| OCR Text |
Show Ki '"' "Iff' .sinoT 'tot fHHiJnniaUTT Hf on eovoiloi tnwln JitomlriM w'tiinl fltj nl lUJufcW'uFflJ I Inn '.jj'r"1 3" tfl - 0 SYNOPSIS. BBSS! fef Minnie, rprlng-honae Klrl at Hope unna- fM ( yior.uni. t I f tlio itury. It opens with the M . jttviirrtvitt of Mis Patty Jnnlng, who I re- H ' Wpoiicd to l- omkiikimI to marry a prlnco, fM ; and. the driitli o( thn old doctor wt.o owns M Wythe stitilit'irlum. The extntu in left to It I mM'npeitnu c Krnmlxon. Dicky Carter, who I cinunL mipcar on n certain ilntn and rim Ht Satin-jiinatorliiin HiiucoHMfully for two M ZPJiiwftlU or forfeit the Inheritance. A piiho M i A') "iinnpM delas Olck'n arrival. Mr. Tho- Vbiirn Ih hoierlnk nboiil In hopes of hi- fM &. cut luce tlio place for u mi miner hotel H tSf Pierce, ii college man In hard luck, Is pro- I ffivnllcd upon I iv Vim AlHtyno. Dlck'n lmith- ffl i cr-lii-lfiu. to IinpnrHoniite. the imIshIhk heir j( aoii(i take charge of the sanatorium until fM m ,jl'irter arrive. Dick, who has eloped Aj -3 with J'uttv'H younger sinter, Dorothy, nr- r-L ' rlvtx, itiKi the couple ko Into hiding In IX tlio old Mielter house I 'ourlnK to fueo Unrptliy'H father, 'who Is nt tlio sanator- ililm, I5lolt arranges with Plerco to con- I Untie In the innnnKumciit of the property Julia HiiiiiltiriM. leadltiK lady of Pierce' H (trAmled tie iitrlcal company, arrives. t vho Ic suing Dicky for bleat It of proniUc, H 1 CHAPTER VI. Continued. BH "I'm no glad you're Htlll huro, Mln- B nlo!" slut exclaimed, breathing fiiBt. H , - ''You lmvcu't tnken tlio dinner out to BH 'jdio shelter-house yot, huv you?" "Not yot," I replied. "Tlllle hasn't BB brought tin- bnskot," BB Hut I gucBB hor elBtor and Mr. Dick BBj could have starved to duath Just then H 'I without her noticing. She wan nil ex- H. ) cltctneut, for nil aho'a mostly o cool. H'' "I have n note hero from my bIb- H , tor," Fho said. KCttlng it out of hor H imcltct. "I know wo all ImpoHo on H ) f 7)u, Minnie, hut will you tnke It for H uio? I'd go, but I'm In sllppeiB, and, H t anyhow, I'd need n lantern, and that H e ' would bo roqkloas, wouldn't It?" H "j "U ellpporBl" Mr. I'lerco Interrupt- H i cil. "U'b only five degrees nbovo zerol . . Of nil the foolhnrdy !" H ' Miss I'ntty did not seem to hear H him. She gnvo tho latter to me and Hr ' followed me out on tho step. H "You'ro n alnt, Minnie," she Bald, H v Irnuing over nnd squeezing my arm, H;,. "nml because you'ro going bnck nnd H , forth in the cold so much, I want you H A '' to huve this to keep." H vj i Phe stopped nnd picked up from the H C snowv beside tho steps 6omethlng soft Hi yf an(l ,urr" al throw It around my Hb --, , oocV.nud the uoxt Instant I knew sho H " ' ' ' was giving me her chinchilla set, muff WjSK jnim! UMl ttlUIjtt'aA-ao-IeaBfedl cried, and f"-, , r tt'l tIT way over to tho shelter-house Prfl toS?' ' snlv,,'t'(, ant' danced with Joy nt tho H' y same time. Them's nothing like chin. B ' chllln to tone down rod hnlr. H n Well, I took tho uoto out to the H j - Bhcltcr-house, nnd' rapped. Mr. Dick H "V let me In, nnd It struck me he wuen't 1 ns cheerful as usual. He reached out H and took the muff. H "Oli,"' he said, "I thought that wnB M the supper." H "It's coming," I said, looking past H him for Mru. Dicky. H 'She had seen tho noto nnd sat up H . and held out her hand for It. "Dick!" H bIjo snld suddenly, "what do you H think? Oflknr Ib here! Pat's In tho H 'I wildest excitement. He's In town, nnd K Aunt llonorla has telephoned to know H whnt to do! Listen; ho Is Incog, of H ' ., course, and registered as OBkar von H InwaUl. He did an awfully clever H thing enme in through Cannda while H the papers thought ho was In St. Mo- H "For heaven's snko," replied Mr. H j Mck, "tell her not to nBk him here. I H jt bhouldn't know how to tnlk to him. Oh, H I'vo known n lord or two, but thnt'8 H different. Yo(i cull them anything you H llko nnd lend them money." H "I dure say you can with Oskar, H i too." Mrs. Dicky put tho note