Highland recorder., February 05, 1909, Image 4

About Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
punier Set
"By 'RO'BE'RT W. CHAMBERS,
Author of "The Fighting Chance." Etc.
*r COPYRIGHT. 1907. BY ROBERT W. CHAMBERS. j?
mNlft>?*<s^|%iw<ss|||ss<wii^%s*<sst%>w<s^^^
Chapter 14 W
^CS^ILEBN, se wins by tho
" ^ jTiii? nursery window, looked
op. lier little Alsatian
maid, cross legged on
the floor nt her feet
sewing away diligently,
also looked up. then
Scrambled to her feet ns Selwyn halt?
ed on the threshold of the room.
"Why, how odd you look!" said Ei?
leen, laughing. "Come In. please. Ru?
BSJine and 1 are only mending some ??f
our summer things. Were you In
search of the children? Don't say so
If you were, because I'm quite happy
in believing that you knew I was bore.
Did you?"
"Where are the children?" he asked.
"In the park, my very rude friend.
You will lind them on the niall if "you
start at once."
He hesitated, hut finally seated him?
self, omitting the little formal haul
Eileen looked vp.
shake ?iith which they always met,
even nfter an hour's separation. Of
course she . noticed this and, bend?
ing low above her sewing, wondered
why.
It seemed to him for a moment as
though he were looking at a woman
he had heard about and had just met
for the first time. His observation of
ber now was leisurely, calm and thor?
ough?not so calm, however, when,
impatient of his reticence, bending
there over her work, she raised he
dark blue eyes to his. her head ra
maining lowered. The sweet, sile.i
Inspection lasted but a moment. Th.ci
she resumed her stitches, aware that
Bomething in bini had changed since
she last had seen him. But she mere?
ly smiled quietly to herself, conlldeut
, of his unaltered devotion in spite of
the strangely hard and unresponsive
gaze that had uneasily evaded hers.
As her white fingers flew with the
BjUnunefing needle sile reflected on con?
ditions as she had left them a week
ago. A week ago between him and
lier the most perfect of understand?
ings existed, and the consciousness of
it she had carried with her every mo?
ment in the country?amid the icy tum?
ble of the surf, on long, vigorous walks
over the greening hills where wild
moorland winds whipped like a million
fairy switches till the young blood fair?
ly sang, pouring through her veins.
Since that?some time within the
week--something evidently had hap?
pened to him here in the city while
she had been away. What?
As she bent above the fine linen gar?
ment on her knee, needle flying, a sud?
den memory stirred coldly?the recol?
lection of her ride with Rosamund?
and instinctively her clear eyes flew
open, and she raised her head, turning
directly toward him a disturbed gaze
he did not this time evade.
In silence their regard lingered; then,
satisfied, she smiled again, saying,
"Have I been away so long that we
must begin all over, Captain Selwyn?"
"Begin what, Eileen?"
"To remember that the silence of
selfish preoccupation is a privilege I
have not accorded you?"
"I didn't mean to be preoccupied."
"Oh, worse and worse!" She shook
her bead and began to thread the nee?
dle. "I see that my week's absence
has not been very good for you. I
knew it toe moment you came In with
nil that guilty, absentminded effrontery
which I have forbidden."
He colored up as he took her hand
in his". Then they both laughed at the
very vigorous shake.
"What a horribly unfriendly creature
you can be." said Eileen. "Never a
greeting, never even a formal expres?
sion of pleasure at my return."
"You have not returned," he said,
smiling. "You have been with me ev?
ery moment, Eileen."
"What a pretty tribute!" she exclaim?
ed. "I am beginning to recognize
traces of my training after all."
When the children came in they left
the nursery together and descended
the stairs to the library. Austin had
just come in, and he looked up from
his solitary cup of tea as they en?
tered.
"Hello, youngsters! What conspiracy
are you up to now? I suppose you
sniffed the tea and have come to de?
prive me. By the way, Phil, I hear
tint you've sprung the trap on those
Siowitha people."
