In The Swim - A Story Of Currents And Under-currents In Gayest New York

IN THE SWIM A Story of Currents and Under - CONTENTS - BOOK I. A RISING STAR. CHAPTER. PAGES I-Young Lochinvar has Come out of the West, . 5-23 I1 - The Drift of a Day in New York City, . . . . . 24-43 I11 - A Frank Disclosure, . . . . . . . . . . 44-67 IV- L Wyman and Vreeland Swing the Street, . . . 68-88 V - Toward the Zenith, . . . . . . . . . . . 89-1 xo BOOK 11. WITH THE CURRENT. V1 - In the Elmleaf Bachelor Apartments, . . . 111-131 V11 - Plunger Vreelands Gay Life, Under the Rose, 132-151 VIII-Miss Romaine Garland, Stenographer, . . . . 152-170 IX - Senator Alyntons Colleague, . . . . . . . 171-188 X-An Interview at Lakemere. Some Ingenious Mechanism. Whose Picture is That . . 189-209 BOOK 111.. ON A LEE SHORE. XI-Miss Marbles A Lost Lamb Her Vacant Chair. Senator Garstons Disclosure. Sara Conyers Mission. Miss Garlands Dishonorable Discharge. A Defiance to the Death. Robbed . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 10-234 XI1 - Mine and Countermine, . . . . . . . . . 235-257 XIII - A Wedding in High Life, . . . . . . . . 258-279 XIV - For the - Childs Sake . . . . . . . . . 280-315 XV - In the Dark Waters, . . . . . . . . . . 316-361 I N THE SWIM. BOOK I-A RISING STAR - CHAPTER I - YOUNG LOCHINVAR HAS COME OUT OF THE WEST - There was an expression of sullen discontent upon the handsome features of Mr. Harold Vreeland gentleman unattached, as the inbound Hudson River train dashed along under the castled cliffs of Rhinebeck. The afternoon was fair-the river of all rivers glittered gaily in the sun, and a dreamy peace rested on field and stream. But, the peace of this June afternoon of entered not into the young wayfarers soul. The five years which the traveler from nowhere in particular hadthrown away in the far wilds of the sporadic West had not yet robbed his chiseled features of the good looks which he had borne away from old Nassau. l And, though his glittering blue eye had been trained to a habitual impassiveness by much frontier poker, he had always abjured that Rocky Mountain whisky which biteth like an adder. As he restlessly sought the smoking-car, after a vain struggle with the all too-evident immorality of a saucy French novel, several quickly thrilled spinsters followed his retreating form with warm glances of furtive admiration and half-suppressed sighs. Vreelands stalwart figure was clearly reminiscent of well-played football and long straining at the oar. His well-set head was bravely carried, his eye was searching and even audaciously daring in its social explorations. At twenty-seven he had not lost the fascination of his soft and perfectly modulated voice nor the winning insinuation of his too frequent smile. The chin was far too softly molded for an ascetic, and an expression of lurking insincerity flickered in the pleasureloving curves of his handsome mouth. But, shapely and glowing with manly vigor, he was a very proper man-at-arms in the battle of life, his sweeping caval y mustache lending an air of decision to his sun-burned features. Though he was perfectly dressed up to the memories of his never-forgotten varsity grade, the wanderjahre had given to him a little of that easy swing which is the gift of wandering on boundless prairies, long nights spent nZ fresco under the glittering dome of stars, and a close commune with the sighing pines of the West. The shade of bitterness deepened upon his moody face as he noted a three-masted steam yachtswinging along up the river, with the elastic quivering throb of her quadruple compounded engines...