The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-05-06

| one or tIfeSe cneap macaronN counts,
regular wife beater, and their honey.
moon didn't last more than few
hours. She leaves him In Italy and
comes home. Then it's reported that
he has died I'm n sanitarlum-family
don't deny 1t. girl puts on black. and
all hands hope IL will soon be so. But
he refuses to die and comes over here
to hold them up for cash. AS it hap
pens, the first person he runs across
is me. Now, what do you suppose
did to him?"
Mr.. Driscoll's eyes concentrated Sc
riously on the bland face of Cherub
Devine.
81 hope he began.
'Oh, l didn't hurt himr' interrupted
the Cherub. I'm no hothead-never
struck a man in my life-wouldn't
know how. But perhaps did worse.
l decoyed him to an icehouse and
locked him in there"
"You whatr Even the composure
of Bob Driscoll was stirred by this
unique confession.
Something had to be done right
away. So l just jollied him along to
the icehouse, tolled him inside and shut
the door on him"
$50 you locked him up. did you?
Why didn't you let him make his de-
mand and then have him arrested on
charge of blackmailg
Couldn't. That would bring out the
whole story. See? She's been posing
as a widow. That's her fathers work.
Think of what the papers would make
of that! No. no! We don't want to go
into court, and the count mustn't"
I'm afraid, Cherub, that he's right
when he calls you a kidnaper That
would be the technical charge. It's
! rather a serious offense. too-felony.
you know"
! "All right; I'm not squeamish Look
up some good criminal lawyer, will
you, and have him let me know how
far can go?"
"M-m-m-m-"- murmured Mr..
Driscoll through pursed lips. "why
not soothe him with a few hundred
| dollar bills and let him outY
THAT'S where my fool pride comes
in, Bob. Didn't know | had any, but
l guess have. See here; can't buy
off the husband Of the girl I-well. it
don't seem right That would stick in
my crop"
But you can't imprison a man in
definitely on your own hook. Cherub.
Why, man, you would run the risk of
long term of Imprisonment"
II suspected that Well, can stand
it if he can. And he gets his dose
first"
Mr.. Driscoll looked long and earnest
ly at the Cherub. At last he suggest
ed, 'You must be very fond of the
young woman. Devine."
That's putting it mildly. Bob, and
she's worth it too. Why. say. she's
the finest. sweetest, cutest-- But
there! I've got no right to talk like
that. It's all off. There's that infer
nal count"
"Why hasn't she divorced him?"
against her principles. like her
all the better for it too Oh, she's
the genuine article, Bob: And I've got
to give her up. Honest. it's toughp'
For a moment or so despair tried
to dim the cheerful CLEAN of Cherub
Devine's blue eyes. Then. with
shake of his shoulder, he threw it off.
But this isn't getting on, Bob. If
I'm going to have dealings with this
Count Vecchi, | want to know who he
is and all about him. Might stir up
something that would be useful, you
know"
Good idea" commented Mr.. Dris-
coll.
IT'S the way | like to do business.
Now, what connections have you with
any private information bureau on
the continent?
There's Deufstetters, in Vienna"
Slower than creeping paralysis!
We'd get report in about six months.
No; Wen try Jimmy McQuade. Used
to be one of the Record Herald boys
in Chicago. Now he's at the head of
newspaper syndicate in Paris. He's
got columns of stuff out of me. And
he's the kind that will get a move on.
I'll cable him tonight to look up this
count of mine and wire back full de-
tails. Eth? So long, Bob. I'll drop
in at your Office about noon tomor-
row."
At midnight, from a downtown de-
tective agency, four men started out
to guard the exits to Hewington Acres.
with orders to stop and hold a slim
young man wearing a frock coat and
a silk hat should he attempt to leave
the grounds.
fro BE Continued