The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-18

however. as the circumstances are be-
yond our control. ! am not apologlz-
ing. you see only explaining"
"Oh, you're doing fine" said Mr..
Dcvine assuringly Anything else the
old gentleman wants me To- under
standf"
"No; ! think TINT is all EXCEPT HAT
during Vour stay" continued the count
ess be" - shall keep to our rooms"
"Oh, you needn't do thht!" protest
ed Mr.. Devine.
But 1t is my fathers DESIRE" add
ed the countess. And we shall take
all our meals there"
Looks as if didn't stand very well
with your father commented Mr.. De-
vine. "Is there anything specialY
Gle 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 at
Yes he said encouraSingly, "rathel
what?"
"Well, rather wild and wicked and
reckless, you know. He was afraid
that you might become -er-intoXicat
ed"
cherubic expression spread ovel
the pink and white face of Mr.. Devine
Thinks I'm a sort of cross between
a cowboy and pirate, ehi Seems to
know all about me toor'
He has read about you in the news.
papers" ventured the countess, with
a shy, half curious glance which fol
an instant met the calm, level gaze of
Mr.. Devine's blue eyes.
OH The Cherub spoke as one
who has seen light. Something
about how l spent half a million in
Paris one week, or was it Il million?'
Half a million, the paper said. But
you won it 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 off Sandy Hook"
THAT was a corker!'
"And the champagne supper you
gave to forty chorus girls
Yes, l believe there were forty
You have certainly kept well posted" j"
II suppose that l should EXPLAIN
she began. Papa, you see. is inter
eSted in sociology, the study of socia
conditions and all that. He reads
books about it and gathers statistics
He is writing IA pamphlet on the sub
ject."
Mr. Devine nodded uncomprehend
ingly.
He has been particularly interested
in--in your career. In fact he has
made quite a study of it. He get
everything that is printed about yoU
from a newspaper clipping bureau
and he has the pieces pasted in bis
scrapbook."
"Must make lively reading"
"Oh, it does. Papa says that yOl
are a typical product of the presen
commercial age"
"Well, that's nice of him. I've beer
called worse names"
"Of course''-here the countess nerv
ed herself to look sternly at the smil
ing Mr.. Devine-"he disapproves yer,
strongly of you. He says it isn't sim
! ply that you spend so much none!
foolishly, but that you set such a ba,
example to other young men who can
not afford perhaps to follow It, o
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 tn,
clear skinned, chubby face of Mr. DE
| vine.
"Well, you don't look at all as l hat
expected"
Horns and hoofs not in evidence 2
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 tn,
! looksr'
mo, you cannot" she said decidedly
"and papa is quite certain that you ar
an improper person."
"Too wicked for you to eat Dime
with, am 2"
Papa thinks So"
And he has read the newspapers
eh: All right But it's dull business
eating alone"