Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-07-26

| how long the co,ut's been dead
III you had taken the trouble to ask
Mr.. Hewington he would have told
you how mistaken you were"
ayes. but I'm better posted than Mr..
Hewington. There are the latest re-
turns" and the Cherub tossed over
the last sheet Of McQuade's message.
Seeing that further pretense along
this line was useless. he merely shrug-
ged his shoulders indiuerently.
II might have known You would
find out. But what Of it?''
"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 it. eh?''
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 full confession. to
which Cherub Devine listened with
placid satisfaction and indulgent mods
Of encouragement.
The interview ended amicably. BY
the time 1t 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
cheerfully audacious Cherub Devine.
who seemed quite unaffected by the
forbidding austerity with which Ep-
pings chose to regard him as he in
quired 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 MIR. Hewington as he re-
ceived the Cherub at all reassuring.
"I've been looking up that count of
yours" remarked the Cherub. Hes
been defunct for nearly two years.
had man investigate the records, and
it's all O. K"
Impossible. Mr.. Devine! Why-why
Il have been in communication with
him."
"That was your mistake. You've
been in communication with smooth
young chap who couldn't resist the
chance to play 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 sanitariumY'
by his secretary, believe. Per
F. G. That was it"
"Sure! And the F. c. stood for
Francois Cunetto. I've had heart to
heart talk with Francois and got his
whole history. AS you might guess
by his name. he's half French and
half Italian. which is not 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
lcal course that he came over here to
take. When his funds ran out he goes
back to Italy, drifts up into Switzer-
land and gets 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 so 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 letter. And that's
where young DR.. Cunetto was let in.
When the counts remittance from you
was overdue he dictates letter to
Francois. He gets him to cash your
heck. too. and Francois learns the
whole story about the runaway count
,ss and her rich father. Then the
count dies. A delayed check comes
n, and the doctor is tempted to see
hat the money isn't wasted: also he
observes that the passing of the count
8 kept quiet. ltoccurs to him that you
hadn't been notified of the sad event.
! udI UeluS tue case, uc Sees uO redSOu I
Why the remittances shouldn't con-
inue. 80 he keeps you posted on the
lates when they're due. See how it
works outY
"Why. the scoundrelv' exclaimed
dr. Hewington. i've been swindled!
shall write to him at once and
mo need to write. He's over here.
les coming to call on you this after
loon."
The impudent rascal! Why. IL
hall have him apprehendedy'
Il hope not" said the Cherub mild
Y. 'That would complicate things.
We didn't treat him very well the
asst time he was here"
"The last time" echoed Mr.. Hew-
ngton.
"Yes. He was the chap we had
hut up In the icehouse. you know.
Ie was scouting around to see what