The Edmond Sun (Edmond, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 14, 1908 Page: 3 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Fighting
Chance.
... By ...
ROBERT W.
CHAMBERS,
Copyright, 1906, by the Curt la Publishing Company.
Copyright, 1991, by Robert W. Cnambers.
triaa
"I've been trying n new coach," said
<Juarrier in his colorless and rather
agreeable voice, and he went on lei-
surely explaining the points of the new
mall coach which had been built In
Paris after plans of his own, while
Mortimer gulpsd glass after glass of
■chilled wine, which seemed only to
make him thirstier. Meantime he lis-
tened, really interested, except that
liis fleshy head was too full of alcoh 1
and his own project to contain addi-
tional statistics concerning coaching.
Besides, Quarrler, who had never been
overcordial to him, was more so now—
■enough for Mortimer to venture on a
few tentative suggestions of a finan-
cial nature, and though, as usual,
Ouarrier was not responsive, he did
not, ns usual, get up and co away.
A vague hope stirred Mortimer that
It might not be beyond his persuasive
tongue to make this chilly, reticent
.young tnan into a friend some day—a
helpful friend. Once or twice he
thought Quarrler looked at him rather
strangely, but he would show Quar-
rler that he was a friend—a good,
stanch friend—and that Quarrler bad
sorry. We dine Tit 8," concluded Syl-
via hurriedly.
Plank hung up the receiver and sat
eying it for awhile in silence. Then
his Jaw began to harden and his tinder
lip protruded and he folded his great
hands, resting them Jo front of him
on the edge of the desk, brooding there,
with eyes narrowing like a sleepy
giant at prayer.
When Leila entered in her evening
wraps she found him there, so im-
mersed in reverie that he failed to
hear her. and she stood a moment at
the doorway, smiling to herself, think-
ing how pleasant it was to come dowi.
ready for the evening and find him
there, as though he belonged where
he sat and was part of the familiar
environment
Recently she had grown younger in
a smooth skinned, full lipped way—so
much younger that It was spoken of.
"Beverly," she said, "I am ready."
Plank stood up, dazed from his rev-
erie. and walked toward her. His
white tie had become disarranged.
She raised her bands, halting him, and
pulled it into shape for him, conscious-
long. long undervalued him. Waves ly innocent of the intimacy,
■of sentiment spread through and "Thank you." he said. "Do you
through Dim. His affection for Quar- know how pretty you are this even-
rier dampened his eyes, and still he ing?"
blabbed on and on. gazing with brim- I "Yes. I was very happy at my mir-
ming eyes upon Quarrler, who sat ror. Do you know, the withered years
buck silent and attentive as Mortimer geem to be dropping from me like
■circled and blundered nearer and near- leaves from an autumn sapling And
*r to the crucial point of his destinatton. I feel young enough to sav so poetic-
Midday in one of his linguistic el- ally. Did Sylvia try to flirt with you
iipses Quarrler leaned forward and over the wire?"
-caught his arm In a grip of steel. An- | "Yes, as usual," he said drily, de-
other man had entered the room, scending the stairs beside her.
Mortimer, .made partly conscious by "And really you don't love her any
the pain of Quarrler's viselike grip, more?" she queried.
was sober enough to recognize the im- "Scarcely." His voice was low and
propriety of his continuing aloud the rather disagreeable, and she looked up.
veiled story he had been constructing "I wish I knew what you and Sylvia
with what he supposed to be a cun- find to talk about so frequently, if
liing as matchless as it was Impenetra- you're not in love."
*'le But he made no answer, and they
Later he found himself upstairs in a drove away to the Belwether house, a
private cardroom. facing Quarrler rather wide, old style mansion of
across a table, and still talking and brown stone, with a stoop dividing its
quenching his Increasing thirst He ugly facade, and a series of unneces-
kuew now what he was telling Qnar- sary glass doors blockading the vesti-
lier. He was unveiling the parable, bule.
lie was stripping metaphor from a A drawing room and a reception room
carefully precise story. He used Si- flanked the marble tiled hall. Behind
ward's name presently; presently he these the dining room ran the width
used Sylvia's name. A moment later of the rear.
