The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-13


Hold on. Nick, I'm eomingP' shout
ed the Cherub.
The countess ran down the steps
and tossed package to him.
II almost forgot" she said breath
lessiy. II wanted to ask you to sell
those for me. They're some stocks
or bonds or something, and I want
them sold. That's ALL"
The inner works of the vehicle be
gan to whir violently. tho big car
leaped forward. and a moment later
the Countess vecchi could see only a
little cloud Of dust that showed
through the trees lining the road to
the village.
1t remained for q train boy to dis
close Just how the public viewed the
crisis in Mr.. Devine's Affairs. Half.
way to the city the boy came aboard
with the early afternoon editions
From the headlines ii was evident
that the disturbance in Wall street
had become q popular topic. the sensa-
tion of the hour.
One enterprising journal INDUCED In
q half page cartoon. which was sup
posed TO represent the situation. 1t
was entitled "Plucking a Cherub." A
seandalous caricature OF Mr.. Devine
II was, showing him most inadequate
ly clothed. but possessed Of a pair Of
wings from which a group Of bad
boys were gleefully pulling what few
feathers remained, while the victim
rubbed his nsts into tear leaking eyes
and made no attempt at defense.
"Oh, my, myr' and Mr.. Devine rock
ed mirthfully over the cartoon.
'1t would be funnier II it wasn't so
ID near the TRUTH growled Wal
loway. ''of course l don't know just
how deep you've plunged on this p,
z. and N. deal. but l gathered that
you'd gone in rather steep"
"Yes." admitted the Cherub more
soberly. Il have. In fact, it's the big
gest thing ever tackled"
Nick Walloway gazed at him incred-
ulously. And right in the middle of
it you take a day OF to feed the swans
at Hewington AcresT
I'D take a year or If it was neces-
sary."
Young hr. Walloway paled a little.
"Devine." he began hesitatingly, Its
its the countess, isn't It"
The pink in the Cherub's chubby
cheeks flashed up behind his ears.
THE countessw he exclaimed.
''Why. she's way out Of my class.
Nick! Oh. she's about hundred per
cent too good for me-aristocratic, re-
fined. old family and all that. Why.
she wouldn't look at 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.
Walloway. However. he mastered the
difficulty. Suddenly reaching out, he
grasped the Cherub's right hand and
gave 1t crushing grip. II wish
you luck, old man."
Perhaps Mr.. Devine was a little sur
prised by this unexpected display of
emotion from the usually reserved
young man. II he was he brushed 1t
aside.
Luck nothing. Nick! Much obliged
for your good wishes, my boy, but
haven't the ghost of show. Now, If
was chap like you there'd be some
hope for me. Say. Nick, wonder you
never took az
BEG pardon, Devine, but let's stick
TO the point. l should not presume to
intrude my advice on personal mat
ters. but IL 1 were you would drop
P, q. and N. until you can give your
whole time and thought to the busi-
ness. Why don't you pull out?"
The Cherub ceased to stare dreamily.
Mick" he said abruptly, "I'll tell you
something. I've changed my plans
I'm going to do something besides
speculate in that stock. Pm going to
buy that road and I've got to get
control before next Friday noon"
"Cherub, you're crazy! It's impossi-
BILE! Why, the Bates-Rimmer crowd
scooped in two-fifths Of the stock yes
terday, so they say. You know what
that means-they'll wreck It, wiring it
dry. The small outside holders have
been tumbling over each other to un-
load. See here"-and he pointed to a
newspaper on his knee-"fifty lots Of
fered during the first half hour today
and the quotations dropping by quar-
ter points. Why, you can't stop 'em,
man. They've got you on the run"
eyes, yes, 1t looks like It, i know.
But wait until I've had a chance at
them. Let me think this thing over"
Mr.. Nicholas Walloway withdrew
into his corner of the smoking COM
partment to stare absentmindedly out
of the window. The Cherub was soon
apparently engaged in profound con-
temptation of the end Of his cigar.
You would not have guessed, TO look
at him, that he was considering any
thing more serious than the flavor of
the tobacco. Not until they were on
the ferry did he break the silence.
Then. briefly and crisply. he outlined
his plan of action. Nick Walloway
heard him through with a glow of ad-
miration In his eyes.