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About Independence enterprise. (Independence, Or.) 1908-1969 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1910)
flOHT PACKS The Fighting Chance Copyright, HHifl, by tuu Curtla I'ublUhlug Company. Copyright. lli', by Koberi V. Chamber. (A coulluui'd tl-.wv IVirull came Into tho room mid foil id n duel "f silence l' I""'' res tiie'cr lli "lull lire lw tlnlluir ibo ceiling. "Another quarrel." u '"omuiented. turi'ng on " current of the drop light above the dek from w,1'''b K srd lia.t rl-n lit her intrniii-e. "You iuiiml enough to iniirry. Why don't you?' j winli we could." said Hylvla elm- V. (iru layighed. "What a little ton' you are!" she l'l tenderly, seating herself In SlMnnl'M chair itml dropping Otis tin tul owr III where It rested on the nriii. "Stephen, '''t '"" ,""l', hcr-a big. strong follow like you? h. on your heads In.' It! My con science I now clear for the first time, mid I'll never meddle again." Hie gave Slward'a haud u MTf unctiTy put anJ released him with n discreetly ml fieil yawn. "I'm disgracefully sleepy. The wind Mew like fury along tho e.uint. Kvlvla. have you mm a goon time nt Khotovcr -the time of jour I ... I life" 8lvla rali-ed her eye and encoun tered Hwnrd'H. "I (1-rtalnly have," ahe mild fiilutly. The dinner wa very iiny. The eere Hiony of ihrlHteiiliiB the Shotover rtip. hlill yonrrler had won, prineeiled Willi premutation apiii-h and a hh'ii Ii of nereptance faultleHly common Idiire. durlns whlih Quarrler wore Ida mnlle-whlch wa the only bilinoroii tlilnit he eontrlliutefl. The cup wa full. Slwanl eyed It, IKTplexed. deadly afraid, yet aeelnir no avenue of earapo from what mtiKt ap-ix-ar a public exhibition of contempt ' for Qimrrler If he refusiil to tame it ' content. That niennt a bad iilht for Mm. Vet he hrnnk more from the certain tnlatnterpretatlon of a refuaal to drink from the huk'e lovlriff cnp. with Ita heavy wreath of accnted or chhla, now already on Its way toward bliu. thun be feared the waklutf strug gle ho Kiire to follow. Marlon received the cup, lifted It In both hnncU and said dlHtlnctly, "Good hunting!" a "he drank to Qunrrier. Her brother Cordon took It and drunk entirely too much. Theu Sylvia lifted It, her white hands half hurled among the orchid. "To you!" ahe murmured for Slward'a ear alone, then drank ,g-ayly, mischievously. "To the beatahot at Hhotover!" And Slward took the cup. "I salute victory," he nil, amll Jng, "always and everywhere. To him who takes the fighting Vhnnce and win out! To the beat man! nealth!" And he drnnk as a gentleman drinks, with a gny bow to Qunrrier and with death in his henrt. Later the irony of It struck him so grimly that lie laughed, and Sylyla, liealde him, looked up, dismayed to see ttie gray change lu his face. Later at cards the aromatic odor of Aldcrdene's decanter roused him to fierce desire, but he fought it down un til only the deadened, tearing ache re mained to shake and loosen every nerve. And when Ferrall, finishing bis usual batch of business letters, ar rived to cut in if needed Siward drop ped his cards, with a shudder, and rose so utterly unnerved that Captain Voucher, noticing his drawn face, ask ed him if he were not 111. He was leaving on an earlier train than the others, having decided to pass through Boston and Deptford, at which latter place he meant to leave Saga more for the winter in care of the manager of his mother's farm, so he took a quiet leave of those to whom the civility might not prove an Inter ruptioii. In the big ball he passed Marion and stopped to take his leave. No, he would do no hunting this sea son either at Carysford or with the two trial packs at Eastwood. Possibly at Warrenton later, but probably not. Business threatened to detain him In town more or le9s. And that was all, unless he disturbed Sylvia, seated at cards with Quarrler and Major Belwether and Leila Mor timer and very