—or was it an hour?—Quarrler stopped There were half a dozen people there
him, coldly, without a trace of passion, lounging informally between the living
demand big corroborative detail. And room on the second floor and Sylvia's
Mortimer gave it, wagging, his head apartments in the rear—the residue
and one-fat forefinger as emphasis. | from a luncheon and bridge party glv-
You saw that?" repeated Quarrler, en that afternoon by Sylvia to a score
"I could deliver you
several bl cks if
you care to bid,"
laid Plank bluntly.
•deadly wfyite of a sudden.
"Yes, and I"—
"At 3 iu the morning?"
"Yes, an' I want"—
"You saw him enter her room?"
"Yes. an' I wan' tersay thlsh to you,
fcecatlse Pm your fr'en'. Don' wan'
or so of card-mad women. A few of
these she had asked to remain for an
Informal dinner and a desperate game
later—the sort of people she knew well
enough' to lose to heavily or win from
without remorse—Grace Ferrall. Ma-
rion Page, Agatha Caithness. Trusting
anny fr'en's mlue get fooled on worn- to the telephone that morning, she had
■en. See? Thash how I feel. I respec' J secured the Mortimers and Quarrier,
the sect. See? Women, lovely worn- failing three men, and now the party
■en. See? Respec' sect Gimme y'han',
buzzer — er — brother Quarrier. Your
tn' fr'en': Pm your fr'en'. I know how
It is. Gotter wife m'own. Rotten
■one. Stingy. Takes money outter m'
pockets. Dam 'stravagaut. Ruin me.
Say, old boy, what about dividend due
'morrow on Orange County Eclectic—
mean Erlextic — no — mean 'Letricl
Damn!-Wasser masser tongue?"
Opening his fond and foggy eyes
and finding himself alone in the card
room he began to cry, and a little later,
attempting to push the electric button,
lie fell over a lounge and lay there, his
shirt front soiled with wine, one fat
leg trailing to the floor, not the ideal
position for slumber perhaps, but what
difference do attitudes and postures
and poses m'ake when a gentleman, in
the sacred seclusion of his own club,
Is wooing the drowsy goddess with
blasts of votive music through his em-
purpled nose?
In the meantime, however, he was
due to dine at the Belwether house,
and when 8 o'clock approached and he
with Plank as Mortimer's substitute,
was complete, all thorough gamesters
—sex mattering nothing in the prepa-
ration.
In Sylvia's boudoir Grace Perrall
and Agatha Caithness sat before the
fire; Sylvia, at the mirror of her dress-
er, was correcting the pallor incident
to the unbroken dissipation of a bril-
liant season; Marlon, with her inevita-
ble cigarette, wandered between Syl-
via's quarters and the library, where
Quarrier aud Major Belwether were
slttlug in low voiced confab.
Leila, greeted gayly from the bou-
doir, went in. Plank entered the libra-
ry, was mauled effusively by the ma-
jor, returned Quarrler's firm hand
shake and sat down with an Inquiring
smile.
"Oh, yes, we're out for blood to-
night." tittered Major Belwether,
grasping Quarrler's arm humorously
and shaking it to emphasize his word's
—a habit that Quarrler thoroughly dis-
liked. "Sylvia had a lot of women
here playing for the season score, so
had not returned to dress Leila called i I suggested she keep the pick of them
«p Sylvia Landis on the telephone: ! for dinner and call in a few choice
"My dear. Leroy hasn't returned, and | ones to make a night of It."
1 suppose he's forgotten about the
bridge. I can bring Mr. Plank, If you
like."
"Very well," said Sylvia, adding, "if
Mr. Plank Is there may I speak to him
a moment?"
So I-clla rose, setting the receiver on
the desk, and Plank enme In from the I It"—
"It's agreeable to me," said Plank,
still looking at Quarrler with the same
inquiring expression, which that gen-
tleman presently chose to understand.
