The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-03-18
@Younger Set
By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.
Copyright 1907. by Robert W. Chambers
nsunnnnnnapnmnnmnm "a,
Aushof o. 'Ths Fi9htins Chance" /" Etc.

end into the CRATE, TIN sorry, dear
that Alike has the jumps, Hope shell
get over 'em. But, a. for pretending
I've any use for her. cant and dom
and won't She spoiled life for the
best man know. She kicked his repu
tation into cooked hat, and he, with
his chiyalrous Selwyn conscience, lei
her do IL did like her once. don't
like her now. and that's natural, and II
winds up the matter"
Ruthyen was al that very moment
seated In private card room NJ the
| Stuyyesant club with Sanxon Orchil,
George Fame and Bradley Harmon,
aud the game had been bridge, as
usual. and had gone very heavily
against him.
Several things had gone against Mr..
Ruthven recently, For one thing, he
was beginning TO realize that he had
made q vast mistake In mixing himself
up in any transactions with Ncergard,
When he, at Neergard's cynical sug'
gestion, had consented to exploit his
own ciub-the Siowitha-and had con.
sented TO resign from Il to do so, he
had every reason to believe that Neer-
gard meant either 10 muct them heavily
or buy them out In either case, hav-
ing been useful to Neergard, his profits
from the transaction would have been
considerable.
But even while he was absorbed In
nguring them up and he needed the
money as Neergard coolly In
formed him OF his election 10 the club,
and Ruthven, thunderstruck, began to
perceive the depth Of the underground
mole tunnels which Neergard had dug
to undermine and capture the strong
hold which had now surrendered to him
Rage made him III for a week. but
there was nothing TO do about 1t. He
had been treacherous 20 his club and to
his own caste, and Neergard knew It,
and knew perfectly well that Ruthven
dared not protest, dared not even
whlmper
Then Neergard began TO use Ruthyen
when he needed him, and he began to
permit himself to win at cards In Ruth
ven's house, thing he had not dared
to do before. He also permitted him
self more ease aud freedom In that
house, q sort of intimacy, even a Ger.
tain jocularity.
Meanwhile Neergard had almost I'm,
ished with Gerald. He had only one
further use for him, and as his social
success became more pronounced with
the people he had crowded In among
he became bolder and more insolent, no
longer at pains to mole tunnel toward
the object desired, no longer overcare-
ful about his mask. And one day he
asked the boy very plainly why he had
never invited him TO meet his sister.
And he got an answer that he never
forgot.
Ruthven had viewed with indiffer-
ence Gerald's boyish devotion to his
wife, which was even too open and
naive to be Of interest to those who
witnessed It, But he had not counted
on Neergard's sudden hatred Of Gerald,
and the first token Of that hatred fell
upon the boy like thunderbolt when
Neergard whispered to Ruthven one
night at the Stuyvesant club and Ruth
ven, eyasperated, had gone straight
home, to find his wife in tears and the
boy clumsIly attempting to comfort
her. both her hands In his.
Perhaps" said Ruthven coldly, "you
have some plausible explanation for
this sort Of thing. II you haven't, you'd |
better trump up one together, and I'll |
send you my attorney to hest it. In
that event." he added, you'd better |
leave your Joint address when you find |
a more convenient house than mine"
As matter Of fact. he had really
meant nothing more than the threat
and the insult, the situation permitting
him heavier hold upon his wife and
a new grip on Gerald In case he ever
needed him, but threat and insult were
very real to the boy, and he knocked
Mr.. Ruthven fiat on his back, the one
hing required to change that gentle
mans pretense to deadly earnest.
Ruthven scrambled to his feet. Ger.
nd did II again. and after that Mr..
luthven prudently remained prone dur
ng the delivery Of terse but concise
opinion OF him expressed by Gerald.
After Gerald had gone Ruthven
,pened first one eye, then the other,
hen his mouth and finally sat up. and
lis wife. who had been curiously OBJ
erving him. smiled
She dropped her folded hands into
Ter lap. gazing coolly at him. but there
vas glitter In her eyes which arrest,
d his first step toward her.
Il think" she said. that you mean
ny ruin. Ny mind has become curious
y clear during the hast year--strangely
nd unusually limpid and precise. Why,
ny poor friend. every plot Of yours and
4 your friends. every nnderhand at
empt 10 discredit and lnjure me, has
een perfectly apparent 20 me. You sup.
osed that my headaches. my outbursts
I anger. my wreiched nights. passed
D tears. and the long. long days spent
neeling in the ashes OF dead mem
rics. alI these you supposed had weak.
ned. perhaps unsettled. my mind. You
e n you deny II, for you have bad
octors watching me for months You
Idn't know | was aware of II, did
our But was. and am. And yosI
bid them that my father died of--of
rain trouble, you coward What a
redulous fool yon are" she said. ''to
uild your hopes Of separation on
ly possible mental disability OF nline"'
lie stood A moment without answer.
,s then quietly seated himself. The
nspicioas giimmer In bis faded eyes
ad become the concentration Of cr,..
slty almost npprehensive
go on be said What ssxey'
~for the ~mainder of ,ne spring and
,ramer.T she said, shall make mr.
Ians REGARDLESS of fyon I shall not 10
} Newport Ych are al liberty 10 use
se house ibere as yon choose And, as
v thin incbient with Gerald. you hsd
siier moi pursue /, any further. DO
,n uldenfsndy
Il