down H and sighed. "Well, he'n coming. Pat H i nays dad won't go back to town until H lio's had 21 baths, and ho'a only had H elevon and she's got to Btay with him, H And you needn't worry about what to H rail Oskar. He's not to know we're M here." H I A was worried on my way back to H ! tho sprlnghousc not that tho prince Hj would roako much difference, as far as I H I could see tulngB being about aa bad as B I thoy could be. But tiomo of tho people M were talking of leaving, nnd slnco we H '' had to hnvo a prince it seemed a pity B he wasn't coming with nil Ills retlmit H and titles. It would have been a good m ton thousand dollars' worth of ndver- H i Using for tho placo, and goodness m ' knows we needed it. H Whan I got back to tho sprlnghousc B ' Miss Patty nnd Mr. Plerco won' Htlll IBB there. , "Of coiirso It Isn't my affair,' EBB 1 .the was Faying. "You are perfectly -" i jJQJ 'Then I opened tho door nnd ho stopped j B , l went on into tho panto- tn take oft' BB -?-'" Ky o, ufshoos, and as I closed the dooi BJI I '' hti continued. "I didn't menu to suv fl '. wha,t I have. I meant to explain BJi .,j . $ . about' the other nfgtit I had a right ffiij , .. ;'' to do that. Hut you forced the Issue ' mSm ,JHi "' wnB 'O'HP0""1 to tell you be was fKB t .SL scomliiR," sho etiltl dngrlly. "I felt J SJi i tlw should." SwH ' ' 'wt "What would you have had mo do?" eH! '" j 4,,jfflf' Bhn naked. 1113 ' ' i . "Take those two children to your i m father. What If there wau a row' iitlSs " W W,1J' B,10llld there bo such a lot made WMn v "" ' J "f It, anyhow? They're young, but gllWfi , n they'll get older. It Isn't a crime for '3rll ' tvvo I'00!'10 to or lovo each other, Is maW :v ' ' And. If you think a scandal or two ffijM ' rU your family granting your father jyMw would make n scandal Is going to put EMB another patch on the ragged rejiuta- pB "Uon of tho royal family of" V "How dure youl!" sho cried furious- BPJ jjr'Vlow dare you!" BH ' beard her cross tho room and tllas '!' BBifl HrSI ' .iV-jti'iA -v i M-,'"J.Ii ' . " " i .. B pj wibe thm'5 . awh as fMAEf C0BERT5 KIMEHART IWSJ I LOWER T&N, WHEN A. IMA7NT IMATiELIES LVI -i1'1'11 1 ILLUSTRATED & EDGAR BERT SMIIHLrti Lfe 1 1 the door open nnd a second lator It slammed. When I camo out of tho pantry Mr. Plerco waa eittlng in his old poBltion; elbow on kneo, holding his plpo nnd staring at tho bowl. I had my. hands full the noxt day. We'd had nnothcr snowstorm during tho night and the trains were blocked again. About ten o'clock wo got n telegram from tho now doctor we'd been expecting, that he'd fallen on tho Ire on his way to tho train and broken his arm, nnd at clovep a delegation from tho gucBts waited on .Mr. Pierce nnd told him they'd have to havo a house physician nt once. "Wo'ro doing the best wo can," Mr. Plerco explained. "We wo expect a doctor today." "When?" from Mr. Jennings, who had come on n cane and wns watching Mr. Pierce llko a hnwk. "Thl afternoon, probnbly. As thoro Is no one hero very 111" Hut at that I hey almost fell on him nnd toto him to pieces. I had to stop In front of him myself and say we'd have Bomobody there by two o'clock if we hnd to rob n hospital to get him. Well, as If I didn't havo my hands full with getting meals to tho shelter-hoiihe, shelter-hoiihe, nnd trying to find n house doctor, doc-tor, und wondering how long it would be boforo "Julia" camo fice to face with Dick Carter somewhere or other, and trying to keep ono eye on Thoburn while I kopt Mr. Pierce straight with tho other that day, during luncheon, Alike the bath man came out to the sprlnghouso nnd mndo n howl nbout IiIb wages. He'd been looking surly for two days. "Whnt nbout your wnges?" 