"I haven't had a chance to look into
that matter." he said carelessly. "Some
day when you have time to go over
library and settled himself heavily in
the chair.
"Did you wish to speak to me. Miss
Landis?"
"I have time now," said Plank.
"There's nothing to go over. There's no
reason for any secrecy. All I wrote
you was that I proposed to control the
"Is that you, Mr. Plank? Yes. Will ! Rtock of Amalgamated Electric and
' that I wjshed your advice In the mat-
ter."
"I could not give you any advice
offhand on such an extraordinary sug-
gestion," returned Quarrler coldly. "?f
yon know where the stock is you'll
understand."
"Do you mean what it is quoted at
or who owns it?" Interrupted Plank.
"Who owns it Everybody knows
where It has dropped to, I suppose.
Most people know, too, where it Is
held."
"Yes, I do."
you dine with us at 8? Bridge after-
ward, if you don't mind."
"Thank you."
"And, Mr. Plank, you had a note
from me this morning?"
"Yes."
"Please disregard it"
"If you wish."
"I do. It Is not worth while." And
as Plank made no comment "I have
no further Interest In the matter. Do
you understand?"
"No," said Plank doggedly,
_ "I have nothing more to say. I am
"And who In manipulating It," addtd
Quarrler indifferently.
"Do you mean Hartington'i peo-
ple?"
"I don't mean anybody In particular,
Mr. Plank."
"Oh!" said Plank, staring. "I was
•ure you couldn't have meant Harring-
ton, because." be went on deliberately,
"there are other theories floating about
that mysterious pool, one of which
Pve proved."
Quarrler looked at him out of his
velvety lidded eyes.
"What have you proved?"
"I'll tell you If you'll appoint an in-
terview."
"I'll come, too," began Belwether,
who had been listening, loose mouthed
and Intent. "We're all In It—Howard,
Kemp Ferrall and I"—
"And Stephen Siward," observed
Plank, so quietly that Quarrler never
even raised his eyes to read the stolid
face opposite.
Presently he said: "Do you know
anybody who can deliver you any con-
siderable block of Amalgamated Elec-
tric at the market figures?"
"I couid deliver you several blocks,
If you care to bid," said Plapk bluntly.
Belwether grew red, then pale.
Quarrier stiffened in his chair,, but his
eyes were only skeptical. Plank's under
Up had begun to
protrude again.
He swung his
massive head,
looking from
Belwether back
to Quarrler.
"Pool or no
pool," he con-
11 n u e d, "you
Amalgamated
people will want
to see the stock
climb back Into
the branches
from which
somebody shook
It out and I
propose to put
It there. That Is all I had meant to
say to you, Mr. Quarrier. I'm not
averse to saying it here to you, and I
do. There's no secrecy about it. Fig-
ure it out for yourself how much stock
I control and who let It go. Settle
your family questions and put your
house in order, then Invite me to call
and I'll do it And I have an idea that
we are going to stand on our own legs
again and recover our self respect and
our fighting capacity, and I rather
think we'll stop this holdup business
and that our Intercounty friend will
let go the sand bag and pocket the
Jimmy and talk business across the
line fence."
Quarrler's characteristic pallor was
no index to his feelings, nor was his
icy reticence. AH hell might be boil-
ing below.
When anybody gave Quarrler a let-
ter to read he took a long time reading
It, but if be Was slow he was also mi-
nute. He went over every word again
and again, studying, absorbing each
letter, each period, the conformation
of every word. And when he ended
he had in his brain a photograph of
the letter which he would never forget
And now, slowly, minutely, method-
ically, he was going over and over
Plank's words, and his manner of say-
ing them, and their Import, and the
hidden one. If any.
If Plank had spoken the truth—and
there was no reason to doubt it—riauk
had quietly acquired a controlling in-
terest In Amalgamated Electric. That
meant treachery iu somebody. Who?
Probably Siward, perhaps Belwether.
ne would not look at the latter Just
yet; not for a minute or two. There
was time enough to see through that
withered, pink and white old fraud.
But why had Plank done this? And
why did Plank suspect him of any de-
sire to wreck his own property? He
did suspect him, that was certain.
