Image provided by: Independence Public Library; Independence, OR
About Independence enterprise. (Independence, Or.) 1908-1969 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1910)
EIGHT PAQt The Fighting' Chance Copyright, Ml, by the Curtis Publishing Company. Copyright, IM, y Hubert V. Chamber. (A continued "la that a thwatr Inquired Quarrler. bowing tbe edges of hie we" kept teeth, "la thin Intimidation. Mr. HI ward? Io I understand tbat yuu are proolu to Iwspatter other with omnia I unless I am frightened Into rohitf to tli governor with the Uinay i nine you attempt to offer me? In other word, Mr. 8iward. are you l-nt on making nio y for what you be lieve you know of tny private life? la It rcnily liillnildatlou?" Ami atlll Nlward stared Into hi half vrlliHl. sneering eyes, speechless. "There Is only one nuine used for tlilM kind of thing." added yuarrler, taking a quirk liivoluiitnry step back ward to tbe door n the blare of fury broke out lu Hlward'a eye. tiood tiotl. Quarrler," whispered 81 wnrd ltu ilr- Up, "whnt a cur you re! What a cur!" Ami long ufier Quarrler hiid passed iliMir nml ill-Himcarcd III the corri dor. Klward stood there, frown inn- j flou'css under the ley wave of rage ' Clin t swept liliu. - I Toward midnight seated lu bis chair by the window, a deathly lassitude ',.i1.,lnc hiM ln-H rt. he heiird the slope of in-iiplo on the. stairway, the click of tbe ascending elevator, gay volrea call trig good nlrtt. a ripple of laughter, the liken awlah of skirts in tle corridor, doors oH-nlng and closlug; then alienee creeping throughout tbe house ou tbe medlng heels of departure. For long while he Hat there llHtcutng. The cool wind from tho ocean blew bla curtalna far Into the room, where they N'llled out, fluttering, floating, subsiding, only to rlae agalu In the freshening breeze. He aat watching their allken conrolutlona, atnpldly, for awhile, then rose and cloned bla win dow, and rained the wludow on the south for purposes of air. Aa ho turned to adjust bla transom, something white throat under the door caught hla eye, and be walked over and drew It across tho Bill. It was a aenlcd note. He opened It, reading It aa be walked bark to the dropllght burning beside hla bed: DM you not mean to say goodby? Be uu It la to bo goodby for a Ions, long time for all our llvr as lont" M we live u long aa the world lasts and longer. Oootlby unless you care to ay It to me. He stood studying the uote for awhile. Presently, lighting a match, be act fire to It and carried it blazing to the grate and flung It lu, watching the blackened ashes curl up, glow, whiten and fall In flakea to the hearth. Then he went out Into tbe corridor and traversed the hall to the passage which led to the bay window. There wan nobody there. Moving awiftly, he walked the length of the corridor and. halting at her door, knocked once. After a m6nient the door awung open. lie atepped forward Into the room, cloalng the door behind him, and confronted the tall girl atandlng there llhouetted agalnat the lamp behind ber. "You are Insane to do this!" she whispered. "I let you In for fear you'd knock again!" u "I went to tho bay window," he aald. "You went too late. 1 waa there au hour ago. I waited. Do you know what time it Is?" "Come to the bay window," he aald, "If you fear uie here." "Po you know It la nearly a o'clock V he repeated. "And you leave at 6." "Shajl we aay goodby here?" he ask ed coolly. "Certainly, I dare not go out And you do you know the chances we are running? You mnet be perfectly mad to come to my room. Do you think .nrhulv eonld have Been hoard you"-- "No. Good night." He offered his hand. She laid both of hers in it. He could scarcely distinguish-her features where she stood dark against the bril liant light behind her. "Goodby," be whispered, kissing her bands where they lay In his. "Goodby." Her fingers closed con vulsively, retaining his hands. "I hope I think that you"- Her head waa drooping. She could not control her voice. ' , "Goodby, Sylvia," he aald again. It waa quite uselesa-abe could not peak, and when he took her In hla arms she clung to him, quivering, and he kissed the wet lashea and the hot, trembling Hps and the smooth little hands crushed to hla breast "We have a year yet" she gasped. "Dear, take me by force before It ends. 11 slinplv cannot endure this. I told rou to take me-to tear me from my elf Will you do It? I will love you truly, truly! Oh, my darling, my dar ling' Don't-dont give me up! Can t you do something for ua? Can't yon - "Will you come with me now?" "How can" "Wlllsipu?" DCPINOINCE KNTtWPWHr, INDEPENDENCE. ORfGON, IN ROBERT W. CHAMBERS atory ) A sudden aound broke out In the nlght-the distant pealing of the lodge Kate bell. Hurtled, ahe ahrauk bark; aomelssly lu the adjoining room had apruug to the floor and waa opeulug the w ludow. "What la Itr ahe motioned, with whitening Hp. "Quirk, oh quick, he fore j ou ate Been! Urace nay ctine! I-I Leg of you to go!" As be stepped Into the corridor he b.ard below a aound at the great door and the stirring of the nluht watchman on