The San Francisco call., 1910-05-01
The San Francisco Sunday Can


instant Carter thought that his rival pursuing IN
another launch. Then he saw tow rope in Quirks
hand and understood. 1t was Sans skiff QuirS had
made fast before the start from the landing and
had leaped into it the motor boat drew away.
The Virgnian fumbled in the tool locker and found
a large and heavy wrench Then he climbed out
the overhang and waved it in close proximity to
Quirk's hand.
Back up!'
Quirk who had nearly handed himself up the rope
gared at him until surprise mastered anger. Good
Lord? Is that Carteret?"
The same said Carter bluntly.
"Well. what is all this? Have you gone mad?"
Dangerously I've come aboard for uninter-
ruped conversation with Mrs. Oster1nan. and I'm
ing to have it. Now you drop away and be quiet or
I'll try this you. Nice hefty thing wrench"
There mstaking the sincerity of the voice
and Quirk, bewdered and sputtering, made haste to
let slack. Carter took up his position by the
gne where he could watch Quirk and talk to Marion
He found little auxiliary steering knob against the
gunwale and he was thus in complete command He
was about resume his conversation with Marion,
who had been silent observer of the incident, when
there came a call from Quirk
"Oh, Maron,s he called Don't be afraid of the
fellow. / am here"
Confessions
But Carter would not even take the time to smile
"Its no use, Marion" he said earnestly. "You
not draw into she'll of reserve with We have
been too frank. You know me and once made me
know myself. 1 an adventurer Yes. 1 could
not take you a girl without fortune. No. aided
your marriage. Yes. After all that and in spite of
it all you acknowledged love- Can you deny it
now?"
81 shall have him arrested Immediately we landp
yelled Qurk valiantly
''You must have felt how near I was to forgetting
everything the last time we met when your husband
so far as we knew, was still alive" pleaded Carter,
with the old leaping fame in his heart
Never fear the fellow shall suffer for this" howled
Quirk
''You would not have had me otherwise, knowing
me as you do" went on Carter. "If I drew back it
the thing that kept from being quite
worthless quite the wretched soldier of for
tune Let stand straight to the problem You are
taking the pose that seek reconciliation because, be-
ing free more you have riches. Yes and no.
Marion; yes and You understand. Am I not
honest with your"
"If he is annoying you jump overheard, Marion
I will pick you up" same the shrill voice of OurI
do you prefer that?" asked Carter waving toward
the skif. What wronga She made no answer
He positive that by he had sufficiently dis
credited Quirk.
Then Carter staked his chance a swift change of
tactics, driven thereto by her unmoved silence VERY
well, Marion, he said gravely. Il have made my one
stand for happiness. 1 owed myself at least that
will restore your vOciferous friend to you and go He
is fortunate There is nothing to be said"
He turned away, but slender hand caught his
sleeve.
"Do you wish to go back and dance some more
with Dorothea2" she asked tremulousy, shyly
He laughed laugh of sheer delight and content
and caught her boldly in his arms She surrendered
herself to him with little sigh. so that was it?" he
said
He shall suffer for his impudent audacity," came
the wall from Ourk.
Shall he?" whispered Carter The answer was
inartcuate
They half mile from the boat club landing
and Carter left her moment while he severed
Quirs painter greatly the indignation and dismay
of that young Then he turned the launch for
wide circle and sent it swiftly into the perfect
night, that they two might be alone this their hour
The Great Goal
1t was over, the long campaign, the time of painful
scaling Of the social heights the sirrnishes the am
buscades, the schemings the partial trumphs and Bit
ter defeats. Single handed he had conquered field
after field captured fortress after fortress where the
purple flag floats above the gilded ramparts of the
elect. Now with the reinforcement of Marion and
the zinc millions, the citadel lay just before him. 1t
would capitulate. The struggle was past. The rest
merry making.
He looked back to the day when he had come-to the
great city, poor boy from Virginia with nothing
but his good looks his tact his shrewdness and his
premature knowledge of the world as capital He
had gone far since then Scarcely any door was closed
against him. He belonged to the most exclusive
clubs His private fortune was ample for his own
needs His clothes his horses, his automobiles set
the fashion 1t needed but the charming wife and the
millions to buttress his life position And now he
held them
II there was taste of ashes in the reward he had
gained philosophy that taught him to expect it. If
the ghttering trophies proved not pure gold he was
wiling to take them for what they were. If the
favored ones with whom he had come to dwell were
not the noble hgures they had seemed from the outer
regions, he was tutored against disappointment Now
that ne had it, his intelligence could read the folly and
the lnsignihcance and the barrenness and thee OF il