After a silence he spoke quietly and
without emotion:
"Everybody concerned will be glad
to see Amalgamated Electric declaring
dividends. This is a shock to us," he
glanced impassively at the shrunken
major, "but a pleasant shock. I think
It well to arrange a meeting as soon
as possible."
"Tomorrow," said Plank, with a
manner of closing discussion. And in
his brusque ending of the matter
Quarrier detected the ringing under-
tone of an authority he uever had and
never would endure. If Plank suspect-
ed him. he must also sus|>ect him of
complicity in the Intercounty grab.
He must suspect him of the ruthless
crushing power that corrupts or anni-
hilates opposition, making a mockery
of legislation, a jest of the courts and
an epigram of a people's indignation.
As Quarrier sat there meditating,
his long white fingers caressing his
soft pointed beard, Sylvia came in,
greeting the men collectively with a
nod and offering her hand to Plank.
"Dinner is announced." she said.
"Flense go in farm fashion. Wait!"
as Plank, following the major and
Quarrler, stood aside for her to pass.
"No, you go ahead, Howard, and you,"
to the major.
Left for a moment in the room with
Plank, she stood listening to the others
descending the stairs, then:
"Have you seen Mr. Siward?"
"Yes," said Plank.
"Oh! Is he well?"
"Not very."
"Ir he well enough to read a letter
and to answer one?"
"Oh, yes; he's well enough In that
way."
"I supposed so. That Is why 1 said
to you, over the wire, not to trouble
him with my request."
"You mean that I am not to say
anything about your offer to buy the
hunter?"
"Ne. If I make up my mind that 1
want the horse I'll write him—per-
haps."
Lingering still, she let ODe hand fall
on the banisters, turning back toward
Plank, who was following.
"I understood you to mean that—
that Mr. Slward's financial affairs were
anything but satisfactory?"—the sweet,
trailing, upward Inflection making It
l question.
"When did I say that?" demanded
Plank.
"Once—a month ago."
rla carelessly. Grace F i Ma-
rio" ignored him. Pi y. jbade him
good evening in a low oic<|
The people at the c.ner la We, hav-
ing completed their rut-b#r. looked
around at Mortimer In dls; greeable
surprise.
"I'll cut In If you want nvj. If you
don't say so," observed Mortimer.
It was plain that they did not so he
settled himself In an armchair with an
ugly glance at his wife and an Inso-
lent one at Quarrler, and the game
went on in silence, Lelln and the ma
jor still losing heavily under the sneer-
ing gaze of Mortimer.
At last, "Who's carrying you?" he
broke out, exasperated, and In the
shocked silence Lelln, very white,
made a movement to rise, but Quar-
rler laid Ids long linger ucross her arm,
pressing her backward.
'You don't know what you're say-
ing." he reuiurked, looking coldly ut
Mortimer.
Tlank laid down bis cards, rose and
walked over to Mortimer.
"May I have a word with you?" he
asked bluntly.
"You may. And I'll help myself to
a word or two with you," retorted Mor-
timer, following Plank out of the
room, dowu the stairs to the lighted
reception room, where they wheeled,
confronting one another.
"What Is the matter?" demanded
Plank. "At the club they told me you
were asleep iu the card room I didn't
tell Leila. What is wrong?"
"I'm—I'm dead broke," said Morti-
mer harshly. "Billy Fleetwood took
my paper. Can you belp me out? It's
dne tomorrow."
Plank lookfcd at him gravely, but
made no answer.
"Can you?" repeated Mortimer vio-
lently. "Haven't I done enough for
you? Haven't I done enough for ev-
erybody? Is anybody going to show
me any consideration? Look at Quar-
rler's manner to me Just now! And
tills very day I did him a service that
all his millions can't repay. And there
you stand, too, staring at me as though
I were some Importuning shabby gen
teel hinting around for an opening to
touch you. Yes, you do! And tills
very day I have done for you the—the
most vital thing—the most sacred fa-
vor one man can do for another"—
He halted, stammered something in-
coherent, his battered eyes wet with
tears. The man was a wreck—nerves,
stamina, mind on the very verge of
"I didn't" said Plank bluntly.