intent on the dummy, very still and a trifle pallid with the pallor of concentration. go that was all, then. Ascending the stairs, a servant hand ed him a letter bearing the crest of the Lenox club. He pocketed It unopened and continued his way. In the darkness of his own room he eat down, the devil's own clutch on his ahrlnklng nerves, a deathly desire tear Ing at his very vitals and every vein a tiny trail of Are run riot. He had been too long witaout It, too long to endara Che craving aroused by that gay draft from Quarrier's loving cup. The awakened fury of his desire ap palled him, and for awhile that occu ' pied him. enabling him to endure. But fear uud dismay ro;m parsed in the INDEPENDENCE ENTERPRISE, INDEPENDENCE. OREGON. ROBERT W. CHAMBERS lory.) purely physical distress. He walked the door. haggard, the sweat starting mi IiIm fare; he lu,V with dim died hands stiffened out across the l'U. deafened by the rloloti rliimor of his pulses, conscious thut lie wa holding .ait. unconscious lnw long ho could hold out. He turned on the light Inter to hwdc for his pipe, mid lie caught a glimpse of himself lii th Iiror. It wa a hI. k iiiiiii who ft ii red hack at him out of hollow (, mid the physical revul sion shocked him Into something re wiiih Hint wlf command. "D ii yu:M lie said fiercely, set ting hlH teeth mi l slarln;,' hack at Ills rcll.-ctcd fare. "I'll kill you yet tie fore I've Mulshed wllll yotl!" Then he tlll"d hi dpe and. opouhu: 1. 1- i.,..!,-....,,, ul i.li.w. Milt down, rest- , Mir. .---'. ....... , lug his r ii the alii. A splendid i inooii slUeied tho sen. Through the Intense silliness he tieard the surf, liiuuiilll'-tlitly dh'Stiimiit among the ' . ....... r I.... I...I leefs. nu.l lie liN.encii. iumiui.-u. (,athln' the tide as he feareil t . -..I.I.. l.l.. flltll and l.Mithed the Inexorable tides that Mirg ,mI tin I 1'IiIhmI wNi l is aci-nm-d desire. (Mire he mid to himself weakly, for he wa deadly tired. "Whit am I making the DK.it for anyway" And, -Who me you uiauliu the tight for?" echoed h! heavy pal.--. He had iiHUrd that question and re ceived that answer It-fore. After all. i It had Ihi-h for UIs mothers sake ' alone. And mnv-and now? Ills heart lieat out another answer, ana before his eyes two other eyes seemed to open.-fearlessly, sweetly . divinely tender. But they were no longer bis mother's grave gray eyes. A filer the sec- Olid pipe he re- n: em bered his letter. It guvc him something to do. so he opened It and tried to read It, for a long while, lu his confused physic al and mental Little ItyUttle he t:-gnn condition, he to corojircnciiu could multe no purport. eL.U8e of it Little by little he began to compre- 1,...! in. nnrnort that Ills resignation uviiu j--- i - - was regretfully requested by the gov ernors of the Lenox club for reasons uunsslgned. The shock of the thing came to him after awhile like a distant, dull report long after the flash of the explosion. Well, the affair, bad enough nt first, was turning worse, that wus all. How much of that Bort of discredit could a man stand nud keep his balance? And whut would his mother say? Confused from bis own physical suf fering, the blow had fallen with a deadened force on nerves already numbed, but his half stupefied acqui escence had suddenly become a pain ful recoil when he remembered where the brunt of the dlsgraco would fall, where the center of suffering must al ,. iu unit tho keenest itrlef concen trated. Housed, appalled, alinoBt total ly unnerved, he stood staring at the letter, beginning to realize what It would mean to his mother. A passion of remorse and resentment swept him. She must be spared that! There must be some way, some punishment for his offense, that could not BtrtKe ner through him. It was wicked, It was contemptible, Insane, to strike her. vet... wo the trnvernors of the Lenox about, a lot of sniveling hypocrites, pandering to the horrified snobbery at the Pa