The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-02-11

patience and unfaIling good spirits and
his unconcealed admiration for her
softened her manner toward him TO the
point Of liberation.
And Necrgard, from his equivocal
footing In the house OF Ruthven, OBJ
talned another no less precarious In
the house Of Fane-all In the begin
ming on purely gaming basis. How
ever, Gerald had already proposed him
for the Stuyvesant and Proscenium
clubs, and. furthermore, stormy dis
cussion was now in progress among
the members Of the famous Siowitha
over an amazing proposition from their
treasurer. Jack Ruthven.
This proposal was nothing less than
to admit Neergard to membership In
that wealthy and exclusive country
club as choice Of the lesser evil, for
1t appeared. according to Ruthven, that
Neergard. n admitted, was willing to
restore to the club free Of rent the
thousands Of acres vitally necessary to
the clubs existence as game preserve,
merely retaining the title to these lands
for himself.
Draymore was incensed at the pro-
posal, Harmon, OrchIl and Fame were
dlsgustedly noncommittal. but Phoe-
nix Notify was perhaps the angriest
man Oh Long island.
''In the name Of decency, Jack" be
said. what are you dreaming off Is 1t
not enough that this man Neergard
holds US up oncei DO understand
that be has the impudence to do II
again with your connivancei Are you
going to let him sandbag us into elect.
Ing hlmf Is that the sort Of holdup
you stand fori Well. then. tell you
I'll never vote for him. I'd rather see
these lakes and streams Of ours dry
up ia rather see the last pheasant
shared and the last covey leave for the
other end Of the island than buy on
that Dutchman with certificate OF
membership In the Siowithar'
In that case" retorted Ruthven.
wed better wind up our affairs and
make arrangements for an auctioneer."
IAN right Wind up and be hangedT
said Notify. "There'il be at least sum-
Client self respect left In the treasury
TO so round"
Which was all very fine, and Notify
meant II at the time, but outside Of
the asset OF self respect there was too
much money invested In the lands.
Dlant and buildings. In the streams.
lakes, hntcheries and forests Of the
Eiowitha. The enormously wealthy
seldom stand long upon dignity II that |
dignity Ia going to be very expensive. |
Only the poor can afford disastrous self |
respect
SO the chances were that Neergard i
would lecome member which was
why be had acquired the tract. and the /
Price he would have TO pay was not 1
only ln taxes upon the acreage but se 4
cretly a solid sim In addition TO little /
Mir Rntbsen. whom be was binding TO
him by every tie be could pay for
He suffered Gerald aud little Ruth
ven 10 pilot him. He remained cheer
fully obiivio 20 the snuts and indlf
ference accorded him by Mrs. Ruihsen.
Mrs Fame and others Of their eniour
age whom be encountered over the card
tables or At card suppers And all the
while he was attending 10 bis business
with no energy aud activity that ough,
10 have sham@i Gerald and DID AT
times. particularly when be arrived nj
the Office nifefiy unit for the work BE-
fore him
Bot Neergsrs cont.Dned astonishing
" tolerant aud Kind. lendIng him mon
ey. advancing him xhAi be required.
taking ap o. renewing notes for him
satsi toe bog, heavily IN bis debt, |