"Oh, I had inferred it, then, from
something you said or something you
were silent about, is that it?"
"I don't know."
"Am I quite wrong then?" she asked,
looking him In the eyes.
And Plank, who never lied, found no
answer. Considering him for a mo-
ment in silence, she turned again and
descended the stairs.
The dinner was one of those thor-
oughly well chosen dinners of few
courses and faultless service suitable
for card players, who neither care to
stuff themselves as a preliminary to a
battle royal nor to dawdle through
courses, eliminating for themselves
what Is not good for thein. The men
drank a light, sound, aromatic Irish of
the major's; the women—except Ma-
rlon, who took what the men took—
used claret sparingly. Coffee was
served where they sat; the men smok-
ing, Agatha and Marion producing
their own cigarettes.
"Good people, if you are ready we
will go through the ceremony of cut-
ting for partners — unless otherwise
you decide. How say you?" said Syl-
via.
"I don't care to enter the scramble
for a man," cried Grace. "If It's to
choose, I'd as soon choose Marlon."
Plank looked at Leila, who laughed.
"All right; choose, then," said Syl-
via. "Howard, you're dying, of course,
to play with me, but you're looking
very guiltily at Agatha."
The major asked Leila at once, so
Plank fell to Sylvia, pitted against Ma-
rlon and Grace Ferrall.
A few moments later the quiet of
the library was broken by the butler
entering with decanters and Ice und
glasses that tinkled frostily.
Play began at table No. 1 on n pass-
ed make of no trumps by Sylvia, and
at the other table on a doubled and re- j collapse!
doubled heart make, which sent a I ..tmi > > „
delicate flush Into Agatha's face and , " ',°,P °f °0Ur8e' 8"ld Plnnk'
drove the Inst veatfge of Hngering '""V, ' Jo >,0~v "d sleep
Rightfulness from Quarrler's, leav- ^Ive' way^ Ce" £ Tgrtf?
Pull up sharp, I tell you!"
But Mortimer had fallen Into a chair,
his ravaged face cradled In his hands.
He begun to ramble and even to laugh
weakly, passing his puffy, shaking
hands across his eyes.
"it's good of you, Beverly. I ap-
preciate It. But I've been good to
you. You're ,all to the good, my boy!
Understand? All to the good, i fixed
It. I did It for you. You can have
your innings now. You can have her
when you wnnt her, I tell you."
"What do you mean?" said Plank
menacingly,
"Mean! I mean what 1 told you
that day at Black Fells, when we were
riding. I told you you had a chance to
win out Now the chance has come—
same's I told you. Start In, and by the
time you're ready to say 'When?' she'll
be there with the bottle."
"I don't think you are perfectly
sane yet" said Plank slowly.
"Let It go at that, then," sniggered
Mortimer, struggling to his feet
"Bring Leila back. I'm all In. I'm go-
ing home. You'll be around In the
morning. Won't you?"
"Yes," said Plank. "Have you got
a cab?"
Mortimer had one. The glass and
Iron doors clanged behind him, and
Plank, waiting a moment, sighed,
raised his head and, encountering the
curious gaze of a servaut, trudged oil
upstairs again.
The game had ended at both tables.
Quarrler and Agntha stood by the win-
dow together, conversing In low voices.
Belwether, at a desk, sat muttering
and fussing with a check book. The
others were In Sylvia's apartments.
A few moments later Kemp Ferrall
arrived in the best of spirits, very
much Inclined to consider the night as
still young, but his enthusiasm met
with no resi)onse, and presently he de-
parted with his wife and Marion In
their big car.
Leila, In her wraps, emerged In a
few moments, looking at I'lank out of
serious eyes, and they made their brief
adieus and went away in Plank's
brougham.
When Agatha's maid arrived Quar-
rler also started to take his leave, but
Sylvia, seated at a card table, Idly
arranging the cards In geometrical de-
signs and fanciful arabesques, looked
tip nt him. saytnjr
"I wanted to say something to yon,
Howard."
