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


She whirled him about by the shou,
dcrs and pushed him toward the door
"liold on. Nick, I'm comng!' shout.
ed the Cherub.
The countess ran down the stem.
ana tossed package TO him.
II almost forgot" she said breath.
lessly II wanted to asl; you 70 soil
those for me. They're some stool,
or bonds or something, and I want
them sold. That's all"
Tho inner works Of the vnhio1a J.,
gan to whir violently, the big cer
leaped forward and moment LATER
the Countess vecchi could see onlv a
little cloud r. dust that shovea
through the trees lining tho road +
the village.
1t remoined for train boy to dis.
close just how the public viewed the
crisis In Mr.. Devine's affairs. Unlf.
way to the city the boy came aboard
with the early afternoon editions
From Tie headlines it was evident
that the disturbance in Wall street
had become popular topic, the seusa.
t!on Of the hour.
One enterprising journal INDUCED I'm
half page cartoon. which was sup.
posed 20 represent the situation. II
was entitled "pluclling n Cherub" A
scandalOuS Caricature OF Mr.. Devine
1t was showing him most inadeuuate.
u clothed. but possessed of pair Of
wings from which a group Of bad
boys were gleefully pulling what few
feathers remained, while the victim
rubbed his fists into tear leaking ewes
and made no attempt at defense
"Oh. my. my" and Mr.. Deriue rock
ed mirthfully over the cartoon
ut would be funnier If f. wasn't so
id near the truth" gyJWlel wal
loway. "Of course dom know lust
how deep you've plunged ou this T.,
Il. and y. deal. but | gathered that
you'd gone in rather steep
yes" admitted the Choru5 more
soberly. 81 have. In fact, it's the big
gcst thing ever tackled"
Nick Walloway gazed ar him incred-
ulously. And right III the middle OF
1t you take day OF to feed the swans
at Hewington Acres"
I'D take a year off if it was neces-
sary."
Young Mr. Walloway pa,el little
"Devine." he began hesitatinsly, its
its the countess. isn't itt'
The pink in the Cherub's chubby
cheeks flashed up behind his ears
The countess" be exclaimed.
"Why. she's way out Of my class.
Nick, oh. she's about a hundred per
cent too good for me-ariStocratic. To-
fined. old family and AL that Why.
she wouldn't look ut me. Nick. You
know she wouldn't"
II know that you've been looking at
her and-and"- Something was in
terfering with the speech Of young Mr..
WalIoway. However he mastered the
difficulty Suddenly reaching out. 10
graspcd the Cherub's right hand AMI
gave it crushing grip IL wish
yor luck. Cd man
Perhaps Mr. Devine was little sur
prsed by this unexpected display or
emotion from the usually reserved
young man. If he was he brushed it
aside.
Luck nothing. Nick. Much obliged
for your good wishes, ms boy but
haven't the ghost of a show Now. IL
| was Il chap Ike You thered be some
hope for me. Say, Nick l wonder you
never took a.
leg pardon Devnc but LET'S stick
to the point. should not presume to
intrudc my advice ou personal mat
tiers. but if | were you ! would drop
T.. 4. and y. until You can give r'ur
whole time and thought TO The lusi-
ness. Why don't YOU pun OUT"
The Chorub ceaSl to stare drpaMtly
"Nick," be said abruptly. TN tell You
something. I've changed my PLANS
I'm going to DO something besides
speculate in that stock. I'm eoH. To
buy hat road. aHd I've got to -ar
control before next Friday noon"
"CAerub you're crazy, It's impossi-
ul", Why. the Bates Rimmer crowd
sCooped in tWo-tifthS OF the stock vcs-
tcrday, so they say. You know v.1r
that means-thevl wreck it, writ j.
dry The small outside holders have
been tumblinc over each other 10 uo-
load See here"-and he pointed t. q
newspaper on his kuec-"afty lots &C.
1ered during the first half hour today
and the quotations dropping by quar-
tc; points Wig. you can't stop en,
nan. They've got you On the run"
Yes, yes. 1t looks like it, know.
But wait until I've had a chance az
them, Let me think this tAiug over
Mr. Nicholas Walloway Withdrew
into his corner of the Smokja, roA-
partueut TO stare abseutminlrdiy out
OF the window. The Cherllh vas soon
apparently engaged in a prol.urI Don-
temptation Of The end Of Lis cigar
You would not have guessed. io look
at him. that he was considering any
thing more serious than the flavor e
The tobacco. Not until they were On
the ferry did he break the silence.
Tlen. briefly and crisply. he outlined
his plan of action. Nick Walloway
heard him through with Il glow Of I'D
miration in his eyes
III you can do that. Cherub. you'll
win" he declared. but If the scheme
slips up
Then I'm down and out But its
got to go through" and Mr.. pevincS
mouth lost some Of its cherublc curves.
You'll do your part Nick. oh, II
will be easier than you think! They'll
never suspect you're in it, And don't
try TO report until II tonight Then