1 snapped. "Aren't you getting what you'vo always had?" "No tips!" he said sulkllv. "Onlv n few taking baths only ono dnlly, and Hint's Hint man Jennings. There's no uso talking, Miss Minnie, I've got to have n double percentage on that man or you'll huve to muzzlo him. He-he's He-he's dangerous." "If I give you tho doublo percentage, percent-age, will you stay?" "I don't know but that I'd rather have tho muzzle, Miss Minnie," ho answered Klowly, "but I'll Btay. It won't bo for long." Which loft mo thinking. I'd scon Thoburn talking to Mike moro than onco lately, and he'd been going around with an nlr of nssuranco that didn't mako mo nny too cheerful. At four o'clock Mr. Sam camo In, and ho had Mr. Thoburn tight by the arm. "My dear old chap," ho was saying, "it would bo na much aa your life's worth. That ground Js full of holes and Just now covered with snow !" Ho caught my eye, nnd wiped his forehead. "Heaven help us!" ho snld, coming over to tho spring, "I found him making ma-king for tho shelter-houBe, armed with a foot rule! Somebody's got to tnko him In hand I tell you, the man's a menace!" "What nbout tho doctor7" I asked, reaching up his glass. "He hero tonight." ho answered, "on tho" Hut at that mlnuto n boy brought a telegram down nnd handed It to him. Tho now doctor was laid up with Influenza! In-fluenza! We nt thoro after tho others had gone, nnd Mr. Stun snld ho wna for giving tip tho light, only to come out now with tho truth would mean Buch n lot of explaining and a good many people would likely And It funny. Mr, Pierce camo In later and wo gnvo him tho telegram to read. He glanced nt It nnd handed It back. "Lot's of starving M. D.'s would Jump nt the chance." ho said, "but If He Gave Me a Good Stare. It's as urgent ns nil this wo can't wait to hunt. I'll toll you, Van AUtynu, there's n chap down in the vlllago ho was the character man with the Sweot Peas company und he's stranded there. 1 saw him this morning. Ho'e washing dishes in the depot restaurant restau-rant for his meals. Wo used to call him Doc, and I'vo a hazy Idea that he's a graduato M. D. namo'a Uarncs." "Great!" crlod Van Alstyno.' "Lot's havo Humes. You got hln., will you, Pierce?" Mr. Plerco promised and thoy stort-cd stort-cd out together. At tho door Mr. Sam turned. "Oh, by the way, Minnie," ho called "better gild ono of your chairs rind put a red cushion on it. Tho prlnco has arrived." Well, I thought it nil out thnt afternoon after-noon as I washed tho glnsscB, and It wan terrible. I had two pcoplo In the shelter-house to feed and . look after llko babies, with Tlllle getting moro curious overy day about the basket sho brought, nnd not to bo held much longer; nnd I had a man running tho sunntorlum and running it to tho devil as fast as It could go. Then I had a prlnco incognito, and Thoburn stirring up mlschlof, and tho servants threatening threat-ening to strike, nnd no bouso doctor-Just doctor-Just as I goi to Hint somebody opened tho door behind mo nnd looked In. I glanced around, and it was a man with the rqddcst hair I over saw. Mine was palo by comparison. Ho was rather short and heavy-sot, and ho had n plcnsnnt fnco, nlthough not hand-Botno, hand-Botno, his noso being slightly bent to the left. Hut at first all I could see was his hnlr. "Good evening," he Bald, edging himself him-self In. "Aro you Mlsa Waters?" "Yes," r sard, rising and getting a glass ready. He took off Hia' hat and came over to tho sprhis whero I' waa filling his glass. "If that's for ilife, y'olr needn't bother," both-er," ho enld. "IMl Uiaiee ns it. smells, I'm not thirsty. My name'B Darnes, and I was to wait'horb'Tor Mr. Van Al-styne." Al-styne." "Harnes!" I ropeatotf. "Then you'ro tho doctor." He grinned, and Btood turning his hat around In hln hands. "Not exactly," ho sold. "I graduated In medlclno a good many years ngo, but nftor-a year of it I took to other things.' "Oh, ,yes," I said. "You'ro on actor now," Ho looked thoughtful. "Some pcoplo think I'm not," ho answered, an-swered, "but I'm on the stage." I uut.