"Neergard has, I believe."
"Well, isn't it all one?"
"No, it is not," retorted Selwyn so
bluntly that Eileen turned from the
window at a sound in his voice which
she had never before heard.
"Oh!" Austin stared over his sus?
pended teacup, then drained it. "Trou?
ble with our friend Julius?" he in?
quired.
"No trouble. I merely severed my
connection with him."
"Ah! When?"
"This morning."
"In that case," said Austin, laugh?
ing, "I've ? |ob for you."
"No, old fellow, and thank you with
all my heart I've half made up my
mind to live on my income for awhile
and take up that cbaosite matter I
again." .J
?'Anil blow yourself to smithereens!
Why spatter nature thus':"
"No fear," said Selwyn, laughing.
"And if it promises anything 1 may
como to you for advice on how to start
it coniniereiiilly."
"If it doesn't start you heavenward
you shall have my advice from a safe
distance. I'll telegraph it," said Aus?
tin. "But, if it's not personal, why on
earth have you shaken NeergardV"
And Selwyn answered simply: "I
don't like him. That is the reason.
Austin."
The children from the head of the
stairs were now shouting demands for
their father, and Austin rose, pretend?
ing to grumble.
"Those confounded kids! A man is
never permitted a moment to himself.
He drcie from Ml pocket a flat box.
Jls Ninsi up there. Eileen? Oh, all right!
Excuses, etc. I'll be back pretty soon.
You'll stay to dine, Thil?"
"I don't think so."
"Yes, he will stay," said Eileen calm?
ly.
And when Austin had gone she walk?
ed swiftly over to where Selwyn was
Standing and looked him directly In the
eyes.
"Ls all well with Gerald?"
"Y-yes, I suppose so."
"Is he still with Neergard & Co.?"
"Yes, Eileen."
"And you don't like Mr. Neergard?"
"N-no."
"Then Gerald must not remain."
He said very quietly: "Eileen, Gerald
no longer takes me into his confidence.
I am afraid?I know, in fact?that I
SUITS little influence with him now. I
um sorry. It hurts, but your brother ls
his own master, and he is at liberty to
choose his own friends and his own
business policy. I cannot influence
bim. I have learned that thoroughly.
Better that I retain what real friend?
ship he has left for rae than destroy lt
by any attempt, however gentle, to in?
terfere in ids affairs."
She stood before him, straight, slen?
der, her face grave and troubled.
"I cannot understand," she said, "how
he could refuse to listen to a man like
you."
"A man like me, Eileen? Well, If I
were worth listening to no doubt he'd
listen. But the fact remains that I
have not been able to hold his inter?
est."
"Don't give him up," she said, still
looking straight into his eyes. "If you
care for me, don't give him up."
"Care for you, Eileen! You know I
do."
"Yes, I know it. So you will not
give up Gerald, will you? He is?is
only a boy. You know that. You
know he has been?perhaps?indiscreet.
But Gerald ls only a boy. Stand by
him, Captain Selwyn, because Austin
does not know how to manage him?
really he doesn't. There has been an?
other unpleasant scene between them.
Gerald told me."
"Did he tell you why. Eileen?"
"Yes. ne told me that he had play?
ed cards for money and he was in
debt. I know that sounds almost dis?
graceful, but is not his need of help
all the greater?"
Selwyn'* eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Did you help him out this time?"
"I?I?how do you mean, Captain
Selwyn?" But the splendid color in
her face continued his certainty that
she had used her own resources to
help her brother pay the gambling
debt, and he turned away his eyes,
angry and silent.
"Y("5." she said under her breath, "I
did aid him. What of It? Could I re?
fuse?"
"I know. Don't aid bira again?that
way."
She stared. "You mean"?
"Send him to rae, child. I under?
stand such mattera. I?that is"? And
in sudden exasperation inexplicable,
for the moment, to them both: "Don't
touch such matters agalr! They soil,
I tell you. I will not have Gerald go
to you about such things!"
"My own brother! What do you
mean?"
