Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-05-05
CHAPTER v.
CHAPTER v.
ONSTERNATION fell upon Ep-
4 pings when it occurred to Mr..
u Devine. along about 2 o'clock.
~ to inform him that guests

Devine, along ABOUT z CLOCK.
~ to inform him that guests
were expected at supper.
BEG pardon. sir. but it is impossible,
sir. We are not prepared. There's
only a small filet in the house, sir. and
not a duck-not a single duck"
Have SQUAD. then"
But. sir. we haven't
"Oh. don't go on telling me what you
haven't got. Hash up anything. Make
some sandwiches IL you can't do bet
ter. Only don't come to me with your
troubles I'm no chef. But I'm going
to have some friends here tonight. and
shall expect you to feed them That's
what you're here for, isn't it,"
"Ye-e-e-es. sir. At what hour. sir?"
"Eightthirty, sharp"
And how-how many plates. sir"
II don't know. Ten or fifteen or
twenty. Better make it twenty. and
then you can discard"
"I'll do my best. sir
THAT'S the way to talk. EpHings."
Having made these offhand prepara-
tons. Mr.. Devine sat himself down on
the veranda. He heard step and
looked up to see before him the aris-
tocratic figure Of the Countess Vecchis
father. Mr.. Hewington seemed some
what agitated.
You must pardon me, sir, for
seeming mpertinence." he began. but
I have just learned by accident that
you contemplate giving party here
tonight. Is 1t n fact?"
Mr.. Devine nodded. "Just a few
friends, dozen or So"
"Ah. Friends of yours?" MIR. Hew-
ington gave the words significant
emphasis. "Then would 1t not beer
-prudent-perhaps discreet Is the bet
ter word-for my daughter to go else
where for the night-to the hotel in
the village perhapsT
There was a twinkle in the Cherub's
blue eyes as he responded, Afraid of
rough house, are you?'
my daughter sir. is not exactly ac-
customed to-er-the kind of persons
who might
oh | see. Well. suit yourself about
it-suit yourself But 1t isn't at all
necessary. | shall try to keep them
quiet. There are to be only few
neighbors-the Walloways and
''The Wallowaysn'
Yes, and the Wilburs and the Mil
ler-Tremways and old Bishop Horton
and stray baron or two"
Bishop Horton, Is Bishop Horton
coming? Coming here?'
why, yes. The bishops a friend of
mine. Know him. do you?"
I'VE We're college classmates. Mr..
Devine." said Mr. Hewington.
THAT SO. | never went I'd college
with the bishop, but I've crossed the
ocean with him twice. and once | held
his hat While he made a speech. =
EXTRAORDINARY said Mr.. Hewing-
ton.
think so? Ii may seem little
queer to you. but the bishop doesn't
appear to look at it that way Come
down and meet him and the rest of
the folks. won't you? We're to have
little supper about half past 8. And.
say. bring the countess-that IL. unless
you're afraid of the crowd"
This last was violation of a para
graph IN the Cherub's own code Of
ethics, paragraph which read, when
the other fellows down and cut don't
rub 1t In" But the words had escaped
before he tnew it. Fortunately Mr..
Hewington did not seem to notice the
allusion, for he retired, repeating in an
undertone: THE Walloways! Bishop
Horton. The Miller-Tremways"
And sure enough, early In the even
ing the big rooms of the great house
began to echo with the lively chatter
of many guests. There was the portly
Mrs. Walloway, whose dinner dances
are always such brilliant affairs; there
were the naughty Wilburs, the hyphen-
ated Tremways and half dozen 9TH
ers without whose names and pic
lures the Sunday supplements would
be incomplete.
They were somewhat disposed to
look curiously upon Mr.. Cherub De-
vine at first but when the bishop had
patted him affectionately on the Shout
der and the baron had effusively en-
braced him the atmosphere thawed
ptTcepllDly.
The one person who was least at his
ease was young Mr.. Walloway. For
awhile he was sitter than ever. and he
had the air of one who expects some
thing very embarrassing to happen.
But the Cherub was undisturbed.
Ihus far he had gained his point.
Whether Nick Walloway had been in
f1uenced by that suggestion OF future
business or whether he had acted pure
~ from motives Of good fellowship he
cared not. The thing had been done.
The program which the Chefub had
30 hastily outlined that morning was
being carried out Moreover, his guests
appeared to be enjoying the novelty.
h. IL LIZ Il