Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-04-29

ION, tnars 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 liberation, from
you. lie charged me not to apologize.
however. as the circumstances are be-
yond our control. l am not apologiz-
ing, you see. only explaining"
"Oh. you're doing f1ne!" said Mr..
Devine assuringly. Anything else the
old gentleman wants me to under
stand"
"No; 1 think that is all, except that
during your stay" continued the count
ess, Eve shall keep to our rooms"
"Oh. you needn't do thatw 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. "Is there anything special"
"He thinks that you are rather-that
Is. that yOu-yOu"- A sudden rush OF
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 al.
YES" he said encouragingly. rather
what?"
We'll. 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 Mr.. Devine.
Thinks I'm a sort Of cross between
a cowboy and pirate. eli? Seems to
know oil about me tool"
"He has read about you In the news
papers," ventured the countess, with
a 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 spent half a million in
Paris one week. or was it millionT
Half a million, the paper said. But
you won 1t 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 a corkerr'
"And the champagne supper you
gave to forty chorus girls"
Eyes. believe there were forty.
You have certainly kept well posted"
IL suppose that l should explain -
she began. Papa. you see, is inter-
ested In sociology. the study Of social
conditions and all that. He reads
books about 1t and gathers statistics.
He is writing pamphlet on the sub
ject."
Mr.. Devine nodded Incompetence
ingly.
'IIe has been particularly interested
in-in your career. In fact. he has
made quite a study Of 1t. He gets
from newspaper clipping bureau.
and he has the pieces pasted In a big
scrapbook."
Must make lively reading"
''Oh. 1t 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 ut the smil-
ing Mr.. Devine-"he disapproves very
strongly Of you. He says II 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 1t. OF
course know that the newspapers Of
ten exaggerate." admitted the count
ess. perhaps they have about you"
"Think SO: Whyy'
The Countess Vecchi gazed at the
clear skinned. chubby face Of Mr. de-
vine.
"Well. you don't look ut all as l had
expected"
Horns and hoofs not In evidence?"
chuckled the Cherub.
You know what mean." protested
the countess. "One can usually recog-
nize the marks of-of dissipation"
"Oh. you can't always tell by the
looksr'
mo, you cannot" she said decidedly,
'and papa Is quite certain that you are
an improper person"
TOO wicked for you to eat dinner
with. am IL?
Papa thinks So"
And he has read the newspapers.
eh: All right. But It's dull business
eating alone
II couldn't make up 70: the absence