The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-15


THE PICTURE WAS A Likeness OF THE
COUNTESS vECCHI.
of young Mr.. Walloway. question
suddenly occurring to the Cherub, he
abruptly walked back TO where young
Mr.. Walloway still sat. intently gazing
at something he held shielded in his
two hands. 1t was nothing more than
the gold oval which he wore as a
watch fob. Dozens of times the Cherub
had seen 1t dangling from the breast
pocket Of Nick's coat without specially
remarking it, Now he noted that 1t
was really a locket. for 1t was open.
Glancing carelessly over Nick's shoul-
der, he saw it contained a picture.
miniature on ivory. And the picture
on which young Mr. Walloway was
gazing with such rapt pathos was a
likeness Of the Countess Vecchi. And
In an instant it was made clear to him
that the woman whom Nicholas Wal
loway had loved and lost and still con-
tinued to love was the Countess Vec-
chi
Fortunately Mr.. Devine had not spo-
ken. and the roar OF the car wheels
had drowned his approach. Swiftly
he withdrew. Then he sat down to
ponder on the situation. Quite abrupt
ly the Cherub now came upon the real
ization OF his own purposes. He was
little staggered by the discovery of
his audacity. but this was no new
sensation. His audacious flights were
always more or less Of an impromptu
nature. In a moment he was smiling
confidently. as was his custom when
once he had decided upon a line of
action. however unpromising might be
the future. The heavier the clouds
! ahead the lighter the smile. Nick was
a good fellow and all that, but If he
chose to NOPE inactive in the back
ground let him stay there. He Cher
ub Devinel would show him how to
! play the game boldly-perhaps how to
win.
| And then came the thought, Would
| that be absolutely just to the Count
esS Vecchi? She and Nicholas had
been spoony on each other for years.
and she must have liked Nick. He
was likable fellow, clean, sturdy,
substantial, one of her own class, and
oh. the Cherub WINGED at that-one
whom she would call a gentleman.
Yes, Nick would measure up to all her
| demands as to what a gentleman
| should be.
! And had it been really she who had
broken off the match, or was it due to
! the ambitious plans of her father?
| Then after she had come back hum
bled in spirit, the Hewington fortune
dissipated. had she perhaps held Nick
at arms length because of her pride? ?
! Was this the reason of his seeming
inaction? Had he been all the time
waiting in the hope that some day she
would relent. and might she not do so,
now that in some measure her fortune
had been restored? Ought not she to
have the chance? Was not the oppor-
| tunity for a free choice due to her?
Shouldn't Nick have another show too
Floundering through some such
maze of reasoning, the Cherub at last
came to this brilliant conclusion. with
! only a faint suspicion that he was
about to make an astonishing chump
of himself He even experienced a
glow OF satisfaction as he hastily map
ped out his new program. You would
almost have thought by the cheerful
manner in which he laid it before
young Mr.. Walloway that he thought
he was attaining long desired end.
"Well. Nick" he began. this time CIV
ing young Mr.. Walloway due warning
of his approach. "we're almost there.
Now. the first thing on the docket is
for you to fix up this business about
the house with the countess"
'II" exclaimed Nicholas.
why. sure! You know her better
than do. You go up and have a talk
with her; tell her how you sold the
stocks and what she can buy back the
property for"
"But-but-why don't you
'Me! oh, I've got to skip back to
town on this train. Just wanted to
get you started straight. You can dc
1t so much better than / can. being one
OF her own kind, and all that. Aren't
afraid OF the countess. are your
| ffNVhu NO nuf oaa hara