant al prayer
When Leila entered In her evening
wraps she found him there, so i'm
nersed in reverie that he failed to
hear her, and she stood a moment at
the doorway, smiling to herself, think
ing how pleasant 1t was to come down
ready for the evening and find him
there, as though he belonged where
he sat and was part of the familiar
environment
Recently she had grown younger in
a smooth skinned, full Tipped way-so
much younger that it was spoken of.
Beverly" she said, Il am ready"
Plank stood up iazed from his rev
erie, and walked toward her. His
white tie had become disarranpe9
She raised her hands, halting him, and
pulled It into shape for him, conscious
~ innocent Of the intimacy.
Thank you," he said. DDo YOU
know how pretty you are this even.
ingx - IL s4s.
-s-Ras. was very happy at my mir
rOr. Do you know, the withered years
seem to be dropping from me like
leaves from an autumn sapling. And
! feel young enough TO say so poetic
ally. Did Sylvia try to fiirt with you
over the wire27
scending the stairs beside her.
-And really You don't love her any
more?" she queried.
Scarcely" His voice was low and
rather disagreeable, and she looked IN.
Il wish | knew what you and Sylvia
md to talk about so frequently. IL
you're not in love"
Bnt he made no answer. and they
drove away to the Belwether house.
rather wide. old style mansion OF
brown stone, with a stoop dividing its
ugly facade, and series of unneces-
sary glass doors blockading the vesti-
bule.
"A drawing room and reception room
Ranked the marble tiled hall. Behind
these the dining room ran the width
OF the rear.
There We're half dozen people there
1ounging informally between the living
room on the second floor and Sylyia's
apartments in the rear-the residue
from luncheon and bridge party Civ |
en- that afternoon by Sylvia to score
or so Of cardinal women A few of |
these she had asked to remain for an |
INFORMAL dinner and desperate game |
later--the sort Of people she knew well |
enough to lose to heavily or win from |
without remorse-Grace FerraIl. Ma |
rion Page. Agatha Caithness. Trusting |
70 the telephone that morning, she had |
secured the Mortimers and Quarter.
failing three men, and now the party,
with Plank as Mortimer's substitute,
was complete, all thorough gamesters
--sex matterfng nothing In the prepa-
ration.
In Sylvia's boudoir Grace Ferrall
and Agatha Caithness sat before the
fire: Sylvia, at the mirror OF her dress
err was correcting the pallor incident
to the unbroken dissipation Of a bril-
liant season; Marion. with her inevita-
BILE cigarette, wandered between syi-
Was quarters and the library, where
Quarter and Major Belwether were
sitting in low voiced confab
Leila. greeted gayly from the bou.
doir. went in. Plank entered the libra
~. was mauled effusively by the ma
3or. returned Quarters firm hand
shake and sat down with an inquiring
smile.
''oh, yes. we're out for blood to-
night. Uttered Major Belwether.
Quarters arm humorously
and shaking 1t to emphasize his words
"a habit that Quarter thoroughly dis
liked. sylvia had lot of women
here playing for the season score. so
suggested she keep the pick of them
FOR dinner and call in a few choice
ones TO make night Of it,"
-.It's agreeable to me-" said PLANK.
Stih looking mt Quarter with the same
nqniring expression, which that gen
aeman presently chose to understand !
u haven't had chance to look into I
hat matter" he said carelessly. Some
lay when you have time to SO over
r.
! have time now" said Plank. |
There's nothing to go over. There's no
eason for any secrecy. All / wrote {
I'm vuaG that I F,rnroeo.I =, ,.y..,s..-t -