Part 30 (2/2)

The cycle of weeks brought the of a routine in their daily lives Bill's interest and participation in social affairs becaible Of Hazel's circle he classed some half dozen people as desirable acquaintances, and saw more or less of them--Kitty Brooks and her husband; Vesta Lori woman upon whom nature had bestowed a double portion of physical attractiveness and a talent akin to genius for the painting of miniatures; her Brother Paul, as the silent partner in a brokerage fired physician, whose vivacious as one of Hazel's new inti member The others he met courteously when he was compelled to meet them; otherwise he passed theazine, he spent his ti acquired membershi+p in a club as a concession to their manner of life Once he ca an odor of whisky Hazel had never seen hily shocked, and took no pains to hide her feelings But Bill was blandly undisturbed

”You don't need to look so horrified,” he drawled ”I won't beat you up nor wreck the furniture Inadvertently took a few tooelse to do, anyhow Your friend Brooks' Carlton Club is as barren a place as one of your tea fights They don't do anything much but sit around and drink Scotch and soda, and talk about the lad of itIf I were in Cariboo Meadows, now,” he confided owlishly, ”I'd have some fun with the natives You can't turn yourself loose here It's too blame civilized and proper

I had half a notion to lick a Johnnie or two, just for sport, and then I thought probably they'd have me up for assault and battery Just recollected our social reputation--long may she wave--in time”

”_Your_ reputation certainly won't be unblemished if any one saw you corybetter to do than to get drunk”

”I'ht to bed, little person,” he returned ”Scold not, nor fret Williaain ere yet the morrow's sun shall clear the horizon Let us avoid recriue is, or would seem to be, the most vital weapon of modern society Therefore let us leave the trenchant blade quiescent in its scabbard _I'd_ rather settle a dispute with ht”

He made his unsteady way to their extra bedroom, and he was still there with the door locked when Hazel returned froht they had spent apart since their e, and Hazel was inclined to be huffed when he looked in before breakfast, dressed, shaved, and s acquaintance with John Barleycorn But Bill refused to take her indignation seriously, and it died for lack of fuel

A week or so later he became suddenly and unexpectedly active He left the house as soon as his breakfast was eaten, and he did not come home to luncheon--a circumstance which irritated Hazel, since it was one of those rare days when she herself lunched at home Late in the afternoon he telephoned briefly that he would dine don And when he did return, at nine or thereabouts in the evening, he cla a sheet of paper with interures

Hazel had worried over the possibility of his having had another tilt with the Scotch and sodas He relieved her of that fear, and she restrained her curiosity until boredoan to grate on her nerves

”What is all the clerical work about?” she inquired ”Reckoning your assets and liabilities?”

Bill s to pro company,” he told her, quite casually

”It has been put up to e where I have to do _so_, or I'll sure have the willies”

She overlooked the latter statenificance at the time But his first statement opened up possibilities such as of late she had sincerely hoped would come to pass, and she was all interest

”Pro company?” she repeated ”That sounds extremely businesslike Hohen--where?”

”Now--here in Granville,” he replied ”The how is largely Paul Lori up a bit to the subject, ”when I was prospecting that creek where we made the clean-up last summer, I ran across a well-defined quartz lead I packed out a few samples in my pockets, and I happened to show theets to some of these fellows at the club a while back Lorimer took a piece of the quartz and had it assayed It loo So he and Brooks and a couple of other felloant roup of claiht make 'e thing while the lode is being developed It should pay well fro the start is easy As a matter of fact, you could sell any old wildcat that has the et the fever as soon as they finger the real yellow stuff These fellows I've talked to are dead anxious to get in”

”But”--her knowledge of business ested a difficulty--”you can't sell stock in a business that has no real foundation--yet Don't you have to locate those claiht” He s proposition I wouldn't be in on it if it were, believe me It's to be a corporation, where not to exceed six men will own all the stock that's issued And so far as the claie, and I've been burning the wires and spending a bundle of real ot four ive the word”

”You won't have to go?” she put in quickly

”No,” he e of the ga of dogs, just the same”

”B-r-r-r!” she shi+vered involuntarily ”Four hundred h that steady, flesh-searing cold I don't envy the silence, sprawling listless in his chair, staring absently at the rug, as if he had lost all interest in the e this end of it,” she pursued lightly, ”I suppose you'll have an office don”

”I suppose so,” he returned laconically

She ca his brown hair with her fingers