pout. At bin own door be turned, listening to the movement and wills pcrlng. Kerroll. hi dreeing gown and hIIith. Btrpied Into the corrlilor. Be low the chains were rattling an the wicket awung ox u. There was a brief parley at the door. Bound of retreat ing Mop on the gravel 'outside. Hounda of approaching atepa ou the stairway. "What's that? A telegram?" aald Ferrall sharply. "Here, give It to me Walt! It iMi't for me. It'a for Mr. SI ward r Slward's glazed eyea Btared and tared at the scrawled ami Inky mes sage: lour mother la very III. Come at onco. The Igmiture was the name of their family phyalclati. (irlsby. CHAPTER EIGHT BY January the complex aoclal mechanism of the metropolis ( waa whirling smoothly agnlu. The last ultra fashionable De oemlier lingerer bad returned from the country. Those of the same caste out ward bound for a southern or eso'le winter had departed, and the glittering machine, every part assembled, refur bished, repollshed and connected, hav ing been given preliminary speed tests at the horse show and a tuning up at the opera, w as now running under full velocity, and Its steady, subdued whir quickeiied the clattering pulse of the city, keying It to a sublimely aynco pated ragtime. It was an open winter In New York and financially a prosperoua one, and that meant a brilliant social season. Three phenomena particularly charac terized that metropolitan winter the reckless rage for private gambling through the mediums of bridge and roulette; the Incorporation of a corn puny known as the Intercounty Elec tric company, capitalized at a figure calculated to disturb nobody and so far without any avowed specific policy oth er than that which served to decorate a portion of its charter which other wise might have remained ornately and comparatively blank; the third phenomenon was the retirement from active affairs of Stanley S. Quarrler, the father of Howard Quarrler, and tbe election of the son to the presiden cy of the great Algonquin Loan and Trust company, with its network sys tem of dependent, subsidiary and allied corporations. The day that the newspapers gave this Interesting Information to the west ern world Leroy Mortimer, ou being bluntly notlued that he had overdrawn his account with the Algonquin Loan and Trust began telephoning In every direction until he located Beverly Tlank at the Saddle club, an organiza tion of wealthy men and sufficiently exclusive not to compromise Tlank's possible chances for something better. Mortimer crawled out of his hansom, saying that the desk clerk would pay, and -entered'' the reading room, where i'lank aat writing a letter. Beverly Tlank had grown stouter since he bad returned to town from Black Fells, but the increase of weight was evenly distributed over his six feet odd, which made him only a trifle more ponderous and not abdominally fat But Mortimer had become enor mous. Bolls of flesh crowded his mot tled ear lobes outward and bulged above his collar. Cushions of It pad ded the backs of his hands and fin gers. Shaving left his heavy, distend ed face congested and unpleasantly uhtnv nut he waa as minutely groom ed as ever, and he wore that satiated air of prosperity which had always been one of his most Important assets. The social campaign inaugurated by Leila Mortimer In behalf of Beverly Plank had so far received no serious reverses, nis box at the horse show, of course, produced merely negative results. His box at the opera might mean something some day. His name was up at the Lenox and the Patroons. He had endowed a ward in the new pavilion of St Berold'a hospital. He had presented a fine Gainsborough. ThejCountess of Wy the.'l to the Met- rnixilitan uiuMitim. and It waa rumored that be bad consulted Bv-ral UMt concerning WW cbaprl for that huge h.etl..n of the citadel of faith looming above the metropolitan wlldenica In the north. Meanwhile he wm doggedly docile. Ilia huge bouae. facing tbe wintry park midway between the squat palace of wealthy pioneers and tbe outer hundreds, remained magn'nceutly emp- un for certain afternoon confer- encM of very solemn men, fellow di rector and aaaoelate In buainesa ana flimnrlal matter save for the peri odical preeence of the Mortimers. Thing are moving an me aame. aald Mortimer aa he entered the read ing room of tbe Baddle club. "Quarrler and Belwether have listened more re apectfully to rue elnce they read that column bout you and tbe blahop and that chapel buslne." I'lank turned hi heavy head, with dlaturbed glance around the room. "Can't you be carofulT" be aald. "There waa man here a moment ago." He picked up hla unfinished letter, folded and pocketed It. touched an electric hell, ami when a servant came. "Take Mr. Mortimer' order." be said, sup porting bla massive head on hla huge hands and resting hla elbow on tbe writing desk. "I've got to cut out this morning tracer," aald Mortimer, eylug the serv ant with Indecision, tut he gave his order nevertheless and later accepted clgnr. and w hen the servant had re turned and ngnln retired he half emp tied bla tall glass, refilled It with nitn