The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-29

Yet Cherub Devine had come to asso
ciate that particular part of Long Is.
land with all sorts of surprises.
II appeared that this new arrival had
intended to see without being seen.
but he had not been quite quick
enough. without stopping to consider
Just why he was doing it Mr.. Devine
promptly joined in the game by step
ping into the shrubbery also.
The Cherub parted the bushes eau
tiously. He discovered the stranger
doing the same thing. Twice the
Cherub stole stealthily around bush,
sure of having executed successful
flank movement on the unknown, only
to find that be had disappeared like a
flash.
Taking off his straw hat, the Cherub
balanced it carefully on the top of
rhododendron and began making a
cautious detour. TO walk in a stoop-
ing position for any distance one
need to be in good condition, and
thirty-eight waist measure doesn't
help. The Cherub was already red of
face and breathing heavily when he
suddenly rounded a little thicket of
stunted frs and found himself within
arms length of a slender, sallow faced
person, who was holding a silk hat be-
hind him and intently gazing at the
crown of a straw one which showed
above bush some twenty yards
away.
Even side view from behind was
thr IA
Jet black mustache and the little un-
derlip tuft that curled over the chin
were distinctly Of alien cut and trim.
well. what's the gamer"
The stranger was an amazingly cool
sort. He merely turned quickly. meas
ured Mr.. Devine with one fash of
keen brown eyes. lifted his brows ex-
pressively and shrugged his shoulders.
Now. perhaps you'll tell me what it
is all about" asked the Cherub.
The strangers response to this was
a politely impudent stare.
81 do not quite understand" he said.
with Just the slightest foreign accent.
"NoT drawled the Cherub mocking-
ty. Then there's two Of us in the
dark. But perhaps we can clear mat
tiers up, | found you skulking in the
bushes. Now. why?"
Beg pardon, sir. but do not recog-
nize your right to question me in that
manner"
"Whe-e-ew! What a naughty little
man it isv' laughed the Cherub. "Ah.
come down off the stepladder A min.
1te or two ago you were lodging
around as guilty as if you'd robbed Il
fruit stand. Now. what are you up
tor
II am attending to my own affairs,
sir"
Then I'll help you" said the Cher
ub for I'm a good deal interested in
this place and what is going on here"
'Indeedw Again the stranger shrug.
ged his shoulders. But | don't know
you, sir"
Didn't act as If you wanted TO,
either. But here's where we get ac-
quainted. just the same. My names
Devine-Cherub Devine."
"Eh: What?" gasped the stranger
staring incredulously. 'Why-er-a
thousand pardons. MIR. Devine; allow
me-" and he hastily brought out a
cardcase.
Luigi Salvatore vecchi," read the
Cherub, with some hesitancy IN pro-
nouncing the names "Vecchi. ehT An
i see! Some relation of the late
countsY"
The stranger smiled indulgently
II am known as Count vecchi."
Had the Cherub been at all emo
tional be would have gasped then. As
it was. he nearly did. but seemed tc
recover in time.
"But-but you're not the Count Vec
Chi who-who married Miss Hewing
ton?"
The cigarette was waved toward the
rim Of his silk hat.
81 have that honor"
1t was che Cherub's turn to stare in
credulOusly.
"See here" he said protestingly
"either you're a dead count or a liv,
tar, and ] guess the last description
fits best. Come, come, You've sprun
that blum on the wrong person.
happen TO know that the real Couu
Vecchi has been dead for a couple @
years."
II can only quote the words OF you
own great humOrisL that the report
OF my death have been greatly exal
gerated.' Here am. you see"
The Cherub noted that the leathe
cardcase which the stranger still hel
in his hand bore silver crest simila
to the one he had noticed on the wri
ing paper of the Countess VecchL
Eyes, ! see," he admitted withoI
enthusiasm "All a mistake. was Il
And you've come over TO give Il
countess a pleasant little surprise, EN-
II hardly think the countess will
surprised" and the count lifted h
black eyebrows meaningly.
Instantly the situation cleared Il
the Cherub. So that was what she ht
meant by her mysterious protests.