The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-02-19


quarrel eno-gh TO marry WIZ dm
ron -
4 wish NJ could. said Sylva sir
ply
Grace laughed What a I-tle Coz
you are she said rendersy. seas-.
herself IN Siward's chair and droppin.
one hand Ger his where II rested s.
the arm. stephen can't y0u mas.
her-a big, Srroug fellow Ike YOU ~
well. on Your heads De Il. ~ con
science IS p v clear for tie Ar Z time
and III never meddle agar ST.,
gave Stwar's hand a perfunctlry Ua
and released him with a discreetlv ST.
fed yawn. I'm disgracefully sleep
The wind blew Ike fury along a
coast Sylvia, have you had a g44
time at ShOtover-the time OF y1a7
lifeE''
Sylvia raised her ewes and eneoup
tered Siward's.
Il certainly have" she said fafprrv
The dinner was very CAV The eero-
mony of christening the Shotover cum.
which Quarter had won. prOceede
with presentation speech and a spec, Do
OF acceptance faultlessly commo
place. during which Quarter wore bis
smile which was the only humoror s
thing he contributed.
/ The cup was full. Siward eyed f..
I perplexed. deadly afraid. vet seeing M
avenue OF escape from what must al
pear a public exhibition Of contemt
for Quarter If be refused to taste lis
contents That meant bad night for
him. Yet he shrank more from the
certain mis- Interpretation of a refusa
to drink f IN the huge loving cur.
with its heavy wreath of scented or
chtds. now already on its way toward
him. than feared the waking strug
gle so sure 10 follow.
Marion received the cup. lifted 1t in
both hands and said distinctly Good
hunting" as she drank to Quarter.
Her brother Gordon took It and drank
entirely too much Then Sylvia lifted
1t, her white hands half buried among
the orchids. ITO you" she murmured
for Siward's ear alone. then drank
gayiy, mischievously, TO the best shot
at ShOtover," And Siward took the
cup. Il salute victory" he said. smil
ing. always and everywhere To him
who takes the fighting chance and
wins out! To the best mani Health "
And he drank as a gentleman drinks
with a gay bow to Quarter and with
death in his heart
Later the irony of it struck him so
grimly that he laughed. and Sylvia.
beside him. looked up, dismayed to see
the gray change in his face.
Later at cards the aromatic odor of
decanter reused him 10
fierce desi e. Int he fought it down nm
til only the deadened. tearing ache ra-
manned To- shake and loosen every
nerve At whcn FerraH. finishing
his usual be -oh Of business letters, a.
rived to cut iii If needed Siward drun-
ped his cards with shudder. and
rose so utterly unneryed that Captain
noticing his drawn face ask
I'd him If be were net ILL.,
He was leaving on an earlier train
han the others, having decided to pass
through Boston and Deptford. at which
after place be meant to leave Saga
more for the winter ID care of rhe
manager of his mothers farm 50 he
ook a quiet leave OF those to whom
he cfvility might not prove an inter-
upton. In the big hail he passed
darion and stopped to take his leave
No, be would do no hunting this sea
on either M Garysford or with the
wo trial packs at Eastwood Possibly
t Warrentnn later but probably net.
BUSINESS threatened to detain him in
own more or less.
And that was all. unless he disturbed {
ylvia, sea ted at cards with Quarter /,
nd Major 2elwether anG Leila Nor
mer and very intent on the dummy,
cry still and i trife pallid with the l
allor of concentration.
So that was all. then.
Ascending the stairs. a servant hand a
1 him a letter bearing the crest of the [
enox club. He pocketed it unopened n
Id continued his way b
In the darkness Of his own room he :
1t down. the devils own clutch on his
lrinking nerves. n tleathly desire tear
z 1t his very vitals and every vein a
~ trail of FIRE run riot He had been 1
o long without It, too long TO endure
Ie craving aroused by that gay draft
ON Quarters loving cup.
The awakened fury of his desire ap-
llled him. and for awhile that occU 6
ed him. enabling him to endure. But
ar and dismay soon passed in the
rely physical distress. He walked
e floor hHggard. the sweat starting
his face; he lay with clinche
.nds stifened out across the bed a
afened By the rtotous clamor Of his s.
Uses, conscious that be was holding til
t. unconscious how long he could to
Id out n
&c turned on the light later to look
r his pipe, and he caught a glimpse
himself in the mirror. 1t was %
X man who stared back at hun on III
hollow e. es, and the pr ysicsl reyul- pc
N shocke,! him into something re N
milling ser command ri.
TO be Coutlaaedl Il,