"I mean that, brother or not, he
Khali not bring such matters near
you!"
"Am I to count for nothing, then,
when Gerald is in trouble?" she de
manded, flushing up.
"Count! Count!" he repeated impa?
tiently. "Of course you count! Good
heavens! It's women like you who
count, and no others?not one single
oilier sort is of the slightest conse?
quence in the world or to it."
She had turned a little pale under
his vehemence, watching him out of
wide and beautiful eyes.
What she understood, how much of
his incoherence she was able to trans?
late, is a question, but In his eyes and
voice there was something simpler to
divine, and she stood very still whin
his roused emotions swept her till her
heart leaped up and every vein in her
ran fiery pride.
"I am?overwhelmed. I did not con?
sider that I counted?so vitally?in the
scheme of things. But I must try to
if you believe all this of me, only you
must teach me how to count for some?
thing In the world. Will you?"
"Teach you, Eileen. What winning
mockery! I teach you? Well, then, I
teach you this?that a man's blunder ls
best healed by a man's sympathy. I,
wiJJ stand by Gerald as long as he j
will let nie Od Ho, nor alone11or your
sake nor only for bis, but for my own.
1 promise you that. Are you con?
tented:"
?Yes."
She slowly raised one hand, laying it
fearlessly In both of his.
"He is all I have left," she said.
"You know that."
"I know, child."
"Tiion, thank you, Captain Selwyn."
"No; I thank you for giving nie this
charge. It means that I man must
raise his own standard of living before
he can accept such responsibility. You
endow me with all that a man ought to
be, and ray task is doubled, for it Is
not only (Jerald, but I myself, who re?
quire surveillance."
He looked up, smilingly serious.
"Such women as you alone can tit your
brother and nie for an endless guard
duty over the Aviate stan., rd you have
planted on the outer walls of the
world."'
"You say things to me- l onetimes"?
she faltered, "that almost burt with
the pleasure they give."
"Did that give you pleasure:"
"Y-yes; the surprise of il was almost
foo? too keon. I wish you would not?
but I am glad you did. You see"?drop?
ping into a great velvet chair?"having
been of no serious consequence to any?
body for so many years?to be told
suddenly that I?that I count so vitally
with men?a man like you"?
Slie sank back, drew one small hand
across her eyes and rested a moment;
then, leaning forward, she set her el?
bow on one knee and bracketed her
chin lietween forefinger and thumb.
"I've not had you to talk to (of a
whole week," she said, "and youl) lei
me, won't you? I can't help it any- j
way, because as soon as I see yon?
crack?a million thoughts wake up lu
me and clipper-clapper goes my tongue
You are very good for me. You .ire so
thoroughly satisfactory except whet
your eyes narrow in that dreadful, far?
away gaze which I've forbidden, you
understand. What have you done to
your mustache?"
"Clipped it."
"Oh, I don't like it too short! Can
you get hold ot lt to pull lt? It's the
only thing that helps you in perplexity
to solve problems. You'd )>e utterly
helpless mentally without your mus?
tache. Shall we take up our Etruscan
symbols again when you come down to
Stay with us at Sllverslde?"
"Indeed we shall," he said, smiling
"Which also reminds me"?
He drew from his breast pocket a
thin, flat box, turned it round and
round and glanced at her, balancing it
teasingly in the palm of his hand.
"Is lt for me? Really? Oh, please
don't be provoking! Is it really for
rae? Then give it to me this instant!"
He dropped the box into the pink hol?
low of her supplicating palms. For a
moment she was very busy with the
tissue paper, then said:
"Oh, it is perfectly sweet of you!"
turning the small book bound in heavy
Etruscan gold. "Whatever can lt be?"
And, rising, she opened it, stepping to
the window so that she could see.
Within, the pages were closely cov?
ered with the minute, careful hand?
writing of her father. It was the first
notebook he ever kept, and Selwyn
had had lt bound for her in gold.
For an instant she gazed, breathless,
lips parted. Then slowly she placed
the yellowed pages against her Ups
and, turning, looked straight at Sel?
wyn, the splendor of her young eyes
starred with tears.
