The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-06-04

swered meekly.
Enchanting. Bravar cried the
countess. and Hawcastle again turned
to the palpitating Horace.
my son is all impatience," he MUIR
INJURED, fixing the young man with his
| eye.
quite so, quite SOP answered Al
meric dazedly, and his father went on:
Shall we dispose Of the necessary
little details at once-the various mi
nor arrangements, the-er-er-settle-
ment?" and interrupted himself with
friendly laugh and patted Horace
upon the back. "Of course as men Of
the world-our world-you understand
there are formalities in the nature Of
settlement"
Horace, who was in the seventh
heaven of delight at the approaching
alliance between one Of the ancient
houses of Kokomo, Ind, and the hon
orable line Of Hawcastle, broke in
eagerly:
"Quite so, Of course! I know! Ger
tainly! Perfectlyp
'Then We'll have no difficulty about
that, my boy. I'll wire my solicitor
tonight and he'll be here within two
days." said the earl carelessly. "If
you wish to consult your own solicitor
you can cable him, Of course"
Suddenly Horace seemed taken with
fit Of embarrassment.
'"The fact is, Lord Hawcastle," he
said, 1--WE a notion that our solicitor
|-Etheps man Of business, that is
from Kokomo, Ind, where our govern
or lived-in fact, a sort Of guardian Of
hers-may be here at any time. I've
heard from friends that he is coming
IN this direction"
The word had caught Hawcastle's
attention, and he leaped at 1t.
"a sort Of guardian? What sort,
ehT he inquired, seemingly taken
aback.
81 really can't say" replied Horace
apologetically. "Never saw him that
know Of. You see, we've been on this
side so many years, and there's been
no occasion for this fellow to look us
up, but he's never opposed anything
Ethel wrote for, He seems TO be an
easy going old chap"
HUM said Hawcastle doubtfully.
would he consent to your sisters
marriage-or the matter of a settle
ment?"
Horace laughed cheerfully.
81 have no doubt Of It. If he has
the slightest sense of duty toward my
sister he'll be the first to welcome the
alliance, won't he?1
'Then when he and my solicitor come
they can have an evening together over
q lot of musty papers, and the thing
will be done. Again, my boy, l wei.
come you to our family. God bless
your
He wrung Horace's hand again and
turned away as if to hide his emotion
but really to wink at the countess.
"I'm overpowered, you know-real-
ly overpowered, you know" stammered
Horace, flaming himself desperately
with his hat.
Come, Almeric," said the earl, and
as the youthful heir to his house arose
languidly he sided close to the count
ess and whispered in her ear:
Let him know it's a hundred and
fifty thousand"
Then he and Almeric went up the
steps into the hotel, leaving Horace
and the countess gazing at each other
delightedly.
She crossed over to him impulsively
and, taking both his hands again, said:
my friend, I am happy for you"
think Of itl said Horace joyously.
I'm fortnight at the most dear old
Ethel will be the Hon. Mrs. st. Aubyn,
future Countess of Hawcastlev'
YES" replied the countess, with
drawing her hands and picking up her
parasol, land there Is but the little ar
rangement Of the settlement between
your advocate and Lord Hawcastle's
But you Americans-you laugh at such
things You are big, so big, like your
countryw
Horace followed her across the ter
race to the wall.
"Ah, believe me, dear countess" he
said, "the great world-your world,
countess - has thoroughly alienated
me-"
The countess turned her shapely
head and looked at him admiringly
and with a touch Of irony at the sur
prise she was about to give him.
"Ah, you retain one quality. You are
careless, you are free" and she laid
her right hand upon his arm, and Hor-
ace thrilled at the intimate touch.
"Weil," he laughed, perhaps In
those things | am American, but In
others l fancy should be thought
something else, shouldn't IT'
She laughed openly at him now, but
earnestly withal. and said:
"You are debonair man of the
world, and yet you are still American
In that you are abominably rich. The
settlement-such matter as that, over
which Frenchman, an Italian, might
hesitate-you laugh. Such matter as
ESQ, 0O0-you set it aside, you laugh.
You say, oh, yes; take itv"
For moment she feared that Hor-
ace would fall over the low parapet,
so white did his face become and then
30 flushed, but the boy was game all
through. The generations of simple
Indiana stock came to his rescue, and
he steeled himself with an effort and
replied quietly: