Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-05-27

the gold oval which he wore as q
watch fob Dozens Of times the Cherub
had seen It dangling from the breast
pocket of Nick's coat without specially
remarking it. Now he noted that 1t
was really a locket, for 1t was open.
CHANGING carelessly over Nick's shout
der, he saw it contained picture, a
miniature on ivory. And the picture
on which young Mr.. Walloway was
gazing with such rapt pathos was
likeness Of the Countess Vecchi. And
In en- instant 1t was made clear to him
that the woman whom Nicholas Wal
loway had loved and lost and still con-
tinued to love was the Countess Vec-
Chi.
Fortunately Mr.. Devine had not spo-
ken. and the roar Of the car wheels
had drowned his approach. Swiftly
he withdrew. Then he sat down to
ponder on the situation. Quite abrupt
ly the Cherub now came upon the real
ization of his own purposes. He was
Il little staggered by the discovery Of.
his audaclty. but this was no new
sensation. His audaciOus flights were
always more or less Of an impromptu
nature. In moment he was smiling
confidently. as was his custom when
once he had decided upon a line of
action. however unpromising might be
the future The heavier the clouds
ahead the lighter the smile. NICK was
q good fellow aud all that, but II he
chose to mope inactive In the back
ground let him stay there. He Cher
ub Dcvine) would show him how to
play the game boldly-perhaps how to
win.
And then came the thought Would
that be absolutely just to the Count
ess Vecchi? She and Nicholas had
been spoony ON each other for years.
and she must have liked Nick He
was likable fellow. clean. sturdy.
substantial, one Of her own class, and
oh. the Cherub WINGED at that-one
whom she would call gentleman.
Yes. Nick would measure up to all her
demands as to what gentleman
should be.
And had It been really she who had
broken of the match. or was 1t due 10
the ambitious plans Of her father:
Then after she had come back. hum
bled In spirit. the Hewington fortune
dlssipated. had she perhaps held Nick
at arms length because Of her prideY
Was this the reason Of his seeming
inaction? Had he been all the time
waiting In the hope that some day she
would relent. and might she not do 20.
now that in some measure her fortune
had been restored? Ought not she to
have the chance? Was not the oppor-
tunity for u free choice due to her1
Shouldn't Nick have another show tool
Floundering through some such
maze Of reasoning. the Cherub at last
came to this brilliant conclusion. with
only faint suspicion that he was
about to make an astonishing chulnp
Of himself. He even experienced q
glow of satisfaction as he hastily map
| ped out his new program. You would
almost have thought by the cheerful
eaanner in which he laid 1t before
young Mr.. Walloway that he thought
he was attaining long desired end.
well. Nick" he began. this time Civ.
ing young Mr.. Walloway due warning
Of his approach. we're almost there.
Now. the first thing on the docket u
for you 10 Fix up this business about
| the house with the countess"
"I?" exclaimed Nicholas.
''Why. sure: You know her better
than do. You go 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 Ia
get you started straight. You can do
It SO much better than can. being Que
Of her own kind. and all that. Aren't
afraid Of the countess. are your
why. no. But see here. Cherub"-
Now. that's all right. Nick. You
can do this tine. But. say. you call the
up on the phone at my hotel tonight
/ eAsO sCs INV" INV yVO NVsuC OOSS
eh? Don't forget that. about . o'clock
Just give me line ON how she takes
1t and SO Oh. You'll have some re-
| port or other to make. I'll bet. Needn't
make too much Of my share IN the
business Just talk Hike Id handed II
over to you. AZ I have. You're equal
to that job. aren't your
| Now. just what sort of mental proc
ess went on Ia the brain Of Nicholas
Walloway 1t would he vain to try to
trace. He was a complex product
whose character had been nodded not
only by circumstances Of birth and
breeding. but by the stroug stamp Of
heredity.
He was young man chiefly distin-
| guished by q reserved Stiffness OF
manner. a quality which often inspires
a confidence that obvious genius fails
to command. II. In hesitating to nc
cept the advantage offered him by the
impulsive Mr. Devine. be 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 q chance to talk
to her alone. and now this very oppor-
tunity was thrust upon him.
We'll. Cherub. II 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" r
No hint Of this altered program, Of
course, had reached Hewington Acres,
30 It happened that when Timmins
finally did bring up the lathered cobs
with a fine flourish the whole house.
hold was assembled to witness the
Cherub's 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 what he missed By backing
out.
In bis stead there stepped from the