The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-05-07

Mad on in pretense of camaraderie
urrying favor as he believed, ingra-
Aatng himself with the coarse blunt
ness that served him among some
ueu even among some women.
well fix it somehow" he said reas-
mrngly Don't you worry, LEILA.
I'VE confidence in you, little girl.
You've got me out of sticky messes
before. Ell? Well, we've weathered
few, haven't weT
Even the horrible parody on welded
loyalty left her silent, unmoved, dark
eyes brooding, and he began to grow
little restless and anxious as his
iocularity increased without move
nent In either response or aversion
from his wife,
you needn't be scared If I'm not, ="
be said reproachfully. 1.-THE house is
worth two hundred and fifty thousand
and there's only fifty on it now. II
that fat Dutch skinf1int, Plank, shows
bis tusks we can clap on another nifty.
And as she made no sound or move
ment in reply: "As far as Plank goes
haven't | done enough for him 70
square it7 What have we ever got
out of him except thousand or Two
now and then when the cards went
against me? If | took 1t, 1t was prac-
tcally what he owes me. And If he
thinks it's too much-look here, Leila
rye trick up my sleeve. ! can make
good any time | wish to. I'm in a
position to marry that man to the glrl
he's mad about-stark, raving MAD
Mrs. Mortimer slowly raised her
head and looked at her husband.
Leroy, are you madT'
~! Not much! he exclaimed glee'
fully. q can make him the husband
Of the most run after girl in New
York-if want to- And at the same
time | can puncture the most arrogant
the most cold blooded, selfish, purse
proud, Inflated nincompoop that ever
CAT at the head of a directors table
Ohio, Now you're staring, Leila
can do It. | can make good. Wha'
are you worrying about? Why, I've
got a hundred ways to square thai
check. and each separate way Is
winner"
He rose, shook out the creases In MS
trousers and adjusted the squat golo
fol- which ornamented his protrudme
walstcoat
so you'll fix 1t, won't you, Leila ::
be said, apparently oblivious that III
had expressed himself as able to az
Just the matter In hundred equally
edlfyng AMI satisfactory manners.
She did rot answer. He fingered
moment at the door, looking back VIII
an mgratlating leer, but she paid hln
no attention and he took himself on
confident that her sulkiness could NC
result in anything unpleasant to any
Oody except herself.
Nor did IT, as far as he could see
The days brought no noticeable chang
u his wifes demeanor toward MN
Flank, when he met him, was clVl
enough, though 1t did occur to Mort
ner that he saw very little Of Planl
IN these days.
'tngratotul beggar," he thought bl
'erIy He's toadying to Belwethe
now can't do anything more t.
oE 50 I Il ut interest him"
And for awhile he wore either
uucu.o0t gg"leved air in Plank
presence or the meelier demeanor of
Iarl}r Seatimentally misunderstood
Out porieat mder the affection.
Then there came a time when h
SeHeq money. During the few day
y mt cjrcling tentatively and al
P,etcuStNoF around his wife he learI
" enough TO know that there wa
Money to bH had from her at presen
"o u.uht I've money she raised to plt
A N Flank II she had plscated him J
a' taShion-was a strain on her re
We're