Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-06-14

is tnat-tnat OreauIul man II
thcre?" asked a voice.
Eppings reappeared to announce i'm
pressively. THE Countess vecchi SIR
"Oh, the devilr Mr. Devine grab
bed his napkin end from between thu
second and third buttons of his waist
coat and dropped it across his lief
knee. He had vague notion that al
cOuntesses were large, stout women
who wore crowns Of some sort. ermint
trimmed robes and multitude Of
rings.
Through the doorway stepped the
big eyed. slender young person whom
he had seen before breakfast in the
garden. She wore neither crown mol
ermine robes. The braid Of dark hail
had been transformed into simple
but effective setting for the long ova
Of her face.
Hello! You?" he exclaimed. Say
honest. you aren't the countess. are
youy"
She bowed an admission Of the fact
evidently much disconnected by this
greeting.
''Well. I'll be hanged" continued
Mr.. Devine. Say. have seat. won't
you?"
She walked resolutely to the oppo.
site end Of the table from Mr.. Devine
and nervously clasped and unclasped
her fingers as she spoke
\ MY father wishes me to say that
the serious condition of my aunt makes
it impossible for us to leave the house
at present. Just as soon as she i'm
proves we will go away"
"Oh, that's all right! Stay as long
as you like"
But we don't want to stay at all.
My father wishes you to understand
that. lit is very painful for him
to accept favor. even federation. from
you. He charged me not to apologize.
however. as the circumstances are be-
You'd our control. am not apologiz-
ing, you see. only explaining"
"Oh. you're doing finer said Mr..
Devine assuringly. Anything else the
old gentleman wants me to under
stand?'
mo; think that is all. excep: that
during your stay" continued the count
ess. I'VE shall keep to our rooms"
"Oh. you needn't do THAR protest
ed Mr.. Devine.
But it is my fathers DESIRE" add
ed the countess. And We shall take
all our meals there"
Looks as If didn't stand very we'll
with your father" commented Mr. De-
vine. lis there anything specialY'
HE thinks that you are rather-that
Is. that you-you''- A sudden rush of
i color came into the olive shaded cheeks
of the countess. and her brown eyes
began to study the rug pattern. Mr.
Devine suddenly decided that some
times countesses were nice to look at.
YES" he said encouragingly. rather
what?"
well. rather wild and wicked and
reckless. you know. He was afraid
that you might Observation-Disclosures
ed"
A cherubic expression spread over
the pink and white face of MIR. Devine.
Thinks I'm a sort Of a cross between
a cowboy and a pirate. eh? Seems to
know all about ME too"
HE has read about you in the news
papers," ventured the countess. with
shy. half curious glance which for
an instant met the calm. level gaze Of
Mr.. Devine's blue eyes.
"Ohw The Cherub spoke as one
who has seen light. something
about how l spent half million in
Paris one week. or was it a million?"
Half million. the paper said. But
you won it all back at Monte Carlo
the next week. didn't you? We read
about the big poker game. too-the
one that started in Liverpool and end
ed of Sandy Hook"
"That was cOrker!'
"And the champagne supper you
gave to forty chorus girls"
Eyes. l believe there were forty.
You have certainly kept we'll posted"
"l-l suppose that should explain"
she began. Papa. you see. is inter-
ested in sociology. the study of social
conditions and all that. He reads
books about it and gathers statistics.
He is writing pamphlet on the sub.
ject."
Mr.. Devine nodded uncomprehend-
ingly.
HE has been particularly interested
in-in your career. In fact, he has
made quite study Of it. He gets
everything that is printed about you
from newspaper clipping bureau.
and he has the pieces pasted In big
scrapbook."
Must make lively reading"
"Oh. it does. Papa says that you
are a typical product Of the present
commercial age"
"Well. that's nice of him. I've been
called worse names"
"Of cOurse"-here the countess nerv-
ed herself to look sternly at the smil-
ing Mr.. Devine-"he disapproves very
strongly Of you. He says it isn't sim
ply that you spend SO much money
foolishly, but that you set such a bad
example to other young men who can
not afford perhaps to follow it. OF
course l know that the newspapers Of
ten exaggerate." admitted the count
ess. "rerhaps they have about you"
Think so: Why"
The Countess Verchi gazed at the
clear skinned. chubby face of Mr. De-
vine
We'll you don't look ut all as had
expected"
n,s