Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-04-07

, inaction? Had he been all the time
waiting in the hope that some day she
would relent, and might she not do 80.
now that in some mea sure her fortune
had been restored? Ought not she to
have the chancef Was not the oppor.
tunlty for free choice due to herr
Shouldn't Nick have another show too7
Flopndering through some such
maze of reasoning. the Cherub at last
came to this brilliant conclusion. with
only a faint suspicion that he was
about to make an astonishing chump
Of himself. He even experienced
glow Of satisfaction as he hastily map
ped out his new program. You would
almost have thought by the cheerful
manner in which he laid 1t before
young Mr.. Waloway that he thought
he was attaining a long desired end.
We'll. Nick" he began. this time Civ
Ing young MIR. Walloway due warning
or his approach we're almost there.
Now. the first thing on the docket Is
for you to fix up this business about
the house with the countess"
"1?" exclaimed Nicholas.
why. sure. You know her better
than ! do. You 60 up and have talk
with her: tell her how you sold the
stocks and what she can buy back the
property for"
"But-but- why don't YOU
Me. Oh. I've got to skip back to
town on this train. just wanted to
get you started straight You can do
It so much better than | can. being one
OF her own kind and all that Aren't
afrai id Of the countess. are your"
"Why, no. But see here. Cherub"--
Now. that's all right. Nick. You
can do this fine. But. say. you call the
up on the phone at my hotel tonight
and let me know how you come out.
eh? Don't forget that. about . o'clock
Just give me Il line on how she takes
/ II and so on. You'll have. some re-
port or other to make. I'll bet. Needn't
business. Just talk like Id handed It
over to you. as have. You're equal
to that job. aren't you?"
Now, Just what sort Of mental proc
ess went on in the brain Of Nicholas
Wallowav it would be vain to try to
trace. He was complex product
| whose character had been nodded not
only by circumstances Of birth and
breeding. but by the strong stamp Of
heredity
He was a young man chiefly distin-
guished by reserved Stiffness OF
/ TO xvh 10 nff
q confidence that obvious genius fails
to command. If. in hcsitating to ac.
cept the advantage offered him by the
impulsive Mr. Devine. he was trou-
bled by problems OF an ethical nature,
he allowed them to be easily swept
away. For many months he had want.
ed to see the Countess Vecchi. Earnest.
~ he had wished for a chance to talk
to her alone. and now this very oppor-
tunity was thrust upon him.
well. Cherub. il you think you had
better leave this to me. why. r.
Good. And don't forget about call
ing me up tonight to let me know
what luck you have"
No hint of this altered progra M. of
course. had reached Hewington Acres,
so 1t happened that when Timnins
finally did bring up the lathered cobs
with Il fine flourish the whole house
hold was assembled to witness the
Cherubs much heralded return.
The Countess Vecchi had at the last
moment abandoned her angelic pose
and yielded to curiosity. Mr.. Hewing-
ton was even more eager to learn what
1t was all about. Mr.. Devine never
knew Just W that he missed by backing
out.
In his stead there stepped from the
carriage Mr.. Nicholas Walloway, out
wardly cool and self possessed, but Sc
cretly very much at loss to know just
how he should proceed. For a moment
he regarded the expectant group with
some establishment Then Mr.. Hew-
ingtOn voiced the common thought in
one question:
why. Nicholas. where is Mr.. De-
vine!"
Mr.. Devine is on his way back to
town"
But he sent word began the
countess. only to be stopped by Mr..
Waloway's hasty explanation.
He has asked me to transact some
business with you. countess. Might
I-er"- And he glanced significantly
at the door
The Countess Vecchi promptly led
him into the library.
well, Nicholas" she asked.
Mr. Walloway had seated himself at
the library table and was sorting some
documents. 1t had been years since
she had called him Nicholas. Well,
this was an suspicious beginning He
smiled indulgently. Strengthened his
shoulders and placed his finger tips
together In a judicial manner 1t was
rather nm effective pose. indicating the
patiently receptive mood of "A superior
mind.
"My dear Adele
"Mr. Wallowayw The Countess vec-
chi could be most explosive youn,
person. and her brown eyes could sim
ulate Indignation very convincingly.
"But-but you called me Nicholas
he protested.
Il didn't call you my dear Nicholas
did II | want to know why Mr.. De
vine sent you instead OF coming him
self"
Mr.. Walloway proceeded to stat
not at all Ia the way he had meant Il
nut II his errand He told the count