ral ater and. settling back In the i,i,,1,I.hI armchair, said: "If I manage this thing aa It ought to be managed you'll go through by April. What do you think of that?" riank'a phlegmatic features flushed. "I'm more obliged to you than I can say," be liegan. but Mortimer silenced him with a gesture. "Don't Interrupt I'm going to put you through the I'a troons club by April. That's thirty yarda through the center. D'ye see. you uumier- beaded Dutch man? It's solid gain, and It's our tall. The Lenox will take longer. They're 'holler-tban-thou' bunch of nincompoops, aud It always horrifies tbem to have any man elected, no int- t.. n'hrt tia Is." "I'm more obliged to you than 1 can tay" Tlank looked out of the window, hla shrewd blue eyes closing In retrospection. Studebaker Wagons AND CARRIAGES We have the celebrated line of Studebaker wag-' ons and carriages 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. HAMNA BROTHERS HARDWARE DEALERS APRIL 79. 110. Hln,.ihr ihluif" continued Mortimer thickly, "the Kemp Ferralla are dl kwh1 to le decent I don't mean In asking you to meet some Intellectual M'oml ratera. tut In doing It baud ouiuly." want to say." began I'lauk. speak ing the more slowly Uxaus he wa deeply In earnest, "that all tbla you re doing for me U very handsome of jou, Mortimer. I'd like to aay. to con vev to you something of bow I fitd nlHHit the way you and Mr. Morti mer" "Oh. Leila baa Uoue It 11." "Mrs. Mortimer Is very kind, and you have been so too. I I w ish there wua something, some way to to" 'To w hat?" asked Mortimer so blunt ly that I'lauk flushed up and stam mered: "To le-to do a to show my grati tude." f T..O-7 Vim re rrnrcelV In a position to do anything for uj." said Mortimer, J brutally staring mm oui or comnr naiire. I know It." said I'l.mk. the painful flubll deepening. Mortimer, fussing ""' g"owllug over hln cigar, was ncveitlirlecs stealthily Intent on the game which hid so long alworlied him. His wits, clogged, dull ed by excesses, were now aroused to a sort of gross activity through the meu ace of necessity. At lust I'lank bud irtveu him an opening. He recognized his chance. "There's oue thing." be said delllxrr atcly, "that I won't stand for. n: ! that's any vulgar misconception on your part of my friendship for you. Do you follow me?" "I don't misunderstand It" protested Plank, angry and astonished. "I don't" ' "As though,", coutlnued Mortimer ,i,.ir.iTiv -I we,e one of those needy social tipsters, oue of those shan ty, pandering touts who" "For heaveu's sake. Mortimer, don't talk like that! I had no Intention" "one of those contemptible, para sitic leeches," persisted Mortimer, get ting redder and hoarser, "who live on men like you. Confound you, Plank, what the devil do you mean by Itr "Mortimer, are you craty to talk to me like that?" . "No. I'm not, but you must be! I've mind to (Iri the whole cursed busi ness! I've every Inclination to drop it! If you haven't horse sense enough If you haven't Innate delicacy sufficient to keep you from making such a break"- "I didn't. It wasn't a break, Morti mer. I wouldn't have hurt you" "You did hurt me! How can I feel the same again? I never Imagined you thought I waa that sort of a social mercenary.. ' Why, so little, did I dream PAGE THREE that you" looked on our" friendship lu that light that I wae-on my word of honor I waa Just now ou tbe point uf Baking you for fri.ooo or H.f to carry me to the inonth'a end aud square my bridge tlnlicf." Mortimer, you must take It! You are fool to think I meant anything hy saving I wanted to show my grati tude. Iook here; I dei-nt and fair with me. I wouldn't offer you n f-front-would l-wu If 1 were a cad? wouldn't do It now Juat when you're getting things Into Bhaue for me. I'm not fool anyway. Till la In deadly earnest I tell you, Mortimer, and I'm getting ngry bout It You've got to show your confidence la me. You've got to take what you want from me a votl would from snv frtemi." (To be continued.) Beware of Olntmenta for Catarrh) That Contain Mercury, a mercury will urely destroy Him enae of smell and completely de range the whole system when enter ing It through the mucous surfaces. Such articles should never be uned exe pt on pres; rlption from reputable) physicians, as the damage tbey will do Is ten fold to the good you can poaslbly derive from them. Hall's Ca, tarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, O., contains no mercury, and la taken Internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. In buying Hall's Catarrh Cure be sure you get the genuine. It is taken In ternally and made in Toledo, Ohio, by F. J. Cheney &Co. Testimonials free. Sold by druggists. Price ioC per bottle. Take Hall's Family Pills for con stipation. Our stock of ginghams and percales Is the largest and best In town. Cou key, Walker & Lehman. Making Pure Candy Is a Mission Modern SvceeU i A Misiion Fulfilled PatronU the "Xo&en Dealtr Mod CMlKtlmry Co., Mire., Pwtland, One! lar than any other ordina ry vehicle. It is the peer of all farm wag ons first in the hearts of INDEPENDENCE, OREGON