Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-01-29

DOOtS Lansing.
him a little the boy turned sullen, and
Selwyn let the matter drop very quick
ly.
But neither tact nor caution seemed
to serve now. Gerald, more and more
engrossed in occult social affairs OF
which he made no mention to Selwyn,
was still amiable and friendly, even at
times cordial and lovable, but he was
no longer frank or even communica-
tive, and Selwyn, fearing to arouse
him again to SullenneSS or perhaps
even to suspicious defiance, forbore to
press him beyond the most tentative
advances toward the regaining of his
confidence.
Gerald and Neergard left the Office
together frequently now. They often
lunched uptown. Whether they were
in each others company evenings Sell
wyn did not know, for Gerald no
longer volunteered information as to
his whereabouts or doings. And all
this hurt Selwyn and alarmed him,
too, for he was slowly coming to the
conclusion that he did not like Neer-
gard, that he would never sign arti-
cIes of partnership with him and that
even his formal associateship with the
company was too close relation for
his own peace of mind. But on Ger
AIDS account he stayed on. He did
not like to leave the boy alone for his
sisters sake as we'll as for his own.
Matters drifted that way through
early spring. He actually grew to dis
like both NeeEgard and the business OF
Neergard & Co., for no particular rea-
son perhaps, but in general, though he
did not vet care to ask himself to be
more precise in his unuttered crit1-
cisms. But Neergard broke his word
to him.
And one morning before he left his
rooms at Mrs. Greeve's lodgings to go
downtown Percy DraymOre called him
I'D on the telephone, and, as that over
fed young mans usual rising hour was
VIGOROUSLY nearer noon than 8 o'clock,
it surprised Selwyn to be asked to re-
main in his rooms for little while I'M
til Draymore and one or two friends
could call on him personally concern
ing matter of importance.
First there was Percy DraymOre,
evergroomed for gentleman, fat, good
humored and fashiOnable-one OF the
famous DraymOre family noted solely
for their money and their tight grip on
it: then came SanXon Orchil, the IA
NOUS banker and promoter, small, ur-
bane, dark, with that rich, almost orr
entail, coloring WHICH he may have in
herited from his Cordova ancestors,
who found it necessary to dehumanize
their names when Rome offered them
the choice, with immediate eternity as
alternative.
Then came a fox faced young man,
Phoenix Notify, elegant arbitef OF all
pertaining to polo and the hunt-slim
legged, Ratchet faced and more pro-
sentabie in the saddle than out of it.
He was followed by Bradley Harmon,
with his washed out coloring Of con-
sumptive Swede and his corn cOlored
beard, and looming in the rear like an
amiable brontosaurus, George Fame,
whose swaying neck carried his head
as a camel carries his, ncdding as he
walks.
eve heard last night" said Dray-
more, show that fellow-how Neer-
gard had been tampering with our
farmers-what underhand tricks he
has been playing us, and frankly adj
NIT to you that we're worried lot OF
near sports. That's what this dismal
matinee signifies, and we've come to
ask you what it all really means"
"Why did you not call on Mr.. Neer-
gard?" asked Selwyn coolly. Yet he
was taken completely by surprise, for
he did not know that Neergard had
gone ahead and secured options on his
own responsibility, which practically
amounted to q violation Of the truce
Between them. u know nothing about