Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1920-09-08
CHAPTER vIlI.-continued.

desplse modesty In business. Oh
course you are coming in with usf
AS said, we shall require five addi-
tiOnal millions. perhaps more, to work
the thing properly. There is no need
now to go into further details. You
understand the situation even better
than | do" He paused.
"Since this is Saturday said Fitz-
hugh, "and since nothing can be
gained by your knowing my decision
before Monday. / shall meet you Mon
day morning at ten o'clock and will
then give you my answer"
A slight frown appeared on Otis
thin face. He began gathering up his
data every well At what placer
AT my brokers' Shirley & Co, in
the Merrimac block.
ready what your answer win bean
emphatic yes" Suddenly he stood
up, with sweeping gesture, as
though to force into the background
everything pertaining to business.
Nov let's talk no more shop. We've
AtAh EbVuEA lOA UilE HIGHT
While they were exchanging part
Ing words the hall door opened ana
Mrs Otis and Kathleen entered.
Fitzhugh's heart seemed to stop for
the infinitesmal part Of second, ana
then. as Kathleen came down the hall,
It leapt. bounded. raced on with mad
dening speed. He tlngled to his finger
tips II was the first time he had
seen her since that moonlight night
two summers ago. Then, with the soft
June moon on her glorious hair.
gauzy scarf over her bare shoulders,
he had thought her exquisite, ethe-
real. Now with her sables her tur-
ban of white fur, the tang of the
frosty night In her glowing skin, he
thought her ravlshing, dlstractlngly
beautiful.
Momentarily Otis seemed to hesitate,
as though reluctant to do something
that might afterward earn him a re-
buke. But as Kathleen and her
mother drew near he intercepted them
with his guest and presented him. first
to his wife then to his daughter.
As the girl spoke an acknowledge
ment of Fitzhugh's salutation she
looked up for the first time into his
eyes. The next instant she started
vlsibly. and. seemingly unconscious OF
her act, did rather singular thing:
she came very close to him and looked
searchingly into his face. The bright
color heightened In her cheeks. Her
fingers closed conyulsively on the muff
she carried. Her eyes travelled swift
ly over him to his feet, and came to
rest again on his face. She seemed In
state of bewilderment
Then. recovering her composure as
quickly as she had lost 1t. she muir
INJURED something conventional and
was gone.
He never quite knew. when he
found himself walking rapidly down
the drive, with the snow swirling
round him. how he got there. His
brain was In a whirl, his pulse on fire,
and over and over he repeated to him
self "She's wonderful--more wonder
full than ever And she knows
me knows me OF them all she is
the only one. ="
His appointment was with Hunt at
a Michigan avenue club. II was here
he renewed the third acquaintance
ship of that memorable day A ''quiet
little game" was brewing In an upper
room, and he arrived In time to join
at the beginning. The first deaf fell
To him, and as he shutiled the cards
In high feather. exchanging quips with
the men around the table Hnent HIS
obvious good spirits. the door behind
him opened aud some new players
entered.
The next moment Fitzhugh was be
ing introduced TO the new arrivals.
mir, Fitzhugh, this Is Artie Sparkle"
A foppish young man. smiling yscu-
| ously. came forward with minCing
step and held out a tlabby. bejeweled
| hand.
The "qulet little game" lasted all
| Saturday night and until late Sunday
| afternoon. FitZhugh's Golden Cod
dess. Luck, frowned upon him Mt Slrst
and he lost steadily; but later his SUI
perlor playing began to tell, and as
her inciemencg gradually turned 10
smiles he won much faster than he
had lost. He was decidedly the mas
ter OF the others.
Artle Sparkle lost continually. Also,
he continually drank. 1t was not
quite clear whether his adversely was
responsible for his lntemperanee, or
vice versa. but certainly as his liba.
lions increased he played the more
recklessly. He distributed his paper
| freely. but as he became more tntox
lcated there was a decided reluctance
| 10 the advances. At length he was
fatty refused and advised to go e
bed.
At this point Fitzhugh. who so far
had loaned him nothing. removed tbs
requested number OF chips from his
generous heap and showed them across
the table to the tipsy one, who with
much difficulty counted them and gave
in exchange his o U for five hun
dred dollars. They soon went this
way of the rest. and he sat slumpet
down in his chair, his arms dangling
imply at either side. his head suRken
his mouth open, leerlng stupidity from
| under dropping lids.
Fitzhugh caught his wandering eye
Better try another stack. Sparkle.
he invited In a friendly way. and be
/