Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-03-25

of forty chorus girls" She delivered
this parting shot over her shoulder.
But Mr.. Devine had not seen the
last of the countess for that night. In
u moment lie came back.
IL hope | did not say too much.'
she began. elancing timidly at him.
"You are not offended. are your
Mr.. Devine smiled reassuringly. do
I look very %sayage?"
Il was afraid. you know. that on
thinking 1t over about the clippings
and so on you might be angry. Ii you
should meet my father you wouldn't
say anything about it. would your
There was a look in her eyes which
somehow made the Cherub feel as If
he had been shaking a club at her.
mot a word from me. Why. I
would act as II we were the best of
friends"
Papa, you knew, is merely shocked
and indignant at the wild things you
do. He thinks that you should be re-
strained or punished, but l believe
that perhaps 1t is all owing to the in
fuences which surround you-your
companions, you know, and the men
you meet in business. They are not
very nice men, are they?"
Most of them manage to keep out
of Jail"
Eyes, of course. But, tell me, don't
they drink heavily and gamble and
and do other things which they
Shouldn't
"Well, there are a good many high
rollers in u bunch"
"And they lead you on to do as they
do, don't they? And there isn't any
one to tell you that you are worthy of
better things? l knew it! But if you
could be brought into contact with a
different class, if you could mingle
with persons in the higher grades of
society, l am sure you would wish to
live differently"
''Think l ought to go in for society,
do you?' The Cherub's beaming face
presented a picture of complacent in
tereSt.
"Well, in a way. OF course you
would find it difficult to step at once
into the best society, but you could
make a beginning"
81 could work up, eh?'
at would be slow, there is so much
reserve about our best families. In
fact, there are certain circles which
you would probably find it impossible
to enter"
couldn't break in with an ak, I sup
poser"
The countess smiled. "You have
such an odd way of putting things. 1t
wouldn't be necessary for you to en-
ter the most exclusive sets, but there
are plenty of nice people that you
could meet-that is, If you wanted to
change your associates"
"You think it would be a good
scheme, do your
"Oh, splendid! You'll not mind my
speaking to you about it, will you?
You see, 1 have wanted for a long
time to do something of the kind for
some one. Our bishop has urged me
to go into home missionary work. l
have tried, but the villagers here are
so -eaepnns that 7 haven't bod
much success"
well, you can try any kind of re-
form on me that you like"
ooh, the bishop will be delighted
when l tell him!'
cts what you might call a stroke
of luck for both of us, isn't it?" queried
the Cherub. But Just how are you
going to tackle the jobP'
"Tm sure | don't know" PerpleXi.
ty dwelt in the brown eyes for an in
slant. "It is my idea, you know, that
personal influence and example count
for a good deal. If l could only talk
to You about your reckless habits
eWell, why not? There'n be all day
tomorrow"
But probably ] shall not see you
again. Papa doesn't expect me to-"
ooh, say, you're not going to stay
shut up in your rooms all day, are
your
Except for a little walk in the gar.
den right after breakfast"
about 8 O'Clock, eh? I'll be there"
mo, no, you MUSTN'T That is, you
mustn't plan to be there. Of course il
it should be purely by ACCIDENT
"Tll see to that part of it, all right
You'll be in the garden, will your
The countess hesitated. Then she
half whispered, Possibly" gave hin
an elusive glance and fed as if to es
cape the results of her daring.
Continued next week
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