ILIXB RUTHVEN had not
yet dared tell Selwyn that
her visit to his rooms was
known to her husband.
She was now afraid of
her husband's malice,
afraid of Selwyn's opinion, afraid of
herself most of all, for she understood
herself well enough to realize that if
conditions became intolerable the llrst
and easiest course out of it would be
the course she'd take?wherever it led.
whatever it cost or whoever was In?
volved.
In addition to her dread and excite?
ment, she was deeply chagrined and
unhappy, and, although Jack Ruthven
did not again refer to the matter?In?
deed, appeared to have forgotten lt?
her alarm and humiliation remained
complete, for Gerald now came and
played and went as he chose, and in
her disconcerted cowardice she dared
not do more than plead with Gerald in
secret until she began to find the emo?
tion consequent upon, such Intimacy
unwise for them both.
Neergard, too, was becoming a fa?
miliar figure In her drawing room, and,
though at first she detested him. his
liosamun'd Fane.
MUMU! RM PUfftttiM *?H! '" "*':''
btu uinjoao?iaied sdmlmflou Fe? nea
Mofteqed her manner toward him ta thc
point of toleration.
And Neergard, from lils equivocal
footing m the house of Ruthven, ob
tamed another uo less precarious m
ihe house of Fane-all In the begin?
ning on ? purely gaming basis. How?
ever, Gerald had already proposed him
for the Stuyvesant and Proscenium I
clubs, and. furthermore, a stormy dis-1
CUSStOn was now In progress among
the members of the famous Rkwttba j
orer sa amazing proposition from their |
treasurer, Jack Ruthven.
This proposaj was UOtlUng less than
to admit Neergard to membership ii
that wealthy and exclusive country
club as a choice of the lesser evil, for
it appeared, according to Ruthven, thal
Neergard, if admitted, was willing to
restore to the club free of rent the
thousands of acres vitally necessary i.>
the club's existence as a game preserve,
merely retaining the title to these lands
for himself.
> Draymore was Incensed at the pro?
posal, Harmon, Orchil ami Fane were
disgustedly noncommittal, but Phoe?
nix Nettly was perhaps the angriest
mau on Long Island.
"In the name of decency. Jack," hf
said, "what are you dreaming of? Is i
not enough that this man Neergard
holds us up once? Do I understan
that he has the impudence t,( do i
again with your connivance? Are yo
going to let him sandbag us into c'.ecl
lng him? Is that the sort of holj.u;
you stand for? Well. then. I Iel] yoi
I'll never vote for him. Pd rather >e.
these lakes and streams of ours drj
up. I'd rather see the last pheasant
Mitred and the last covey leave for thc
other end of the Island than buy o."
that Dutchman with a certificate ol
membership in the Slowitha!''
"In that case." retorted Ruthven,
"we'd better wind up our affairs and
make arrangement! for an auctioneer.'
"All right. Wind up and be hanged!'
r.ald Mott ly. "There'll be at least tuffi
clent self respect left In the treasury
to go round."
Which was all very fine, and Mottlv
meaut it at the time, but outside of
the Asset of self respect there was too
much money invested In the lands,
pla ut and buildings, in the streams,
lakes, hatcheries and forests of the
Siowltha. The enormously wealthy
seldom stand long upon dignity if thai
dignity is going to be very expensive
Only tbe poor can afford disastrous self
respect.
So the chances were that Neergard
would become a member, which was
why he had acquired the tract, and the
price he would have to pay was not
only In taxes upon the acreage, but se?
cretly a solid sum in addition to little
Mr. Ruthven, whom he was binding to
him by every tie he could pay for.
He suffered (Jerald and little Ruth
ven to pilot him. He remained cheer?
fully oblivious to the snubs and indif?
ference accorded him by Mrs. It u th vern
Mrs. Fane and others of their entour?
age whom he encountered over the card
tables or at card suppers. And al! the
while he was attending to his business
with an energy and activity that ought
to have shamed Gerald and did at
times, particularly when he arrived at
the office utterly unfit for the work be?
fore him.
