The Harrison times., 1920-05-15
CHAPTER VlII.-continued.

lne llluS properly. llleTe II no HcFN
now to 90 into further details. You
understand the situation even better
than | do" He paused.
"Since this is Saturday" said FitG-
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. VERY well. At what place"
AT my brokers-Shirley & Co., in
the Merrimac block.
"At ten? Very well. l know al
ready what your answer will bean
emphatic yes" Suddenly he stood
up, with a swoepng gesture, as
though to force into the background
everything pertaining to business.
"NOw let's talk no more shop. We've
had enough for one night"
While they were exchanging part
ing words the hall door opened and
Mrs. Otis and Kathleen entered.
Fitzhughs heart seemed to stop for
the infnitesimal part Of a second, and
then, as Kathleen came down the hall,
1t leapt, bounded, raced on with mad
dening speed. He tingled to his finger
tips. 1t 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, a
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 ravishing, diStractingly
beautiful.
Momentarily Otis seemed to hesitate
as though reluctant to do something
that might afterward earn him 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
visibly, and, seemingly unconscious Of
her act, did a 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 Convulsively 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
a state Of bewilderment
Then, recovering her compOsure as
quickly as she had lost it, she muir
INJURED something conventional and
was gone.
He never quite knew, when he
found himself walking rapidly down
the drive, with the snow swirllng
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. 1t 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 deal fell
to him. and as he shutlled the cards
in high feather exchanging quips with
the men around the table anent his
obvious good spirits, the door behind
him opened and some new players
entered.
The next moment Fitzhugh was be-
ing introduced to the new arrivals.
"Mr. Fitzhugh, this Is Artie Sparkle
A foppsh young man, smiling vacu-
ously, came forward with mincing
step and held out a flabby, bejeweled
hand.
The "quiet little game lasted all
Saturday night and until late Sunday
afternoon. Fitzhugh's Golden God
dess, Luck, frowned upon him at first
and he lost steadily; but later his SUI
perlor playing began TO tell and as
her nclemency gradually turned to
smiles he won much faster than he
had lost. He was decidedly the mas
ter Of the others,
ArtIe Sparkle lost continually, Also,
he continually drank. 1t was not
quite clear whether his adversely was
responsible for his intempcrance, or
vice versa, but certainly as his llba-
lions increased he played the more
recklessly lie distributed his paper
freely, but as he became more intoN.
'calcd there was Il decided reluctance
60 the advances. At length he was
fatty refused ana advised to go to
bed.
At this point Fltzhugh, who so far
had loaned him nothing, removed the
requested number Of chips from his
generous heap and showed them across
the table to the tlpsy one who with