Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-02-05

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He dreD from his pocket q fat boa.
Is Nina up there, Eileen? Oh, all right!
Excuses. etc. I'll be back pretty soon.
You'll stay to dine, Phil?"
II don't think So"
Eyes, he will stay" said Eileen calm
ly.
And when Austin had gone she walk
ed swiftly over to where Selwyn was
standing and looked him directly in the
eyes.
as all well with Gerald:"
"Y-yes, suppose So"
els he still with Neergard & Co."
Eyes, Eileen"
'And you don't like Mr.. Neergard"
"N-nO.'
"Then Gerald must not remain"
He said very quietly: eileen. Gerald
no longer takes me into his confidence
I am afraid--I know, in fact-that |
have little influence with him now.
am sorry. 1t hurts, but your brother Is
his own master, and he is at liberty to
choose his own friends and his own
business policy. cannot influence
him. I have learned that thoroughly.
Better that retain what real friend
ship he has left for me than destroy It
by any attempt, however gentle, to In
terfere in his affairs"
She stood before him, straight, slen-
der, her face grave and troubled.
II cannot understand" she said, chow
he could refuse to listen to man like
you"
a man like me, Eileen? Well, If /
were worth listening to no doubt he'd
listen But the fact remains that 1
have not been able to hold his inter-
est"
Don't give him up" she said, still
looking straight into his eyes. ''If you
care for me, don't give him up"
"Care for you, Eileen! You know I
do"
eyes, 1 know it. So you will not
give up Gerald, will you? He isis
only a boy. You know that. You
know he has Observation-Disclosures.
But Gerald is only boy. Stand by
him, Captain Selwyn, because Austin
does not know how to manage him
really he doesn't. There has been an
other unpleasant scene between them.
Gerald told me-"
"Did he tell you why, Eileen?'
Eyes. He told me that he had play
ed cards for money and he was in
debt 1 know that sounds almost dis
graceful, but is not his need Of help
all the greaterY
Selwyn's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Did you help him out this time"
T-I-how do you mean, Captain
SelwynT But the splendid color in
her face confirmed his certainty that
she had used her own resources to
help her brother pay the gambling
debt, and he turned away his eyes,
angry and silent.
yes" she said under her breath, Il
did aid him. What of it? Could / re-
fuse?
II know. Don't aid him again-that
way"
She stared. "You mean
"Send him to me, child. under
stand such matters. THAT is And
in sudden evaporation inexplicable,
for the moment, to them both: 'Don't
touch such matters again. They soil,
I tell you. will not have Gerald go
to you about such things!"
"N1y own brother! What do you
mean?'
II mean that, brother or not, he
shall not bring such matters near
your
Sam to count for nothing, then,
when Gerald is in trouble?' she de-
manded, flushing up.
Count! Countr' he repeated impa-
tiently. "Of course you count! Good
heavens! It's women like you who
count, and no others-not one single
other sort is of the slightest conse-
quence in the world or to it,
She had turned a little pale under
his vehemence, watching him out OF
wide and beautiful eyes.
What she understood, how much OF
his incoherence she was able to trans
late, is question, but in his eyes and
voice there was something simpler to
divine. and she stood very still whiIr
his reused emotions swept her till her
heart leaped up and every vein in her
ran fiery pride.
Il am-overwhelmed. / did not con-
slider that l counted-so vitally-in the
scheme of things. But l must try to
if you believe all this Of me, only you
must teach me how to count for some
thing in the world Will your
"Teach you, Eileen. What winning
mOckery. l teach you? Well, then, l
teach YOU thiS-that a mans blunder Is
best healed by mans sympathy. l.
will stand by Gerald as long as he