But Neergard continued astonishing?
ly tolerant and kind, lending him mon?
ey, advancing him what he required,
taking up or renewing notes for him
until the boy, heavily in his debt,
plunged more heavily still in sheer des?
peration, only*to flounder the deeper at
every struggle to extricate himself.
Alixe Ruthven suspected something
of this, but it was useless as well as
perilous in other ways for her to argue
with Gerald, for the boy had come to
a point where even his devotion to her
could not stop him. Ile must go on.
Meanwhile the Ruthvens were living
almost lavishly and keeping four more
horses. Rut Eileen Erroll's bank bal?
ance had now dwindled to three fig?
ures, and Gerald had not only acted of?
fensively toward Selwyn, but had quar?
reled so violently with Austin that the
latter, thoroughly Incensed and disgust?
ed, threatened to forbid him the house.
"The little fool," he said to Selwyn,
"came here last night stinking of
wine and attempted to lay down the
law to me?tried to dragoon me Into a
compromise with him over the invest?
ments I have made for him! By God.
Phil, be shall not control one cent until
the trust conditions are fulfilled,
though it was left to my discretion
too. And I told him so flatly. I told
him he wasn't flt to lie trusted with
the coupons of a repudiated South
American bond"?
"Hold on, Austin. That Isu't the
way to tackle a boy like that!"
"Isn't it? Well, why not? Do you
expect me to dicker with him?"
"No; but, Austin, you've always been
a little brusque with him. Don't you
think"
"No, I don't. It's discipline ho needs,
and he'll get it good and plenty every
time bi comes here."
"I?I'm afraid he may cease coining
here. That's the worst of it. For his
sister's sake I think we ought to try
to put up with"?
"Put up! Put up! I've been doing
nothing else since he came of age.
Ho's turned out a fool of a puppy, I
tell you. He's idle, lazy, dissipated.
Impudent, conceited. Insufferable"?
"But not vicious, Austin, and not
untruthful. Where bil affections are
centered he Is always generous; where
they should be centered he ls merely
thoughtless, not deliberately {-elfish.
And. Austin, we've simply got to be?
lieve In him, you know-on Eileen's
account."
Austin grew angrier and redder.
"Eileen's account? Do you mean her
bank account? It's easy enough to be?
lieve Ul him If voil Inspect his sister's
bank account Believe in him? Oh.
certainly I do. 1 believe he's pup
enough to come meeking 1n llis elster
to pay for all thc fooleries lie's en
gaged in. And I've positively forbid?
den her to draw another check to bis
order."
"It's that little bungled Whelp Ruth
ven," said Selwyn between his teeth
"I warned Gerald most solemnly ot
that man, but"- He shrugged his
shoulders and glanced about him at
the linen covered furniture and ban
floors. After a moment he looked up
"The game there is, of course, noto?
rious. I?if matters- did not stand Sf
they do'^-he flushed painfully - "Fd
go straight to Ruthven and find out
whether or not this business could ts
stopped."
If Alixe had done ber best to keep
?ssusssj nm usn
ocr.:!u mm*,'. ?.:;?.< at'$esf< ? ? I ? rjwi ?
poweric?s |r tho m<\ ;?;: nail if ww
therefore o? >- ? ! uo to ber. Besides,
be bod every -inclination to avoid her.
He had i amej h>- lesson,
To whom iben could lie go? Through
whom cont J be reach Gerald? Through
Nina? Useless. And Gerald had al?
ready defied Austin. Through Neer?
gard, then? Bui be was on no terms
willi Neergard. How could he go to
him? Through Rosamund Fane? At
tho though! he made a wry face. Any
advances from him she would willfully
misinterpret. And Ruthven? Dow on
earth could he bring himself to ap?
proach him?
