Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-06-24

Devine
SEWELL FORD
q Copyright. 1909. BY Mitchell k.nnerl.y =
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER v.
~ ONsTERNATION fell upon Ep
pings when it occurred to Mr.
Devine. along about 2 o'clock
~ to inform him that guests
were expected at supper.
BEG pardon, sir. but 1t is impossible,
sir. We are not prepared. There's
only small filet in the house, sir. and
not duck-not single duck"
"Have SQUAD. then"
But, sir, we haven't
"Oh. don't go on telling me what you
haven't got. Hash up anything. Make
some sandwiches II you can't do bet
ter. Only don't come to me with your
troubles. I'm no chef. But I'm going
to have some friends here tonight. and
I shall expect you to feed them. That's
what you're here for, isn't it?''
''Ye-e-e-es, sir. At what hour, siry''
''Eight-thirty, sharp"
"And how-bow many plates. sir:"
II don't know. Ten or fifteen OF
twenty. Better make 1t twenty, and
then you can discard
'I'll do my best, SIR
That's the way to talk, Eppings."
Having made these o6hand prepare
lions. Mr.. Devine sat himself down on
the veranda. He heard a step and
looked up to see before him the aris-
tocratic figure Of the Countess vecchis
father. Mr.. Hewington seemed some
what agitated.
You must pardon me, sir, for a
seeming impertinence," he began. but
have just learned by accident that
you contemplate giving a party here
tonight. Is it fact?'
Mr.. Devine nodded. "Just a few
friends. dozen or So"
"Ah! Friends Of yours?'' Mr.. Hew-
ington gave the words a significant
emphasis. Then would it not beer
neutrality-suspicious. discreet is the bet
ter word-for my daughter to go else
where for the night-to the hotel In
the village perhaps?''
There was twinkle in the Cherub's
blue eyes as he responded, afraid Of
a rough house. are your
My daughter, sir. is not exactly &C.
customed tO--er-the kind Of persons
who might
"Oh. see. Well. suit yourself about
it-suit yourself. But 1t isn't at all
necessary. l shall try to keep them
quiet. There are to be only a few
neighbors-the Walloways and
'"The Wallowaysv'
Yes, and the Wilburs and the Mil
ler-Tremways and old Bishop Horton
and stray baron or two"
Bishop Horton! Is Bishop Horton
coming? Coming here?''
why. yes. The bishops friend Of
mine. Know him. do you?"
Eve were college classmates, Mr..
Devine," said Mr.. Hewington.
THAT so! never went to college
with the bishop. but I've crossed the
ocean with him twice, and once held
his hat while he made a speech"
Extraordinary" said Mr.. Hewing-
ton.
Think SO? 1t may seem a little
queer to yon. but the bishop doesn't
appear to look at it that way. Come
down and meet him and the rest Of
the folks. won't you? We're to have
a little supper about half past 8. And,
say. bring the contestant is. unless
you're afraid of the crowd
This last was violation Of q para.
graph In the Cherub's own code Of
ethics, paragraph which read, when
the other fellows down and out don't
rub 1t in" But the words had escaped
before he knew 1t. Fortunately Mr..
Hewington did not seem to notice the
allusion, for he retired, repeating in an
undertone: 1.-THE Walloways! Bishop
Horton! The iller-Tremways!'
And sure enough, early in the even
Ing the big rooms Of the great house
began to echo with the lively chatter
Of many guests. There was the portly
Mrs. Walloway, whose dinner dances
are always such brilliant affairs: there
were. the naughty Wilburs. the hyphen-
ated Tremways and half dozen 9th
ers without whose names and pic.
lures the Sunday supplements would
be incomplete.
They were somewhat disposed to
look curiously upon Mr.. Cherub De-
vine at first, but when the bishop had
patted him affectionately on the shout
der and the baron had effusively en-
braced him the atmosphere thawed
The one person who was least at his
ease was young Mr.. Walloway. For
awhile he was sitter than ever, and he
had the air Of one who expects some
hing very embarrassing to happen.
But the Cherub was undisturbed.
Thus far he had gained his point.
Whether Nick Walloway had been In
iuenced by that suggestion Of future
business or whether he had acted pure
y from motives Of good fellowship he