troons? Who were they, any way, to discipline him? Scarce one In fifty among the members of the two clubs was qualified to sit In Judgment on a Siward I But that tempest of passion and mor tification passed, too. leaving him standing there dumb, desperate, star ing at the letter crushed In his shaking hand. - He miiBt see somebody, some mem ber of the Lenox, and do something something! Ferrall! Was that Fer rall's step on the landing? He sprang to the door and opened It. Quarrler, passing the corridor, turned an expressionless visage toward him and passed on, with a nod almost Imperceptible. "Quarrler!" he callett, swept by a sudden impulse. Quarrler halted and turned. "Could you give me a moment here In my room? I won't detain you." The faint trace of surprise faded from Quarrier's face. He quietly re traced his steps and, entering Slward'a room, stood silently confronting it pallid .tenant. . I i r ..u in vu .It down a momuuir , Ouarrh'r seated bln.lf in the arm-1 ...... j. ....I UIu.iyI llil.iulto k you ao.nethlnK. I led. V... .hired not! Vou let another HI not ,.,., atten. You know that man blunder Into ,r the rlrH.i,s have droi-le4 m. and , and f.ll I-tin. to . Irmm-tantUI e -v ,u know w ua for." de.i.e J """ " '"v I know " 'd ' i " " XL1 t 'r.tled bef. th. board And you did not! And now what are ... ..t..i.. th mutter. If . .Oil... nn hll I . ........ t w - Ismrd." "Vl'H." "I denied the charge, but refused to explain. Von remeintierT" Qimrrler nodded coldly. "And I wa dropi-d by the clubr' a .lnrtit inrllnafioo of Quarrler'a y m metrical head corrotonited hlw. "Now," said Hlward. ilowiy ana very dlHtlnctly. "I shall tell you iiuofflrlally what I refused to tell the other govern ors oflHally." And as he U gau sink ing Quarrler'a face flushiil. then Uia features became Immobile, set and In ert and his eye grew duller and duller, a IIioiimIi under a smooth surface tho soul liiHlde of him wn shrinking ba U Into some dark corner, slleul. watch ful, sin pli lous and MThaps delimit. "Mr. Quarrler." said Slwanl ijuletly. "I did not take that girl to the I'll troons club, ii nd you know It." Quarrler was all surface now. He had drawn away Internally so far th:it even hi eyes seemed to recede until they scarcely glimmered through the Kilt In his colorless mask. And SI ward went on: "l knew pci feet ly well w hat sort of women I wu to inert at that fool sup per Hilly Flectwisxl gave, and yon must have. M, for the girl you took In was no stronger to you. Her name is I.ydln Vyxe, I l'!ieve." The slightest posflble glimmer In the elder iiian'B eyes w as all the answer he granted. . 1.1 el...o..l 111. u- "tini Hits: She K?t me sue coum so disguise herself that I could safely take her Into any club In New York. 1 Is't her she couldn't. I never dreamed of trying. Besides, she was your din ner pnrtner." he added, with a shrug. Quarrler." said Slward earnestly, "what hapiiened In the club lobby I don't exactly know, because I was not lu a condition to know. I admit it; that was the trouble with me. When I left Fleetwood's rooms I left with a half do7.en men. I remember cross ing Fifth avenue with them, and the next thing I remember distinctly was loud talking in the club lobby and a number of men there anifa slim young rnii.,ar in Inverness and top hat In the center of a crowd whose face was the -.,o nt timt irtrl Lvdla Vyse. And Studebaker Wagons AND CARRIAGES We have the celebrated line of Studebaker wag ons and carnages again this season. These rigs -are especially adapted to the trade of the Pacific coast and give more universal satisfaction than any make of vehicle. They are stronger in every particu the farmers. Modest in price, strongly recommended. HARDWARE DEALERS APRIL 21810. (TTuT U Ufc.lulfir an. imi rou.uu i . i do mora than deny Itml I v-m -r II... Ml. linn I toil Wllll I aurw, voU ko.iik ioV '1 he U'tio ciuu l.a Inkl.ll tills tlilllg Up il. Ik thti.it ui. A tnau cant stand t'Hi much of thut ort of thing. YVImt mil 1 do? 1 can t defend my self by bctrnyliu my urrl leiital knowl edge of y"'ir l ny private affairs. Po I leave It to you. I tick you what are yuU irolng to do?" lii, you iiieiin"-Quarrier's voire wa not hi own. and he brought It harshly under coiiimuiid -"do Jon mean thut u think It uwesury for me to say I knew le-r? Wiiut object would lie attulned by that? I did Cot take her to the 1'iiIi ihhi .." 