The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-02-26

when ), as called before the board
OF governors TO explain the matter, i
| could. You were sitting on that
board"
yes"
Il denied the charge. but refused e
explain You remember
Quarter nodded coldly.
And l was dropped by the club"
A slight inclination of Quarters
symmetrical head corroborated him.
"Now," said Siward, slowly and very
distinctly. Il shall tel YOU unotticially
what | refused TO tell the other govern
ors officially" And as he began spe2A-
ing Quarters face flushed. then tie
features became immobile, set and In
ert and his eyes grew duller and duller
as though under a smooth surface the
soul inside of him was shrinking back
into some dark corner, silent, watch
full. suspicious and perhaps defiant.
"Air. Quarter" said Siward quietly
81 did not take that girl to 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 unth
they scarcely glimmered through the
Sits In his colorless mask. And 81
ward went on:
II knew perfectly we'll what sort OF
women | was to meet at that fool sup
per Billy Fleetwood gave, and you
must have. too, for the girl you took IN
was no stranger to you. Her name is
Lydia vyse, l believe"
The slightest possible glimmer In the
elder mans eyes was all the answer ne
granted.
what happened" said Siward calm,
ly. was this: She bet me she couiu
so disguise herself that l could saEely
take her into any club in New YORK
bet her she couldn't. | never dreamed
of irving. Besides, she was your-dli
ner partner" he added, with shrug'
"Ouarrfer," said Siward earnestly,
.what happened in the club lobby J
don't exactly know. because | was NOT
in a condition to know. | ADMIT IT,
that was the trouble with me. When
loft FIeetwoods rooms | left WIN
half dozen men | remember cross
ING Fifth arenue with them, ana the
naxt thing | remember distinctly WAS
loud talkin- in the club lobby and a
number of men there and slim young
fellow in Inverness and top hat In the
confer of crowd whose face was the
face of that girl Lydia Vyse. Ana
that is absolutely all. But | couidn
do more than deny that TOOK hel
+hare unless | told what ! knew, anu
; of course that was not possible even
In self defense But 1t was TOT yot
to admit that l was right, ana you uio
NOT You dared not! You let another
!. man blunder into your private aHallS
and fall a victim TO circumstantlal eNl
dence which you could have refuted
and it was up to you to say something
And YOU did not. And now what are
Won going to 10? The Lenox CLUB h&.
taken this thing up A man can
stand too much of tnat sort OF thlhg
What am TO do? | can't defend my
self nv betraying my accidental know
edge of your petty private aHalrs. %
T leave it to you. | ask you what arr
you going to do?"
do you mean"-Quarriers Volc'
: was not hi own, and he broughl
barshly under command-"do yo'
mean that ven think 1t necessary 10
me TO say | knew her? What obJec
would be attained by thatf did no
take her to he PATRONS
"Nor did |. Ask her how she go
+bere Le,rn the truth from her
mani
"What proof is there that ever me
her before | took her into supper a
Fleetwood'sT
proof! Are you mad? All ! ask 0
;, YOU is TO say to the governors what
:. cannot say without using your name
"You wish me-" asked Quarter icily
ITO deny that you made that wager
I can DO that"
"You can't do it! did make tina
. bet"
"oh. Then what is 1t you wish M
4 to sayT'
"Tell them the truth. Tell them yo'
know | did not take her to the cruz
You need not tell them why you knoI
n You need not tell them how mucl
YOU know about her, whose oroughan
abe drove home In. can't defend my
!, uelf at your expense-intrench mysei
behInd your dirty little romance. VIVA
could I sayl denied taking her L
i 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 TN
q 1oyerndrs between Leroy Mortime
and Belwetber. It was up to you. AM
you did not stir"
"Stir!" echoed the other man. exaS
nerated. + course | did not sti