The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-05-13

We lOl0tl she told me. Innnk goOu-
ness, she still does tell me tbingsl
Also the younger and chubbler Dray-
more youth has offered himself after
klllngly proper Interview with me. I
thought 1t might amuse you to hear
OF It." ty&y
sit might amuse me more II Eileen
would get busy and bring Philip into
camp" observed her husband.
do you know" said Nina, that
believe he Is In love with herr
"Then why Doesn't
II don't know. was sure-l am
sure now-that the girl cares more for
him than for anybody. And yet-and
yet don't believe she is actually In
love with him"
After moment Nlna's face grew
grave. and she bent forward
alike is III. Nobody seems to know
what the matter is. Nobody has seen
her. But she's at Clifton. with a cou-
pie OF nurses, and Rosamund heard
rumors that abe is very III indeed.
People go to Clifton for shattered
nerves. you know. There is mental
trouble in her family. You have heard
OF II as well as l. You know her IA
ther died OF H."
"The usual defense in criminal cases."
observed Austin flicklng his cigarette
end into the CRATE. I'm sorry, dear.
that Alike has the jumps. Hope she'll
get over 'em. But. as for pretending
I've any use for her. | can't and don't
and won't She spoiled life for the
best man know. She kicked his repu.
tation into a cooked hat and he, with
his chlvalrous Selwyn conscience, let
her do t. | did like her once. don't
like her now. and that's natural, and II
winds up the matter"
Ruthven was at that very moment
seated in private card room at the
Stuyvesant club with Sanxon orchil,
George Fame and Bradley Harmon,
and the game had been bridge, as
usual. aud 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 n vast mistake In mixing himself
up In any transactions with Neergard
When he, at Neergard's cynical sug-
gestion. had consented to exploit his
own club-the Siowitha-and had con-
sented to resign from II to do 80, he
had every reason to believe that Neer-
gard meant either to mulct them heavily
| A,.r hnp .uN In atfhar N
ing been useful to Neergard. his profits
from the transaction would have been
| considerable.
But even while be was absorbed In
hguring them up-and he needed the
money as usual-Neergard coolly In
formed him OF his election to 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 week. but
there was nothing to do about II. He
had been treacherous to his club and to
his own caste, and Neergard knew II.
and knew perfectly well that Ruthven
dared not protest, dared not even
whimper.
Then Neergard began to use Ruthven
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 and freedom in that
house, a sort Of intimacy, even a Ger.
tain jocularity.
Meanwhile Neergard had almost fln-
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. exasperated. 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 foI
this sort of thing II you haven't, you'd
better trump up one together. and III
send you my attorney to hear It In
that event." he added, you'd better
leave your joint address when you finL
q more convenient house than mine"
As a matter OF fact, he had really
meant nothing more than the threat
and the insult, the situation permitting
him heavier hold upon his wife anC
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