Ajfatha passed them, going Into Syl-
via's room for her wraps, aud Quar-
rler turned to Sylvia.
"Well?" he said, with the slightest
bint of Impatience.
"Can't you stay a minute?" asked
Sylvia, surprised.
"Agatha Is going In the motor with
me. Is it anything Important?"
She considered him without replying
She had never before detected that
manner, that hardness In a voice al-
ways so even In quality.
"What is it?" he repeated.
She thought a moment, putting aside
for the time his manner, which she
could not comprehend. Then:
"I wanted to ask you a question—a
rather ignorant one perhaps. It's about
Ing It a tense, pallid and expressionless
mask, out of which looked the velvet
fringed eyes of a woman.
Of all the faces there at the two ta-
bles Sylvia's nlone had not changed,
nBither assuming the gambler's mask
nor the infatuated glare of the ama-
teur. She was thoughtful, excited, de-
lighted or .dismayed by turns, but al-
wa.vs wholesomely so, the game for
its own sake and not the stakes ab-
sorbing her, partly because she had
never permitted herself to weigh mon-
ey and pleasure In the same balance,
but kept a mental pair of scales for
each.
As usual, the fever of gain was
fiercest in those who could afford to
lose most. Quarrler. playing to rale
with merciless precision, coldly exact-
ed every penalty that a lapse in his
opponents permitted. Agatha, her
teeth set in her nether Hp, her eyes
like living Jewels, answered Quarrler's
every signal, interpreted every sign,
her play fitting In exactly with his, as
though she were hl« subconscious self
balancing the perfectly adjusted mech-
anism of his body and mind.
Now and then lifting her eyes she
sent a long, limpid glance at Quarrler
like a pale shaft of light and under
his heavy fringed lashes at moments
his level gaze encountered hers with
a slow narrowing of lids—as though
there was more than one game In prog-
ress, more than one stake being played
for under the dull rose glow of the
clustered lights.
The collar of diamonds and aqua-
marines shimmered like the reflection
of shadowy lightning across her
throat. A single splendid jewel glow-
ed on her left hand as her fingers flash-
ed among the cards for the makeup.
"A hundred aces," broke In Plank's
heavy voice as he played the last trick
and picked up the scoring card and
pencil.
Once Marlon, overlntent, touched a
card In the dummy when she should
have played from her own hand, and
Sylvia would have let It pass had not
Plank calmly noted the penalty.
"Oh, dear! It's too much like busi-
ness," sighed Sylvia. "Can't we play
for the sake of the sport? I don't
think It good sportsmanship to profit
by a blunder."
"Rule," observed Marlon laconically.
" 'Ware barbed wire If you want the
brush."
"I myself never was crazy for the
brush," murmured Sylvia.
Grace whispered maliciously, "But
you've got it, with the mask and
pads," and her mischievous head bare-
ly tipped backward In the direction of
Quarrler.
"Especially the mask," returned Syl-
via under her breath and laid on the
table the last card of a Yarborotigh.
Toward midnight Sylvia, absorbed
iu her dummy, fancied she heard the
electric bell ringing nt the front door.
Later, having barely made the add,
she was turning to look at the major
when, beyond him, she saw Leroy Mor-
timer enter the room, sullen, pasty
skinned, but perfectly sober and well
groomed.
"You are a trifle late." observed Syl-
your Amalgamated Electric company.
May I ask It. Howard?"
After a second's stare, "Certainly,"
he said.
"It's only this: If the other people
—the Intercounty, I mean—are slowly
ruining Amalgamated, why don't you
stop It?"
Quarrler's eyes narrowed. "Oh! And
who have you been discussing the mat-
ter with?"
"Mr. Plank," she said simply. "I
asked him. He shook his head and
an id I'd better ask you. And I do
ask you."
For a moment he stood mute. Then
his lips began to shrink back over bis
beautiful teeth In one of his rare
laughs.