-'Hfrcsh.lQc-ou.JiiQ-lU'ctaC It blazed up I eaw him looking at mo. "Yo gods and llttlo fishes!" ho Bald. "Another redhead I Why, we're as nllko an two carrots off tho same bunch I" In five minutes I know how old ho waa, nnd whore ho wns raised, nnd thnt what ho wanted moro than anything any-thing on enrth was a little farmhouso with chickens and a cow. Thon ho wanted to know what ho was to do at the sanatorium and I told him aB well as I could. I didn't tell him everything, but I explained why Mr. Plerco was calling himself Carter, and about tho two In tho Bholter-houae. I had to Ho know as well as I did that threo days boforo Mr. Plorco had had nothing to his name but a folding automobile road map or whatever It wns. "Good, for old Plerco!" ho said when I finished. "Ho'a a prince, Miss Waters. Wa-ters. If you'd soen him sending those girls back to town well, I'll do all I can to help him." Mr. and Mrs. Van Alstyno camo In Just thon, nnd Mr. Sam told him what he was expected to do. It wasn't much. "Remember," Mr. Sam Instructed him, bb Doctor Harnes Btnrted out, "when you don't know whnt to prescribe, pre-scribe, order n Turkish bath. Tho baths are to a sanatorium what tho bar Is to a club thoy pay tho bills." Well, wo got It all fixed and Doctor Harnes started out, but at tho door he stopped. "I say," lio asked In an undertone, "tho stork doesn't light around bore, doe ho?" "Not If thoy see him first!" I replied re-plied grimly, and ho went out. CHAPTER VII. It was all well enough for me to say as I had to to Tllllo many a time that It was ridiculous to mako a fusa over a person for what, after all, was an accident of birth. Nevertheless, at flvo o'clock, after every ono had gone, when I saw Miss Patty, muffled In furs, tripping out through tho snow, with a tall thin man beside hor, walk-Ing walk-Ing very tralght and taking ono Btep to hor four, I felt as though somebody had hit mo at tho end of my breast-bono. breast-bono. Thoy enmo In together, laughing and talking, and, to bo honest, if i hadn't caught tho back of a chair. I'd havo had ono foot back of tho other and been making a courtosy In spite of myself. "Wo'ro Into, Minnie;" Miss Putty -aid. "Oskar, this Is ono of my best friends, nnd you nro to bo very nice to her." Ho had ono of those slngln glass thlnga In his oyo and ho gnvo mo a good otnro through It. Seen close ho was hundsomor thnn .Mr. Pierce, but ho lookod oldor than his picture. "Ask hor If sho won't bo nlco to mo," ho said in as good English as mlno, nnd held out his hand. "Any of Mlsa Patty's frlonds " i began, with a lump In my throat, and gnvo his hand a good Bquoezo. They went very soon after that. I stood and watched them until they dls- t nppenred in tho snow, nnd I felt lonelier lone-lier than over, nnd end, nlthough cor-talnly cor-talnly ho wns better than I hnd expected expect-ed to find him. Ho wns a man, and not a llttlo cub with n body hardly big enough to carry his forefnthors' weaknesses. weak-nesses. Hut ho had a cold oyo and a warm mouth, ni.d that sort of man Is genorally n social success nnd a matrimonial matri-monial failure. I had hardly clo3od tho door nfter them when It opened ngaln and Mr. Plorco came In. He shut tho door nnd, going ovor to one of tho tables, put u pnekngo down on It. "Hero's tho etuff you wanted for tho spring, Minnie," he announced. "I suppose I can't do anything moro than register p protest, against Jt?" "You needn't bother doing that," I answered, "unless It makes you feol better. Your authority ends at that door. Inside tho sprlnghouso I'm In. control." (U'b hard to bellevo, with things ft? thoy aro, that I onco really bolloved thnt. Hut I did. It wns three full days later that I learned that I'd been mistaken!) Well, ho snt thero and looked at nothing while I heated water in my brass kettlo ovor the tiro and dissolved thn thlngB against Thoburn's quick eyo tho noxt day, and ho didn't say nnythlng. He had a gift for keeping qulot, Mr. Plorco had. It got on my nerves after a while. "Things aro doing bottor," I remarked, re-marked, stirring up my mixture. i "Yes," ho said, without moving. "Miss Miss Jennings nnd tho von In-wald In-wald were hero Just now, weren't they? I passed