'Nor did I. Ak tier how the got there. I-caru the truth from her. man!" "What proof I there that I ever met her lei.e I took her Into supper at Fleetwood's?" 'Trool! Are jou iu:i 1? All I k of you Is to say to the governor what I cannot nay without using your name." .. . .... '.. ...a.w ii.nt mwrl You whh mo," asked Qimrner icnj. lo iieny iitui juu ---r. I can do that." "You can't do ItT I did make thnt bet." "Oh! Then what Is it you wish me to say?" "Tell the... the truth lell It You need not tell them how much you kuow aliout her. whose brougham ..i... -i in I .Miii't ilefenil mV- sue uiuvc nun c 1 - - - r- i self ut your expense Intrench myself . I behind your dirty little romance. What ' i ..... . i .i....l.l ItiLlnrr tier to' : CUUIIl 1 BUJ I t ui-uii.1 the club. Then Major Belwether con fronted me with my wager. Theu I shut up. And so did you. Quarrler so did you. seated there among the governors U-tweeu Leroy Mortimer and Belwether. It was up to you, and you did not stir!" "Ptlr!" echoed the other man, exas perated. "Of course I did not stir. What did I know altout It? Do you think I care to give a man like Morti mer ti hold on me by admitting I knew anything? Or Belwether, do you think t tn hum tlmt man know any thing about my private and personal business? Did you exjiecr me 10 nj that I was in a position to prove any thing one way or another? And," he .iiiPil. with lucreusius harshness, "how doyou. know .what I might ot might HAMA BROTHERS PAOt THREE ix, i i,i-chT If she lu ut to me t a- trooiis rluti. I did not go wltU hr: I ..... a.. l.r. t th.n't know t.eth"r v. . . . - . - - - or not you twk her." "I have already told you that 1 did not take her." said Blwufd. tuiuiug Whiter. "You told that to the governors too. Tell them Sk'Blll If jou lUe. I dee!lli to lUfcruns fit matter with you. I 1 i llue to rouiiteiiance your unwarrsnte-t h'Tusioii l-ifo n'.nt von prep'id to be lieve are my private affairs. I decline to confer with llelwether or Mortimer. It's euough that you are Iritllliwl t meddle." Ills cold auger was stirring. He ruM to his full, muscular height, slow, menacing, hl long pa la Bng-ri twisting bis I!ky l..nrd. "It's enough that you meddler he reeated. 'A for the matter In (juration, a d'u men. Including myself, heard you u.ake a wager, and later 1 myself ws a w itness that the terms of that wuger hud been carried out to the letter. I know absolutely n.ithlng except that. Mr. Slward; nor, It a pilars, do you. for you were drunk at the time, and you have admitted It to me." "I have axLcl you." said 8lwrd, ris ing, and rerv rrrnve, "I have asked yoi to iio the right thing. Are you going; to d'ltr (To be continued.) The Demon of the Air Is the term of latrlpn.;, litat, breath I.. l.rln..a inferior tn thousands. ll a(t,-r effcta are weakness, nervous- n ss, la K ot appeii.e, en.ryy bu mm bltion. wiih dlsordeitd liver and kid neys. The greatest need tlien is E ec- trlc BtterSi the splendid tonic, blood liver and kidneys. Thousands have 'proved that th'y wonderfully strength ..n tho nerve, build uo the system " --- aud reSLro health and fcood spires afteJ. an 0f grip. If suffering, . . .. ... i .... try them, uuiy hoc. r-erieci 8auMt- tion guaranteed by all druggists. Making Pure Candy Is a iMission Modern Siceett A Mixtion Fulfilled Patronitetht "Modern Dealer" Modus Con(ctioim Co.. IMr., tVtlud, Ortfes lar than any other ordina ry vehicle. It is the peer of all farm wag ons first in the hearts of INDEPENDENCE, OREGON