The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-01-27
second husbandF;
Selwyn rose, very white and still.
After moment he drew a quiet
"Whatf" tohtspercd Sel,oyn.


'They are my friends" muttered
Gerald, as pale as he. "You drove me
into speaking that way"
perhaps did, my boy. don't judge
you. If you ever find you need help
come to me. And If you can't come
and still need me send for me. I'll do
what 1 can always. know you better
than you know yourself. Goodby."
He turned to the door, and Gerald
burst out: "Why can't you let my
friends alone? liked you before you
began this sort of thingv
II will let them alone If you will"
said Selwyn, halting. Il can't stand by
and see you exploited and used and
perverted. Will you give me one
chance to talk 1t over, Gerald?"
mo; won'tr' returned Gerald hotly.
"I'll stand for my friends every time!
There's no treachery in mev'
you are not standing by me very
fast" said the elder man gently.
Il said l was standing by my
friendsg' repeated the boy.
Every well, Gerald, but it's at the ex-
pense Of your own people, I'm afraid"
THAT'S my business, and you're not
one of EN-" retorted the boy, infuri-
ated, land you won't be, either, If I
can prevent 1t, no matter whether peo-
pie say that you're engaged to her.
"What?" whispered Selwyn, wheel
ing like flash. The last vestige Of col
or had fed from his face, and Gerald
caught his breath, almost blinded by
the blaze of fury in the elder mans
eyes.
Neither spoke again, and after a mo-
ment Selwyn's eyes fell, and he turned
heavily on his heel and walked away,
head bent, gray eyes narrowing to
slits.
Yet through the brains chaos and
the hearts loud tumult and the clamor
of pulses run wild at the insult flung
into his very face the grim instinct to
go on persisted, and he went on and on
for her sake-on, he knew not how, un-
til he came to Neergard's apartment in
one of the vast west side constructions
bearing the name Of sovereign state,
and here after an interval he followed
his card to Neergards splendid suit,
where a manservant received him and
left him seated by a sunny window
overlooking the blossoming foliage of
the park.
When Neergard came in and stood OH
the farther side of a big oak table Sell
wyn rose, returning the cool, curt nod.
"Mr Neergard," he said, 'it Is not
easy for me to come here after what
l said to you when severed my con-
nection with your firm. You have
every reason to be unfriendly toward
me, but l came on the chance that
whatever resentment you may feel will
not prevent you from hearing me out"
Personal resentment" said Neergard
slowly, never interferes with my bust,
ness. l take it, Of course, that you
have called upon business matter.
VIII you sit DOWN."
"Thank you, have only a moment,
and what l am here for is to ask you
as Mr.. Errolfs friend to use your in
tiuence on Mr.. Erroll-every atom of
your infuence-tO prevent him from
running himself financially through his
eXcesses. | ask you for his family's
sake to discountenance any more gam
bling, to hold him strictly to his duties
in your Office, to overlook no more
shortcomings of his, but to demand
from him what any trained business
man demands of his associates as well
as of his employees. 1 ask this for the
boys sake"
Il am not aware that Gerald re-
quires any interference from me or
from you either" said Neergard coolly.
And, as far as that goes, 1 and my
business require no interference either.
And l believe that settles it."
He touched a button. The man.
servant appeared to usher Selwyn out
The latter set his teeth in his under
lip and looked straight and hard at
Neergard, but Neergard thrust both
hands in his pockets, turned squarely
on his heel and sauntered out of the
room, yawning as he went.
1t bid fair to become hard day for
Selwyn. He foreSaw 1t, for there was
more for him to do, and the day was
far from ended, and his self restraint
was nearly exhausted.
An hour later he sent his card in to
Rosamund Fame, and Rosamund came
down presently, mystified, fiattered, yet
shrewdly alert and prepared for any
thing since the miracle of his coming
justified such preparation.
"Why in the world" she said, with
a flushed gayety perfectly genuine,
"did you ever come to see meT
"It's only this" he said-"I am won
dering whether you would do anything
for me-"
Anything! Merci! Isn't that ex-
tremely general, Captain selwynf But
you never can tell. Ask me-"
So he bent forward, his clasped
hands between his knees, and told her
very earnestly Of his fears about Ger
aid, asking her to use her undoubted
influence with the boy to shame him
from the card tables, explaining how
utterly disastrous to him and his fam
fly his present course was.
''Could you help us?" he asked.
"Help US, Captain Selwyn2 Who IL
the U.S. pleaseT