them on tho bridge." "Yes." "What how do you llko him?" "Hetter than I expected and not so well ns I might," I said. Mrs. Hutchlna came out to the sprlnghouso tho next morning. Sho wns dressed In a black silk with real laco collar and cuffe, und sho wnB bo puffed up with prldo that she forgot to bo nnsty to mo. ' "I thought. I'd bettor come to you, Minnie, VflN said. "Mr. Carter has tno nbrrirwln? I cannot imagino why ho should Mvo glvon him tho coldest and most (disagrooablo part of the house." I said I'd spoak to Mr. Carter and try to havo him moved, and sho went away, but I niado up my mind to talk to Mr. Plerco. The sanatorium business busi-ness fsn't ono where you can put your own llkoe and dislikes against tho comfort com-fort of tho guests. I was Blck enough of hearing of Mr, von Inwald boforo tho day was over. All morning In the sprltyjuouso thoy talked Mr. von Inwald. They pretended pretend-ed to play cards, but thoy were really playing Europoan royalty. Every tlmo somebody Inld down a queen, he'd say, "Is tho queen still living, or didn't sho die n few years ago?" And when thoy played tho knavo, they'd start off about the prlnco again. , In tho afternoon Mr. von Iuwnld came out to tho sprlnghouso nnd snt around, very affable nnd frlondly, drinking tho wnter. Ho nnd tho bishop grew quite chummy. Mies Putty was not there, but nbout four o'clock Mr. Plorco came out. Ho did not sit down, but wanderod around tho room, not talking to anybody, but staring, whenever when-ever ho could, at tho prlnco. Onco I caught Mr. von Inwald's eyes fixed on him, as if he might havo seen him bo-fore. bo-fore. Senator Biggs waa tho ono who really real-ly caused tho trouble. "What do you think of American womon, Mr. von In-wald?" In-wald?" ho asked, and everybody Btoppod playing cards and listened for tho answer. As Mr. von Inwald renrtv sented tho prlnco, wouldn't ho bo likely like-ly to volco tho prince's opinion of American women? U'b my bollef Mr. von Inwald was gdlng to eny something nlco. He smiled ns if ho mennt to, but Just then ho saw Mr. Plerco In his corner sneering behind his plpo. They looked at each othor steadily, nnd nobody could mlstnko tho hato In Mr. Pierco's fuco or his sneer. After a mlnuto tho prlnco looked away and shrugged hia shoulders, but ho didn't make Ills protty speech. , "American women!" ho said, turning hlti glass of spring wator around on tho tublo boforo him, "they nro very lovoly, of courso. Hut thoy nro spoiled fearfully spoiled. They rulo their parents par-ents nnd thoy expect to rulo their bus-bnnds. bus-bnnds. In Europe wo do thlnga bettor; bet-tor; wo nro not what Is tho English? hng-rldden?" Thoro wns a sort of murmur nmong tho men, but tho .vomon till nodded as If thoy thought Europo wns entirely entire-ly right. They'd havo ngrood with him If he'd ndvocated slxtoon wives sitting cross-legged on a mat, like the Turks. Mr. Plerco wa Btlll sturlng at tho prince. "What I don't quite understand, Mr. von Inwald," tho bishop put In In his nlco way, "Ib your custom of expecting a girl to bring her husbnnd a certain definlto flum of money and to placo It under tho husband's control. Our wealthy American glrla control tholr own money." He wns thinking of Miss Patty, and ovorybody knew It. Tho prlnco turned rod and glared at the bishop. Thon I think ho remembered remem-bered that they didn't know who ho was, nnd he smiled nnd Btnrted to turning the glnse again. "Pardon!" he said. ' in It no better? What do women know of money? They throw It away on trifles, dress, Jowels American women nro extrnvngant. It Is ono result of their of their spoiling." spoil-ing." Mr. Plerco got up nnd emptied his plpo Into tho flro. Then ho turned. "I'm nfrald you have not known tho best typo of American women," he snld, looking hard nt tho prince. "Our representative womon nre our middle-class middle-class women. They do not contract European alliances, not having sufficient suffi-cient money io attract tho attention of