Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-04-15

ors officially" And as he began speak
Ing Quarters face flushed, then the
features became immobile. set and I'm
ert and his eyes grew duller and duller
as though under smooth surface the
soul inside of him was shrinking back
into some dark corner. silent. watch
ful. suspicious and perlGps defiant
"Mr. Quarter" said Sward quietly
II did not take that glri 10 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 ST
ward went on:
81 knew perfectly well what sort of
women | was TO meet at that fool sup
per Billy Fleetwood gave. ana you
must have too. for the girl you took in
was no stranger to you. Her name is
Lydia WISE, | believe"
The slightest possible glimmer In the
elder mans eyes was all the answer he
granted.
what happened" said Siward calm
~, "was this: She bet me she could
SO disguise herself that l could safely
take her into any club In New York. !
bet her she couldn't 4 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 exactly know. because ! was not
In condition TO know. | admit II;
that was the trouble with me. When
/ left Fleetwood's rooms l left with
a half dozen men. | remember cross
ing Fifth avenue with them, and the
next thing / remember distinctly was
loud talking in the club lobby and a
number of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat In the
center OF a crowd whose face was the
face Of that girl Lydia Vyse. And
I that is absolutely all. But | couldn't
do more than deny that | took her
there unless / told what | knew. and
OF course that was not possible. even
in self defense But II 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 a victim to clrcumstantial evil
dence which you could have refuted,
and II was up to you to say something.
And you did not! And now what are
you going TO dor The Lenox club has
taken this thing up. A man can't
stand too much OF that sort of thing.
What am l to do? | can't defend my
self by betraying my accidental knowl-
edge of your petty private affairs. So
l leave 1t to you. l ask you what are
you going to doY'
do you mean"-Quarrier's voice
was not his own. and he brought 1t
harshly under command-''do you
mean that you think 1t necessary for
me to say | knew her? What object
would be attained by that? | did not
take her to the PATRONS"
"Nor did l. Ask her how she got
there Learn the truth from her.
manr'
What proof is there that ever met
her before / took her into supper at
Fleetwood'sY
Proof Are you mad? All ask Of
you is to say to the governors what l
cannot say without using your name"
''You wish me-" asked Quarter icily.
Ito deny that you made that wager?
can do that"
you can't do It'll did make that
bet"
"Ohl Then what is it you wish me
to sayr'
s'Tell them the truth. Tell them you
I 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. / can't defend my
self at your expense-intrench myself
behind your dirty little romance. What
could | sayi l denied taking her to
the club. Then Major Belwether con-
fronted me with my wager. Then |
shut up. And so did you, Quarter
so did you. seated there among the
governors between Leroy Mortimer
and Belwether. II was up to you, and
you did not stir!"
"Stirw echoed the other man, exas-
perated. "Of course / did not stir
What did l know about Il? Do you
think / care 10 give man like Morti-
mer hold on me by admitting knew
anything? or Belwether, do you think
I care 10 have that man know any
thing about my private and personal
+ businessf Did YOU expect me to say
that ! was ia position to prove any
thing one way or another? And" he
added. with increasing harshness. how
do you know what | might or might
not provef If she went 10 the Pa
troons club. did not go with her; /
did not see her; | don't know whether
or not you took her"
Il have already told you that l did
not take her" said slward. turning
winter
you told that to the governors too.
Tell them again II you like. decline
20 discuss this matter with you. | de
cline to countenance yogTf unwarranted
Intrusion into what you pretend to be
lieve are my private affairs ] 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. ITS enough
that you meddler' he repeated As
for the matter In question. a dozen
men. including myself, heard you
make n wager. and later | myself was