Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-03-19


snow few, for there came to him a
secret communication from the govern
ment suggesting, among other things,
that ho report threo times a week at
the proving grounds on Sandy Hook;
that experiments with chaosite as a
bursting charge might begin as soon
as he was ready with his argon primer.
Thisys meant work-hard, constant,
patLent work But it did not mean
money to help him support the heavy
burdens he had assumed If there
We're to be any returns, all that part Of
it lay in the future, and the future
could not help him now.
Yet, unless still heavier burdens
were laid upon him, he could hold on
for the present. His bedroom cost Linn
next to nothing; breakfast he cooked
for himself, luncheon he dispensed
with, and he dined at random-any-
where that appeared to promise seclu-
sion, cheapnesS and immunity from
anybody he had ever known.
AS for his clubs, he hung on to them,
knowing the Importance of appear
ances in town which is made UP Of
them. But this expense was all he
could carry, for the demands of the es-
tablishment at Edgewater were stead
lily increasing with the early coming
Of winter. He was sent for Oftener
and physician was now in practically
continual attendance.
Also three times q week he boarded
the Sandy Hook boat. returning al
ways at night because he dared not
remain at the reservation lest an i'm
perative telegram from Edgewater find
him unable to respond.
So when in November the first few
hurrying snowhakes whirled in among
the city's canyons of masonry and
iron, Selwyn had already systematized
his winter schedule, and when Nina
opened her house, returning from Len
OK with Eileen to do so, she found that
SelwyR had made his own arrange
ments for the winter and that, accord
ing to the programme, neither she nor
anybody else was likely to see him
oftener than one evening in week.
To Boots she complained bitterly.
having had visions of Selwyn and Ger
aid as permanent fixtures of family
support during the season now immi-
nent.
81 cannot understand" she said,
"why Philip is acting this way. He
need not work like that. There is no
necessity, because he hs7 a comforta-
BILE income. If he is determined to
maintain a stuffy apartment some
where, Of course | won't insist on his
coming to US, as he ought to, but to
abandon US In this manner makes me
almost indignant. Besides, it's having
anything but salutary effect On Fl.
leen."
What effect is it having on Eileen"
inquired Boots curiousy.
"Oh I don't know" said Nina, COM
ing periously close to a pOut, "but [
see symptoms-indeed do, Boots
symptoms of Sinking the winters rou
tine. It's to be a gay season. too, and
it's only her second. The idea Of
child of that age Informing NE that
she's bad enough Of the purely social
phases of this planet! Boots, I've given
up all hopes Of that brother Of niue for
her, but she could marry anybody if
she choSe-anybody-and she could
twist the eutire social circus into
court Of her own and dominate every
thing don't know what to do with
the girl Philip never comes near us
once o week for an nour or two, which
is nothing-and the child misses him
There, the murder is outl Eileen misses
him What to do about it don't krow
Boots, | don't know"
Lansing had ceased laughing He had
been indulging in tea-a shy vice Of