Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-04-06
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII. " EDNESDAY morning ar \N rived in some miraculously V V abrupt fashion. It found thnnn ritfinn In n cnnnY

was SluOhlnS one Ol HIS ldt, uiuCh cigars by special request of the count ess. and he was regarding with ap- proving eyes her slim white fingers as they employed an ivory needle in the fashioning of some utterly useless af- fair that looked like lot of holes edged with spider webs.
 She was wearing some kind of a house gown, with lace falling allur- ingly away from her white neck and rounded arms. Somehow or other the Cherub felt that he was enjoying a rare privilege. He was inclined to accept the gift humbly and in silence. fearful lest 1t be taken suddenly away from him.
 And then came Epplngs to announce the presence of Mir. Nicholas Wallo- way. adding that his errand was ur gent and important.
 Perhaps had better take my work into another room," suggested the countess, starting to rise.
 "No. no! Don't disturb the cobwebs. Nick's business isn't half so important as he thinks it is. Bring him right in. Eppings."
 But l had rather not
 Whatever her protest might have been, it was cut short by the prompt entrance of young Mir. Walloway. He stopped abruptly, and 1t seemed as if his gray eyes stared hungrily at the pretty picture she made. standing there in the morning sunshine. The color went from his cheeks, and his lips were tensely drawn.
 "Well, Nick, you see I'm still rusti- eating. Great isn't it?" smiled the Cherub.
 With an obvious effort young Mir. iWalloway shook off his embarrass- ment Acknowledging the Countess Vecchi with stifiiy formal bow. he turned to the Cherub.
 "You must forgive me, Devine, for hunting you up like this, but l thought l ought to do 1t. It's matter of busi ness. Couldn't we"- And he looked suggestively at the door.
 q haven't any office here, Nick. and this room is as good as any other. You mustn't mind. countess. Any business l do today will not take long,"
 But began Mir. Walloway.
 "Oh, let's have 1t. Nick. Bottom dropped out of something?" The Cher ub was smiling amiably.
 ''I rather think you would have thought so if you had been on the floor just before closing yesterday. The Bates Rimmer crowd Is after F., v. and N. I believe they mean to gob- ble 1t up."
 "Ah, that gang, eh?" This time the Cherub showed his white teeth when he smiled.
 "They began 1t as soon as they found you were not on deck, and they've been at it ever since. Your brokers had ten clerks out looking for you"
 "Got nervous, did they?" Nervous! Why. man. didn't you see where F.. z. and N. closed yester- day"
 Haven't read a paper since Pve been here, Nick, and don't intend to- When you go back tell my brokers to keep cool"
 But the Bates-Rimmer crowd mean mischief. Cherub. There's lot of them in big pool, and they're ham, mering your railroad holdings right and left. Some one has been leaking Information, and they're hitting you where 1t will hurt. When 1 saw how things were going began wiring you. Didn't you get the messagesY'
 xnayy thnSa nust bo from, yn,r Nick; no one else knew where l was."
 But why didn't you answer?"
 Well. l didn't read them, for one thing; l was too busy. We were hav- ing a bully time, the countess and I, feeding the swans"
 Feeding the swansr Mir. Nicholas Walloway made gesture indicating despair.
 Did you ever watch swans squabble for sweet crackers, Nick?" ' Crackers! You might just as we'll have thrown punches of thousand dol lar bills at them. Why, Cherub, F., z. and N. opened at 395s this morning. fAs soon as found you hadn't shown up l started for you. had my car lieel uue Ut lne SldtlOn, ana IL $ OutSlue now. We can just make the 11:30 back, and perhaps you1l be in time to stop them before it's all over Come on; let's start"
 Sorry, Nick, but couldn't think of 1t. I'm taking holiday, you sec"
 What! Do you mean to say that you're not coming?" Mir. Walloway gazed doubtingly at the Cherub.
 Not today, Nick"
 "Oh, l say, Cherub, don't be an"- He checked himself with swift glance at the countess, whose brown eyes in- stantly sought the cobwebby stuff fin her lap. Don't be foolish" he con- tinued. "I haven't told you all-the worst, you know"
 "Wen, you can tell me all about 1t tomorrow, Nick"
 Tomorrow! Great Scott, man, you Ion't understand! They mean to fin- ish the job today. Tomorrow might IS well be next year. Why, you've barely fighting chance left now, and