Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-04-29
Cherub
Deviine
By SEWELL FORD
Copyright. 1908. by Mitchell Kennerley
Continued from page 3
By SEWELL FORD
Copyright. 1909. by Mitchell ksnn.rl.y

n out. But what or 1tF
why, not much" answered the
Cherub slowly. '~only-only this: Some
ones been holding up the old gentle
man for remittances ever since the
count died. using the counts name.
OF course I'm not sure who that some
body was, but the arrow points to you.
How about 1t. ehf"
The man across the table began to
think. His air of Indifference van
ished. He fumbled nervously with
the table silver. Inside of two min
utes he had broken down completely
and was making a full confession, to
which Cherub Devine listened with
placid satisfaction and i%ndulgent mods
of encouragement.
The interview ended amicably. By
the time it was over the ex-prisoner
had recovered his composure and de
veloped an appetite for sirloin steak;
also he had accepted Mr.. Devine's Of
fer to become his guest for the night.
And early next morning there ar
rived at Hewington Acres once more
a cheerfully audacious Cherub Devine.
who seemed quite unaffected by the
%forbidding austerlty with which Ep-
pings chose to regard him as he in
CURED for the countess.
After some moments, during which
he paced up and down the reception
hall, Mr.. Devine was shown into the
library with as much formality as If
this was his first visit. Nor was the
attitude of Mr.. Hewington as he re-
ceived the Cherub at all r%eassuring.
"Tve been looking up that count of
yours" remarked the Cherub. Hes
been defunct for nearly two years.
had a man investigate the records. and
it's all o. K"
Impossible, Mr.. Devine! Why-why
II have been in communication with
him."
THAT was your mistake. You've
been in communication with a smooth
young chap who couldn't resist the
chance to play a new bunko game for
all 1t was worth. How were the let
ters signed which came from the count
after he was sent to that sanitarium? 2"
by his secretary, | believe. Per
f. G. That was it."
"Surel And the f. G. stood for
Francois Cunetto. I've had a heart to
with francois and got his
whole history. AS you might guess
by his name. he's half French and
half Italian, which is not a bad COM
bination. There was good blood on
both sides, but no money on either.
so that's why he didn't finish the med
zeal IRIS that he came owe here to
take. When his funds ran out he goes
back to Italy, drifts up into Switzer-
land and gets a job as assistant house
doctor in this sanitarium where they
were trying to cure Count Vecchi of
seeing pink whiskered tadpoles and
other variegated fauna"
Really, now. Mr.. Devine" protested
Mr.. Hewington.
"Why shy SC at the facts?" asked
the Cherub. Count or no count, that
was his complaint. Why. his nerves
were In such shape he couldn't even
sign his name to a letter. And that's
where young DR.. Cunetto was let in.
When the counts remittance from You
was overdue he dictates a letter TO
Francois. He gets him to cash your
check, too, and Francois learns the
whole story about the runaway count
sess and her rich father. Then the
count dies. A delayed check comes
in. and the doctor is tempted to see
that the money isn't wasted; also he
observes that the passing of the count
is kept quiet. 1t occurs to him that you
hadn't been notified of the sad event.
That being the case. he sees no reason
why the remittances shouldn't con-
tinue, so he keeps you posted on the
dates when they're due. See how it
works out?'
"Why, the s~coundrel.' exclaimed
Mr.. Hewington. 1--WE beer swindled!
] shall write to him at once and'-
mo need to write. He's over here.
He's coming to call on you this after
noon"
The impudent rascal! Why. IL
shall have him a~pprehended!'
Il hope not" said the Cherub mild
ly. THAT would complicate things.
We didn't treat him very well the
last time he was here"
'The last time!" echoed Mr.. Hew-
iington.
Yes. He was the chap we had
shut up in the %icehouse, you know.
He was scouting around to see what
style you lived in before he played his
cards."
1.-THE ~unprincipled wretchw
"He isn't as honest as he might be,
but then circumstances have been
against him."
Il shall refuse to hear a word from
him, STRIP declared Mr.. Hewington.
Now. that's too bad. He's coming
ITO refund the amount he tricked you
out of. You see, I've taken him on
my private staff and advanced him
six months pay, so he could start
square. Isn't that better than getting
into a legal snarl with him, eh?'