And yet he had promised Eileen to
do v.hni be could. What merit lay in
performing an easy obligation? What
courage was required to keep a prom?
ise easily kept? If bo cared anything
for her, if he really cared for Gerald,
he owed them more than effortless ful?
fillment. So first of all. when at length
he had decided, he nerved himself to
?trike straight at ,-ie center, and with?
in the hoar ho foy ad Gerald at the
Stuyvesant club.
The boy descended to the visitors'
rooms, Selwyn's card in his hand and
distrust written on every feature. And
at Selwyn'?, first frank and friendly
words he reddened to the temples and
checked him.
"I won't listen," he said. "They?
Austin and-and everybody has been
puning you up to this until I'm tired
of it. Do they think I'm a biby? Do
they suppose I don't know enough to
take care of myself? Are they trying
to make me ridiculous? I tell you
they'd better let me alone. My friends
are my friends, and I won't listen to
uny criticism of them, and that settles
it."
"Gerald"?
"Oh. I know perfectly well that you
dislike Neergard. I don't, and that's
the difference."
"I'm not speaking of Mr. Neorgc.rd.
Gerald. I'm only trying to tell you
what this man Ruthven really is do
lng."
"What do I caro what he is doing!"
cried Gerald angrily. "And, anyway,
it Isn't likely Fd come to you to find
oat anything about Mrs. Ruthven's
second husband!"
Selwyn rose, very white and still.
After a moment he drew a quiet
"What?" whispered Schr-un.
breath, his clinched hands relaxed, and
he picked up his hat and gloves.
"They are my friends," muttered
Gerald, as pale as he. "You drove me
into speaking that way."
"Perhaps I did, my boy. I don't judge
you. If you ever find you need help
come to me. And if you can't come
and still need me send for me. I'll do
what 1 can always. I know you better
than you know yourself. Goodby."
He turned to the door, and Gerald
burst out: "Why can't you let ray
friends alone? I liked you before you
began this sort of thing!"
"I will let them alone if you will,"
said Selwyn, halting. "I can't stand by
and see you exploited and used and
perverted. Will you give me one
chance to talk it over, (Jerald?"
"No; I won't!" returned Gerald hotly.
"I'll stand for my friends every time'
There's no treachery In me!"
"You are not standing by me very
fast," said the elder man gently.
"I said I was standing by my
friends!" repeated the boy.
"Very well, Gerald, but it's at the ex?
pense of your own people, Fra afraid."
"That's ray business, and you're not
one of 'em," retorted the boy, infuri?
ated, "and you won't he, either, if I
can prevent it, no matter whether peo?
ple say that you're engaged to her"?
"What?'' whispered Selwyn, wheel?
ing like a flash. The last vestige of col?
or had fled from his face, and Gerald
caught his breath, almost blinded by
the blaze qf fury in the elder man's
eyes.
Neither spoke again, and after a mo?
ment Selwyn's eyes fell, and he turned
heavily on his heel and walked away,
head bent, gray eyes narrowing to
silts.
Yet through the brain's chaos and
the heart's loud tumult and the clamor
of pulses run wild at the insult fluug
Into his very face the grim instinct to
go on persisted, and he went on and on
for her sake?ou, he knew not how, un?
til he came to Neergard's apartment in
one of the vast west side constructions
bearing the name of a sovereign state,
and here after an interval he followed
his card to Neergard's splendid suit,
where a manservant received him and
left him seated by a sunny window
overlooking the blossoming foliage of
the park.
When Neergard came In and stood on
the farther side of a big oak table Sel?
wyn rose, returning -the cool, curt nod.
"Mr. Neergard," he said, "it ls not
easy for me to come here after what
l raid to you when I severed my con?
nection with your firm. You have
every reason to be unfriendly toward
me, but I came on the chance that
whatever resentment you may feel will
not prevent you from hearing me out."
"Personal resentment," said Neergard
slowly, "never Interferes with my bust
ness. 1 tate ir. of course, that you
have called i;p>:i a business matter
Will you sit down?"
