The Washington times., 1911-10-15

, baste tells me there are lots Of rare lit
tie antiques that can be ferreted out
and bought for a mere song. ordered
the carriage for 3 o'clock. And now
get this note from father saying he has
been called 90 Sorrento on important
business. and can't 20 with me-"
what shame!" I agreed, vaguely
wondering what important business"
Amos Todd could find to occupy his at
tention three thousand miles away from
glorious day. tool It's pity to wait
till tomorrow. when
But I'm not going to wait at all.
was only annoyed because I'll have to
go alone instead Of"
go alone" I echoed. "You don't
mean to say you're
''Of course 1 do. Why shouldn't L?
know the addresses of several of the
have to do is tell the driver
But / stammered. Then stop
bped.
How could explain to this clean
American girl that in Italy nice women
don't go drying alone In hired car
riage? Moreover, that when one gets Off
the main thoroughfares and into the
tangle of native streets, Naples Is, at
best, not a safe or pleasant place for a
young and decidedly pretty girl to go
All this, of course, could not tell her.
Besides, what affair was 1t of mine?
Yet she was my countrywoman, and she
was young and inexperienced; and-and
she did look innocent and friendly In
that soft, light dress of hers-and more
than pretty, too.
So, as she still stood waiting in
amused expectancy for me to explain
my half-witted protest. 1 went on. lame-
ly enough, grasping at the first awk-
ward solution OF the difficulty that hap
penedj Into my brain.
IL was surprised; because II hap
"a lhns Ton tt,t ,lxt <,F 4,
Ing round of some Of the native quar-
ter curio places this afternoon. You see,
I overheard sebaste."
..oh, you were?' she cried interest
edly; and before those honest-looking
eyes OF hers felt a triie ashamed.
even though my lie had been In so good
a cause.
For I hate s,uffy little shops, and
curios and antiques bore me to death.
Still I continued heroically:
And l thought perhaps you wouldn't
mind IL we went together. You Sc, I'm
an awful duffer at picking out art
be ever so good Of you. Won't you,
please?'
was talking like a ten-year-oi6 boy
asking his father for a quarter. But I
have sometimes thought since then that
my bungling manner and my apparent
helplessness stood me in good stead. For
she evidently took pity on me and
waived the gross unconventionality Of
my request.
Then, too. she was the sort Of girl
who can rise above convention at times
when convention Is a usless clog.
So 1t was that. Ave minutes later.
found myself seated In a rickety open
carriage alongside a girl with whom
had never before exchanged fifty SEN
tences. To make matters worse. Just
as we turned Off the Riviera de Chiaja
and began to mount the hill. we came
upon Count Sebaste, strolling hone
ward from a walk.
He favored me with a stare compared
to which the average mans survey OF
a scavenger dog would seem iaudatory:
then. as he bowed - Miss Todd. saw
his beady italian eyes widen with Won
der and disgust at seeing her In such
company. Neapolitans can express vol
lmes Ia one look and at the moment
there was a complete Carnegie library
In Sebaste's face.
My awkwardness wore away, though.
as we drove onward. No normal man
could have failed to be at his ease with
without letting mvself lose hold of
any of my earlier prejudices, I found
myself moving them unobtrusiVely into
the background. for the time at least,
and giving myself up to the full enjoy
ment of her unsconscious charm.
We had left the broad fashion thor
oughfares' behind US: and the streets
we were now traversing We're narrow,
dirty. picturesque, redolent OF thous-
Curious were the glances shot at us
from loafers. bcggers, and tradesmen
as our bony horse toiled slowly upward.
Again ! was glad I had not let Miss
Todd come alone.
Not much like the section of New
York that You are used to. Miss Todd"
I commented. as she looked about her
with the frank interest Of a child.
I'm not used to any sections of New
ork," she answered "I've never been
there half a dozen times In my life
Really? Why, I thought Mr..
Todd"
"Oh! father goes to Now York often
on business But he seldom takes me.
I'm a Denver girl. I've seldom strayed
far East Of the Rockies. Does that put
me outside the pale. to your New York
mind?''