The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-24
xadass. The idiot newspaper


 Dagwell glanced at her sharply. She was leaning forward, her slender wnite arms crossed on the window ledge ne. chiffon frock enveloping her hke veii lifted from the moonlight Bay without Father is intensely pleased. you know" said Dagwell abruptly. He ana Senator Lombard still shake hanos every time they meet" ,., And you---and Miss LombardF queried Nancy. her gaze still fixed on the waters of the Bay
 Are doing as nicely as couio pc expected. said Dagwell levelly. she will be over for the london season, going first to Paris. She is not very keen about this end of Europe you know. so I will join her when the sea son opens---"
 Nancy leaned back in her chair, her eyes dancing again.
 Don't tell me you are booked TOT an entire London season? Homer, you never live through 1t. May see her picture. a real for sure photograph!
 "Certainly'' he replied promptly. Stealthily she watched for his hand to travel to his watch pocket. She couio close her eyes and recall the very aay when they had gone to the gallery to- gether to have another photograph taken for that same watch. She nao wondered at the time how such chlio- ish face could find permanent lods- ment in so sober and staid a Watch; We'll, it had hot remained there ions
 No; his hand was not moving to- ward his vest. but to an inside pocket of his coat. He drew forth a leather ease. ana laid it in her hand. Even by the softening light of the moon the face into which she looked was coiuIy beautiful patrician--a calculating. worthy daughter, this Of man Who had beaten down every obstacle hu- man or otherwise, to reach the apex of his ambitions.
 T like this much better than any or the pictures in the papers,
 Naturally. This was never publish ed It Is mine, exclusively!
 Nancy returned the photograph ana leaned out of the window. The troubadours in their brilliant costumes were strolling from under the porte cochee. The night had turned very still.
 q was just thinking" she said' whirling around suddenly, her eyes dancing. that five feet five--and re- trousse nose--have their comnensa tions Had I been Gibson girl should probably have yearned for so- ciaf conauests and a London season, and thereby missed Naples at it's best. But five foot five hasn't a ghost of chance this year, according to the fashion writer's" she stopped sud denly. Dagwell was planting MISS Lombard's photograph firmly on tne table between their chairs; He met her questioning glance with shrus of his broad shoulders.
 Just a matter of precautson. As I remarked before. I have heard that Neapolitan moonlight and propinquity beat even the deck of an ocean liner---"
 "oh. if it come to that" interrupted Nancy. her eyes shining. I've will make assurance doubly sure.",
 She tripped from the room. returning in a few moments with a small photo- graph mounted in a Florentine frame;
 ''I like that frame very well. don't vou? I beat a shop-keeper down nve francs to get 1t. so 1t has an unusual value In eyes. And being a mere woman without pockets, must per- force have a frame of some sort
 She was watching him with amused eyes, rattling on to give him time to recover, for he stared at the photo graph of the clean-cut Englishman with undisguised amazement.
 'I did not know--I had not heard
 Nancy glanced at Mrs. Roman. That lady was absorbed In her nightly task of crowding into one small page | of her diary the eventful chronicles
 'That is one of the corporations of being The newspapers do not think you worthy of even two- | line mention"
 He looks very Eglish---"
 He is-a younger son--that Is why he Is not here--he has to work for his
 There was just touch of sarcasm in her voice. and Dagwell winced. well, there is happiness in work when a man has the right sort Of in- spiration. There have been times when I thought ~
 'That if was inconvenient to have a fortune handed to you ready madeT Her tones were light, and with steady hand she set the glittering Florentine | frame beside the dull leather case | DaRwell thrust his hands deep into his pockets and stared at the picture M or ns .ns clean-cut young man. The fellow had remarkable air of self assurance even in a picture.
 Nancy's laughing voice broke the sill ence.
 And now we are perefctly safe There is nothing like having every i thing thoroughly understood, If we are to do Naples in company"
 Dagwell grinned cheerfully.
 "They do look very comfortable to- gether-a sort of keep off-the- grass sign, or perhaps you might call them an ant1dote TOT HoohllsHt anu pAopih- quity-'
 Not at all" interrupted Nancy-'those pictures are our license-to enjoy ev- cry minute in Naples. Whenever we look at them we can say-"It does not matter what we say or do, it means nothing-nothing at all We are both on leave of absence. Cupid's furlough and nothing can be serious"
 q think We will do Pompeii to-mor- row"
 Mrs. Remains well modulated tones sounded uncommonly sharp on the si- lence, electrically charged, which fol- lowed Nancy's laughing challenge
 
 At Pompeii. the little party seperat- ed by mutual consent. Mrs Romain wished to do" the marvellous eXcaVa- tions in a systematic, thorough manner 1 under the direction of licensed guide Dagwell and Nancy wandered whitheI their rather hazy memories of "The Last Days of Pompeii' led them. Al intervals they met a government guard who would set them right but for the most part they preferred to study the | pathways through the ancient city They discussed historic art from the upper tier of the tragic theater. They speculated on the comparative value oi lobster ala Newburg and the daintieS of first century cuisine in the richly frescoed dining room in the house oi the Vettii. Nancy brought her camera to bear on Dagwell, just as he strodC across the black dog on the portal oi | the home of Glaucus and on the guard who dug out a fern from a cranny be hind the wine-cellar's stone vats. They lodged the museum and sat for ar