"ihaiik yoi, I hive only a moment,
and what i am here for is to ask yon
as Mr. Erroll's friend to use your In
nuance on Mr. Erroll?every atom of
your influence?to prevent bim from
ruining himself financially through his
excesses. I ask you for his family's
sake to discountenance any moro gam
hiing, to hold him strictly to his dillie.
in your Office, to overlook no more
shortcomings of his, but to demand
from him what any trained business
mau demands of bbl associates as wei!
as of his employees. I ask this for the
boy's sake."
"I am not aware that Gerald re?
quires any interference from me or
from you either/' said Neergard coolly.
"And, as far as that goes, I and my
business require no Interference either.
And I believe that settles it."
He touched a button. The man?
servant appeared to usher Selwyn out.
The latter set his teeth iu his undl'i'
fib ,...'1 .??;>??:? -:'l ItftUgttt ;:"-t UilU Ul
.Nuoiguid. bro N'ei-ii.-ird thrust both
ha mb in bte pockets, tuencj squarely
on his heel and #untered out of the
room, yawning au ho went.
Ir'bid fair to become a hard day for
Selwyn. He foresaw lt, for there was
more for hun to do. and the day waa
far from ended, and bte self restraint
was nearly exhaust id.
An hour litter be sent bis enid in to
Rossmund Pane, and Rosamund came
down presently, mystified, flattered, yet
shrewdly alert and prepared for any?
thing since the miracle of his coming
Justified such preparation.
"Why In the world." she said, with
a flushed gayety perfectly genuine,
"did you ever come to see me?"
"It's only this," he said?"I am won?
dering whether you would do anything
for me."
"Anything! Merci! Isn't that ex?
tremely general, Captain Selwyn? But
you never can tell. Ask me."
So he bent forward, his clasped
hands between his knees, and told her
very earnestly of his fears about Ger?
ald, asking her to use her undoubted
influence with the boy to shaine him
from the card tables, explaining how
utterly dlsastrouvto him and his fam?
ily his present coin se was.
"Could you help us?" he asked.
"Help us, Captain Selwyn? Who ls
the 'us,' please':"
"Why, Gerald and rae?and his fam?
ily," he added, meeting her eyes. The
eyes began to dance with 1 .alice.
"His family," repeated lYsumund?
"that ls to say, his sister, Miss Er?
roll. His family, I believe, ends there,
does lt not?"
"Yes, Mrs. Fane."
"I see. Miss Erroll is naturally wor?
ried over him. But I wouder why she
did not come to me herself instead of
sending you as her errant ambassa?
dor."
"Miss Erroll did not send me," he
said, flushing up. And, looking stead?
ily into the smiling doll's fare confront?
ing him, he knew again that he hid
failed.
She smiled. "Come to me on your
own errand, for Gerald's sake, for any?
body's sake, for your own preferably,
and I'll listen, but don't come to me on
anorher woman's errands, for I won't
listen even to you."
"I have come on my own errand."
he repeated coldly. "Miss Erroll knew
nothing about it anil shall not hear of
it from me. Can you not help me. Mrs.
Fane?" i
But Rosamund's rose china features
had hardened into a polished smile,
and Selwyn stood up wearily to make
his adieu.
But as he entered his hansom before
the door he knew the end was not yet. .
and once more he set his face toward
the impossible, and once more the han- I
som rolled away over the asphalt, and \
once more it stopped, this time before i
the house of Ruthven
Tto bk continued.]
Exclusive.
"Now that your son's in college, I
suppose he'll be gettiug exclusive; he'll j
be getting into the Four Hundred."
"Oh, he's more exclusive than that!
He's on the nine already."?Exchange. '
PHONE
ii Wc help \?)j ?
Write tor offer of complete
outfit and Lightning guaran?
tee.
No agents, buy direct from
largest factory making speci?
alty of heavy duty Phones io
tho world.
Send for booklet.
Write To-Day
THE
Sumter Tel. Mfg Co.
Sumter, S. C.
Box 60
3 Kl&.Lthe GOUCH
Sand CURE the LUNGS
wi? Dr. King's
Hew Discovery
ANO ALL THROAT AND LUNG TROUBLES.
