The Holly chieftain. (Holly, Colo.) 1897-1987, 1916-12-08

1
hung heavy in the night air. Sylvia
Arnaud clapped her hands like q child
| The noise Of the dancing and music
1 reached the lighted room that faced
ont on the avenue. At his place BY the
window Stephen Lowe seemed plunged
In his own thoughts. and the man In
/ evening dress who stood with his
clenched hand on the table stamped
impatiently.
Are you listening. Mr.. Lower
"Yes. yes. I am listening. heard
every thing you said. Sower was cash
tered. am not surprised. His profess
sion was his tragedy. He would have
made an admirable company promoter.
but the task OF being an honest gen
tleman was too much for him. You say
be has committed suicide. Have you
come all this way to tell me Of poor
Sewers more or less providential e.
cape. Mr.. Prestonr'
The young man crimsoned. but an
swered steadily.
"You were his friend"
A faint ironical smile crept over
loves suffering features.
II was Sewers partner" he said
quietly. you were Farquhar's friend
You chose to act with us against bim
of your own free0dll. There was n
compact. an understanding. The whole
scene that night was farce. a little
play-acting with you rs an unconscious
actor. Farquhar interviewed. He blum
dered recklessly. but he spoiled our
plans"
you scoundrel!"
Eyes, I am scoopdrel," Lowe sad
simply; but do not trouble to murder
me. That would get you into dimcul-
ties. and It is not necessary" He
touched himself lightly on the chest.
II have something here which will IN
ish me of in month or two-less
pleasantly than you would do. That
Is why care not at all how much or
how little you know. The partnership
is ended-and I am going out Of busi-
ness" He laughed sardonically and
turned back to the window. The crowd
beneath had broken up and fallen back
on either side beneath the trees of the
avenue. and from the distance there
sounded dull rhythmic beat and the
ominous rattle of drums. 1.-The Legion
has returned" Lowe said quietly. do
you want to see the saddest sight on
earth, Mr. Preston?"
The young man drew nearer. re-
luctant yet fascinated. His hands were
no longer clenched. He was looking at
the gaunt figure leaning negligently
against the window edge as at some
thing monstrous, incredible
slave you no conscience-no re-
morseY he said.
"Oh, yes, Mr.. Preston, great deal"
Then pity my remorse. For Gods
sake-if you know-tell me why Far
quhar did that thing-help me to un-
derstand."
The boyish passionate pleading
caused Lowe to turn moment. He
smiled, and that faint glimmer of half
compassionate understanding was a
light falling deep into turgid stream
revealing many sunken. forgotten
things.
"Farquhar sacrificed himself" he
said. HE resigned because Sewer
wished it. That seems incredible. But
Sewer held the reins. There was an
old tragedy which he used for his own
ends-the tragedy of his fathers death
and of Captain Farquhar's disappear
ance."
The roll of drums was close at hand,
and w0man's note of laughter flut-
tered up birdllke from the somber-flow-
Ing tide Of sound.
Lowe turned back to the window.
"You see, Sewer miscalculated," he
went on. "He was Jew from God
knows where, and he lost his sense of
patriotism. He did not understand
this red-hot love Of ones birthplace.
He did not understand the reckless
temperament Of the man with whom
he was dealing. Are you beginning to
understand. Mr.. Preston?"
"Yes. l am beginning to under
stand" Preston said DULY. "And them"
"Then history repeated itself-not
in incident, but In character. Robert
Sewer tried to be the honorable gen
tleman; he tried even, strange as It
may seem, to gain Farquhar's friend
ship. He failed, and then-you re-
member that scene at the card tables?
That decided him. Blood and instinct
were too strong. He turned and used
his power"
Lowe stepped out on to the balcony,
and bent forward with his elbows on
the rail-. watching the dense company
of chausseurs force their way through