Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-15
THE EVENING STORY
THE LITTLE COUNT.
BY Virqinla Blair,

DoWn the long corridor Of the hotel
came girl in summer white, with a
broad hat, rose-wreathed. In her hands
she carried bunch of valley lilies
You" breathed the little count
and stopped.
"Oh," she cried, when did you
Gomez"
Il have been here three days." he
told her. Il have talked and talked
and there was nothing worth while
until now"
She caught her breath. So many
men had. said such things to her. But
in her experience there had never
been anything like this little foppish
foreigner, with his pale face lighted
by some inner radiance.
Il am so glad you are here she
said, and they walked together to a
window that overlooked the ocean
You are staying at the other
hotel?" she asked
Yes. Grandmother likes it better.
She has lot of old cronies there.
He was not listening "Ah, Miss
Rene" he said, you are more beau
tiful than ever"
Il have always been called Irene"
she told him, blushing, but like the
way you say my name"
Il have said it so often to my heart"
he murmured
The guests in the wide hall looked
at them curiously. A party of young
people swept in, the girls all a-f1utter
like butterflies. the men making a
background of well-groomed COM
placency.
They are looking for me- Irene
said
you shall stay with me- His
tone seemed TO command obedience.
But she struggled against it.
That man over there gave me my
lilies and | have promised to go with
him to listen to the band"
Il can give you lilies! | can give
you more than lilies-I can give you
love"
Don't she pleaded, don't say
such things to me-"
A tall dark young man came up to
them. Come on Irene he said.
For moment she hesitated, then
she said to the little count, Forgive
me it is an engagement"
He bowed-a stiff little bow of ac-
quiesence.
AS she Joined the gay party there
was a ripple of laughter from the girls.
Later, the little count found her on
the beach in hooded chair. He stood
looking down at her silently, then he
said, Why did you let them make fun
Of me?"
"Who?" she stammered.
Your friends-this morning-at the
hotel. They laughed and you let
them
81 am so sorry" she protested
"that you heard"
81 do not care what they think He
drew himself up with a gesture Of con-
tempt. They are nothing to me. But
it is you--you. You shall not think
and to be laughed at--you shall not
his small white hand gripped the arm
of the chair. She had an impression
of hidden power that thrilled her.
You shall not he repeated.
81 do not" she said, gently. You
know that last summer at Newport |
was your friend Surely you must be-
lieve that my friendship may be as
sincere this winter at Palm Beach
place has nothing to do with it,
he said slowly. Then he broke off.
But what is there about me to make
them laugh?'
We'll you are different she tried
to explain The other men are all big
men, and they play golf and tennis
and-and to them you seem effimi-
nate
"Ah, l see" Suddenly his head
went up and his eyes flashed. 'What
do l care for golf?" he cried. Its an
old mans game, and tennis is for boys.
When I am at home ride and hunt
such things are sport for men. l ride
through the forest in the wind and
storm and the rains beat upon me and
shout and sing. and my horse is like
a wild thing under me-"
She gasped at the change in him.
Small as he was and seemingly insight
ficant, she felt that the hand with the
pointed finger nails could hold horse
with grip of steel. She felt that he
might hold a woman too, only the hand
would then be gloved in velvet.
But even as the thought flashed
through her, he turned to her.
And if there is difference" he
said, between these men and me. it
is the difference of my greater love.
What do they know of romance?
They would take you to house in the
city and you would go to dinners and
teas and teas and receptions. And iii
summer you would do the same thing
in a cottage that should be called
palace. But I would take you to my
castle in the forest. And you should
ride with me, or sit by the fire in the
great rooms, while the wind blew out
side, and you and alone, within,
dreamed together"
ooh" she breathed. life would be
wonderful-liyed that way
But even as she spoke the crowd OF
the morning was upon them, and the
tall. dark young man claimed her.
There's the motorboat ride on the
lake." he said.
So she went away, and when the
tall dark young man had her on the
lake he said, For heavens sake, Irene
what do you see in that little MANI"
She Jared M at that. He's man,
Harold Manning" she said. "His love
for me Is something deeper than the
rest of you give me. You condescend
Int he reverences He would hold me