I GUARANTEED SATISFACTORY
OR MONI'Y REFUNDED.
11 ENHY A SLAVEN
Pkactical Land Scuveyok and no
taky Public.
Monterey, Highland Co., Va
Maps and Blue Prints a specialty. All
wrt in this line solicited.
DU U. H. BURTON,
eye,;-:ar.\o?e and throat speciai.st
Lexington, Va.
Two trips to Highland county? io. May
ami October,?Strppiae; at Monterey,
McDowell find Doe Hill. (Hasses titted
by prescription.
V map %.:.
m wssLmtxmmimi
Fultz's Florse and Cattle,
Powder-A standard
tor 50 yearn
Its reliability, and purity are everywhere
known and its efficiency for conditioning
^.^^^?.y^'^'y-:-*{?-; and curing animals of disease has never been
equalled. It cures chronic cough, heaves, influenza; hide-bound diges?
tion, constipation, and all stomach troubles. Restores lest appetite,
and increases the assimilation. It assists in fattening and increases the
quantity of milk and cream.
Foutz's Superior Poultry Food - 25c per package
Foutz's Certain Worm Powder - - 50c " "
Foutz's Healing Powder for collar galls, etc. 25c " ''
Fouti's Certain Kolik Cure - 50c "
Foutz's Liniment - - 25c " "
EWy article of our manufacturer is guaranteed and bears U.S.
Serial No. 217. Sold everywhere. At Monterey, K. H. Trimble, drug?
gist. At McDowell, McNulty Bros.
The David E. FoutzCo., Baltimore, Md.
YOU can save money
and get better material,
better workmanship,
and a more artistic de?
sign, by buying a mon
urnent o r headstore
trom me
If you need an iron
fence, i furnish the beet
for the money.
W. R. SNYDER, Hightown Va., Agent
I or The Hinton Maible Works
Better Not Get
Dyspepsia
If you can help it Kodol prevent* Dyspepsia, by
effectually helping Nature to Relieve Indigestion.
But don't trifle with Indigestion,
A great many people who have
trifled with indigestion, have been
sorry for it?when nervous or
chronic dyspepsia resulted, and
they have not been able to cure it.
Use Kodol and prevent having
Dyspepsia.
Everyone is subject to indiges?
tion. Stomach derangement follows
stomach abuse, just as naturally
and just as surely as a sound and
healthy stomach results upon the
taking of Kodol.
When you experience sourness
of stomach, belching of gas and
nauseating fluid, bloated sensation,
gnawing pain in the pit of tho
stomach, heart burn (so-called),
diarrhoea, headaches, dullness or
chronic tired feeling?you need Ko?
dol. And then the quicker you take
Kodol?tho better. Eat what you
want, let Kodol digest it.
Ordinary pepsin "dyspepsia tab?
lets," physics, etc., are not likely
to be of much benefit to you, in
digestive ailments, Pepsin is only
a partial digester?and physics are
not digesters at all.
Kodol is a perfect digester. If
you could see Kodol digesting every
particle of food, of all kinds, in tha
glass test-tubes in our laboratories,
you would know this just as well
as we do.
Nature and Kcdol will always
cure a sick stomach?but in order
to be cured, the stomach must rest.
That is what Kodol does?rests the
stomach, while the stomach gets
well. Just as simple as A, B, C.
Our Guarantee
Go to your druggist today and pet a ioh
lar bottle. Then after you hare used tba
entire contents of the bottle IX yvn caa
honestly say, that lt has not done you any
good, return the bottle to the druggist and
be will refund your money without ques?
tion or delay. We wUl then pay the drug
gist for the bottle. Don't hesitate, all
druggists know that oar guarantee ls good.
This offer applies to the large bottle only
and to but one in a family. The large bot'
tie contains ?; i times as much as the fifty
cent bottle.
Kodol is prepared at the labora*
t oriesof E, C. Dewitt,* Co, Chteau,