the nobility, or enough to buy titles, as they do pearls, for the purpose of adornment." Mr. von Inwnjd got up, nnd his fnco was red. Mr. Pierce was white nnd sneering. "AW ho went on, "when they mnrry thoy wish to control their own money, nnd not seo it spent in ways with which you nre doubtless familiar." Wo wore all paralyzed. Nobody moved. Mr. Pierce put tils plpo In his pocket nnd stalked out, slamming tho door. Then Mr. von Inwald shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "I see I shall have to tnlk to our young friend," ho Bald and picked up IiIb glass. "I'm afraid I'vo given a wrong Impression, I llko tho American Ameri-can women vory much; too well," ho wont on with a flash of his toeth, looking look-ing around tho room, and brought tho glass to tho spring for mo to fill. Hut I can tell a good bit about a man from tho way ho gives mo his glass, nnd ho was In n. nnrfppf frotiTv nt vntm vim. a in u. iiuiieci irunzy or rngo. wnen I reached It back to him ho gripped it until his nails wero white. Tllllo brought tho supper basket for tho Bhelter-hoiiBo about six o'clock and snt down for n mlnuto by tho flro. She said Mr. Pierce (Carter to hor) had started out with a gun nbout live o'clock. It was foolish, but it mndo mo uneasy. Sho got up, leaving the basket on tho hearth. Jut thon I heard a Bitot from the direction di-rection of tho doer 'park, oven Tllllo noticed how palo I got. "I don't know what's come, over you, Minnie," sho said. "That's only Mr. Cnrtor shooting rabbits. I saw him go out aB I started down tho path." I was still nervous when I put on my shawl and picked up tho baskot. Hut there was a puddlo on tho floor nnd tho Eoup hnd spilled. Thero wns nothing noth-ing for It but to go back for moro soup, nnd I got it from tho kitchen without tho chef seeing me. When I opened tho sprlnghouso door ngnln Mr. Plerco wns by tho flro, nnd In front of him, whero I loft tho basket, lay a dead rabbit. rab-bit. There was no baBket In Bight. "Well," I asked, "did you chango my basket Into a dead rabbit?" "Basket!" ho said, looking up. "What basket?" I lookod ovorywhero, but the basket was gono, nnd nftor a whllo I decided thnt Mr. Dick hnd hnd nn attack of thoughtfulness (or hunger) and had carried It out himself. And nil the time I looked for tho bnskot Mr. Plerco sat with the gun ncrosa his knees and stared at tho rabbit. "I'd thank you to tako that messy thing out of horo," I told him. "Poor llttlo chap!" ho oxclalmed. "Ho wns playing In tho snow, and I klllod him not because I wanted food or isport, Minnie, but woll, because I hnd to kill something." "I hope you don't have thoso nttacks often," I said. Ho looked at the rabbit and sighed. "Never In my life!" ho answered. "For food or sport, that'a dlfforont, but II ' v "I've Been Looking Everywhere for That Glass." blood-lust!" Ho got up nnd put the gun In the corner, and I saw ho looked white nnd mlsornble. 1 didn't like to scold him when ho waa feeling bad anyhow, hut business Is business. So I asked him how long hu thought people would stay If he acted act-ed as ho had that day. I told him, too, to rotnombor that ho wasn't responsible responsi-ble for the morals or notions of his guosts, only for tholr hpnllh. "Health!" hu echoed, and kicked' n chair. "Health! Why, If 1 wantod to keep n good dog In condition, Minnie, ifl I wouldn't bring him here." ,'iBJ "No," I retorted, "you'd Bhut him in B nn old out oven, and givo him a shoe BJ to chow, nnd ho'd come out In three jB days frisking nnd happy. Hut you H can't do thnt with people. jBJ "Au fnr ns Mr. von Inwald goes," 1 V went on, "that's not your affair or Bj mlno. If Miss Patty's own father can't 9 prevent It, why should you worry jSJ about It?" BB "Precisely," he agreed. "Why should S I? Hut 1 do, Mlnnle-T-thut's tho devil !BJ of it." M Ho said good night and went out, 'flfl taking tho gun nnd the rabbit with BJ him, nnd I went Into tho pantry to fin- H Ish straightening things for tho night. BJ In a few minutes I heard voices in H the other room, one Mr. Plorce's, and H ono with a strong German accent. H "When was that?" Mr. von Inwald's voice. BJ "A year ago, In Vienna." H "Whore?" BJ ''At the Hnl Tnbarln. You wero In a I loge. The' trinfi 1 wns with told mo H who the woman was, It was sho, I BJ think, who suggested that you loan H ovor tho rail " BJ "Ah, so!" said Mr. von Inwald as if he Just remembered. "Ah, yes, I recall H I wna with tho lady was red-haired, BJ Is It not? And it wns she who desired fl me " BJ "You leaned ovor tho rail and poured I a glass of wlno on my head. It was fl very funny. The lady wna charmed." BJ "I recall It perfectly. I remember BJ thnt I did It under protest It was a BJ very lino wine, nnd expensive" . BJ "Then you also rocnll," said, Mr. B Plerco, very quietly, "thnt becauso you BJ wero with a well, becauso you wero fl with n woman, I could not return your B compliment. Hut I demanded tho privl- BJ logo at some future dato when you fl wero nlono." fl "It is n pity," replied Mr. von In- fl wald, "that now, when I am alone, fl thero Is no wine!" fl "No, thoro Is no wino," Mr. Plerco I ngrood slowly, "but there Is" I opened tho door ut that, and both of , thorn stajtod. Mr, vnp.ir.nif n , standing" with his arms folded, and """ Mr. Plorco had ono arm raised holding up a glass of spring Svater.' In another anoth-er second lt would havo been In tho other man'e face. 1 walked over to Mr. Plerco and took the glass out of his hand, nnd his expression ex-pression wns funny to seo. "I've been looking ovorywhero for that glass," I said. "iOa got to bo washed." Mr. von Inwald laughed and picked up his soft hat from tho tablb. Ho turned around nt tho door nnd looked back nt Mr. Plerco, Btlll lnughlng. "Accopt my apologloa!" ho said. "It was such a flno wino, and so expensive." expen-sive." Then he went out. i CHAPTER VIII. I was protty norvous when I took chargo of tho nows Btand that evening. eve-ning. Amanda King had an appointment appoint-ment with tho dentist and had left everything topsyturvoy. I was Btlll straightening up when people began to como down to dinner. Two or throo things happened that night. For ono, I got a good look at Miss Julia Summers. She was light-haired light-haired and well-fleshod, with an ugly faco but a ploasant smllo. Sho wore a low-necked drons that made Miss Cobb's with tho yoko out look like a storm collar, and If sho had a broken heart she didn't show It. , "Hello!" sho cried, looking at my hair, "nro you selling tobacco here or aro you tho cigar-lighter?" "Nelthor," I answered, looking ovor hor bend. "I am employed as the ex- tingutsher pf gay guests." "Good," Bho said., smiling. "I'm something some-thing flno nt that myself. Suppose I stay horo nnd holp. If I watch that lino of knitting women I'll bo crocheting crochet-ing Arabella's wool In my sleep tonight." to-night." Woll, sho wnB too cheerful to bt angry with. So she stnyod around for a whllo, nnd It wns amazing how much tobacco I sold that ovonlng. Men 'ho usually bouybt tobies bought tho best cigars, anf whon Mr. Jonnlngs camo up, scowling, nnd I handed him tho brand ho'd smoked for years, eho took ou, clipped tho end of It as lient as ii finger nail nnd guvo It to him, holding up tho lighter. "I'm not going to smoke yot, young woman," ho said, glarlug nt hor. Hut pho only smiled. "I'm sorry," sho eald. "I'vo been wnltlng hungrily until Bomo discriminating discrimi-nating Bmoker would buy ono of those and light It. I lovo tho aroma." And ho stood thero for thirty minutes, min-utes, standing mostly on ono foot on nccount of tho gouty ono, pulling llko a locomotlvo, with her snlfllng nt tho aroma nnd telling him how lonely sho folt with no frlonds nround nnd Just recovering from n nevoro Illness. 'At , 'j eight o'clock ho bad Mrs. Hutchlna JSfiJf j bring him his fur-llucd coat nnd he WiM and MIbs Julia took Arabella, tho dog, ''B&Ki for a walk on thn vornndn! BBk 1 (TO Hi: CONTINUED.) SB 1 |
