g good
spirits, and his unconcealed admiration for her softened her manner
toward him to the point of toleration.

And Neergard, from his equivocal footing in the house of Ruthven,
obtained another no less precarious in the house of Fane--all in the
beginning on a purely gaming basis. However, Gerald had already proposed
him for the Stuyvesant and Proscenium clubs; and, furthermore, a stormy
discussion was now in progress among the members of the famous Siowitha
over an amazing proposition from their treasurer, Jack Ruthven.

This proposal was nothing less than to admit Neergard to membership in
that wealthy and exclusive country club, as a choice of the lesser evil;
for it appeared, according to Ruthven, that Neergard, if admitted, was
willing to restore to the club, free of rent, the thousands of acres
vitally necessary to the club's existence as a game preserve, merely
retaining the title to these lands for himself.

Draymore was incensed at the proposal, Harmon, Orchil, and Fane were
disgustedly non-committal, but Phoenix Mottly was perhaps the angriest
man on Long Island.

"In the name of decency, Jack," he said, "what are you dreaming of? Is
it not enough that this man, Neergard, holds us up once? Do I understand
that he has the impudence to do it again with your connivance? Are you
going to let him sandbag us into electing him? Is that the sort of
hold-up you stand for? Well, then, I tell you I'll never vote for him.
I'd rather see these lakes and streams of ours dry up; I'd rather see
the last pheasant snared and the last covey leave for the other end of
the island, than buy off that Dutchman with a certificate of membership
in the Siowitha!"

"In that case," retorted Ruthven, "we'd better wind up our affairs and
make arrangements for an auctioneer."

"All right; wind up and be damned!" said Mottly; "there'll be at least
sufficient self-respect left in the treasury to go round."

Which was all very fine, and Mottly meant it at the time; but, outside
of the asset of self-respect, there was too much money invested in the
lands, plant, and buildings, in the streams, lakes, hatcheries, and
forests of the Siowitha. The enormously wealthy seldom stand long upon
dignity if that dignity is going to be very expensive. Only the 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