"I'll be very glad to explain It some
day," he said, but there was no mirth
In his voice or eyes, only the snicker-
ing lip wrinkling the pallor.
"Will you not answer now?" she
asked.
"No. not now. But I desire you to
understand It some day—some day be-
fore November. And one or two other
mntters that It Is necessary for you to
understand. I want to explain them,
Sylvia, In such a manner that you will
never be likely to forget them And I
mean to. For they are never out of
my mind, nnd I wish them to lie as ln-
effaeeably Impressed on yours. Good
night."
He took her limp hand almost brisk-
ly, released It and stepped down the
stairs as Agatha entered, cloaked, to
say good utgbt
They kissed at parting—"life em-
bracing death" — as Mortimer had
sneered on a similar occasion. Then
Sylvia, alone, stood In her bedroom,
hands linked behind her, her lovely
head bent, groping with the very
ghosts of thought which eluded her,
fleeing, vanishing, reappearing, to peep
out at her only to fade into nothing
ere she could follow where they flitted
through the dark labyrinths of mem-
ory.
The major, craning his neck In the
bay window, saw Agatha and Quar-
rier enter the big yellow motor and
disappear behind the limousine. And
It worried him horribly, because he
knew perfectly well that Quarrler had
lied to him about a Jeweled collar
precisely like the collar worn by
Agatha Caithness, aud what to do or
say to anybody on the subject was
for the first time In his life utterly be-
yond his garrulous ability.
Another matter. He had violated his
word and bad been caught at It by Ills
prospective tiephew-ln-law- broken his
pledged word not to sell bis Amalga-
mated Electric holdings, and had done
It. Yet how could Plank dominate un-
less another also had done what he
had done? And it made blm a little
more comfortable to know be was
sharing the fault with somebody—
probably with Siward, whom lie now
had the luxury of despising for the
very thing he himself had done.
"Drunkard!" he muttered to himself.
"He's In the gutter at last!"
And he repeated It unctuously, al-
most reconciled to his own shortcom-
ing, because It was the first time, as
far as he knew, that a Belwether
might legitimately enjoy the pleasures
of holding the word of a Siward in
contempt.
Sylv(a had dismissed her maid, the
old feeling of distaste for the touch of
another had returned since the last
mad, crushed embrace In Slward's
arms had become a memory. Now,
blue eyes dreaming under the bright
masses of her loosened balr, she sat
watching the last glimmer amid the
ashes whitening on the hearth, think-
ing of Siward aud of what had been
between them aud of what could never
be—never, never be!
One red spark among the ashes—her
ambition, deathless amid the ashes of
life! When that, too, went out life
must be extinct.
What he had roused In her had died
when he went away. It could never
awake again unless he returned to
awaken It. And he never would. He
would never come again.
One brief Interlude of love, of pas-
sion, In her life could neither tint nor
taint the cool, normal sequence of her
days. All that life held for a woman
of ber caste—all save that—was hers
when she stretched out her hand for
It—hers by right of succession, of de-
scent; hers by warrant unquestioned,
by the unuttered text of the ukase to
be launched If necessary, by that very,
very old lady, drowsing, enthroned,
as the endless pageant wound like a
Jeweled river at her feet.
So Siward could never come again,
sauntering toward her through the
sunlight, smiling his absent smile. She
caught her breath painfully, straight-
ening up. A single ash fell In the
fire. The last spark went out
(To R« continued)
Rebuilding Cotton Gin
I am rebuilding my Edmond
Cotton Gin and am interested in
the prowine of cotton in this vi-
cinity. Farmers here should
realize that the
Boll Weevil
in Texas is not as great a detri-
ment to cotton as early frost in
Oklahoma. Commercial Ferti-
lizer will force cotton to mature
2 to 3 weeks earlier, hence will
increase the yield and improve
staple and price. Write us at
onoe for prices and booklet
A. M. DeBOLT
No. 2. Reno Ave. Oklahoma City
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Dailey, A. D. The Edmond Sun (Edmond, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 14, 1908, newspaper, May 14, 1908; Edmond, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc150148/m1/3/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.