The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-10-21
CHAPTER XVII.
(Contlnusd.)


what! while they are dancing'
backing away In dismay.
The other caught him by the ar"
Come on"
And In and out they went, hither
and thither, now lodging. now paus-
ing to let the swirl pass. until a.
length Harrigan found himself sale
on shore, In the dim, cool smoking
room.
II don't see how you did IT," ad-
miringly.
"TIi drop In every little while TO
see how you are getting on. voiun-
teered Courtlandt. You can sit by
the door II you care to see them
dance. I'm of to see Mrs. Harrigan
and tell her where you are, Here's
1 q cigar"
Harrtgan turned the cigar over and
! over In his fingers, all the while gaz-
l Ing at the young mans diminishing
back. He sighed. That would make
him the happiest man in the world.
He examined the carnelian band en-.
circling the six-inches OF evanescent
happiness. What do you think OF
that" he murmured. Same brand
the old boy used to smoke. And II
he pays anything less than sixty
apiece for EN- at wholesale, I'll eat
this one" Then he directed his at
tention to the casual inspection OF
the room. A few elderly men we're
lounging about. His sympathy was
at once mutely extended; It was plain
thai they too had been dragged out.
At the little smokers tabouret by
the door he espied two chairs, one
Of which was unoccupied; and he at
once appropriated II. The other
chair was totally obscured by the
bulk OF the man who sat in 1t; man,
bearded, blunt-nosed. passive. hut
whose eyes we're bright and twinkling.
Hanging from his cravat was a medal
of some kind. Harrigan lighted his
cigar, and gave himself up to the de-
lights OF 1t.
They should leave us old fellows
at home.' he ventured.
Perhaps, in most cases, the wom-
en- would much prefer that"
Foreigner" thought Harrigan.
well. 1t does seem that the older
we get the greater obstruction we
become"
What Is old age?" asked the thick
but not unpleasant voice Of the
stranger.
ITS standing aside. Years don't
he feels
And q woman as old as she looks"
laughed the other.
NOV, don't feel old, and / am
n9y-oae."
The man with the beard shot an
admiring glance across the tabouret
you are extraordinarily we'll pre-
served, sir. You do not seem older
than 4 and I am but forty"
"The trouble is. over here you play
csfis all night In stuffy rooms and
eat too many sauces" Harrigan had
read this somewhere. and he was
\ pleased to think that he could recall
4 It so nttingly.
\ Agreed. You Americans are get
\ ting out in the open more than any
other white people"
\ Wonder how he guessed | was
\ from the States?" Aloud. Harrigan.
said: "You don't look as though
you'd grow any older In the next ten
\ years"
THAT depends" The bearded man
sighed and lighted fresh cigarette.
There's a beautiful young woman"
| with an indicative gesture toward the
ballroom.
Harrigan expanded. II was Nora,
dancing with the Barone.
She's the most beautiful young
\ woman In the world" enthusiastically
ly.
"Ah, you know hef?' interestedly.
II am her father!"-as Louis XIV
might have said. II am the State"
The bearded man smiled. "Sir, I
| congratulate you both
Courtlandt loomed In the doorway.
'Comfortable?"
Perfectly. Good cigar. comfort
/ able chair. fine view"
The duke eyed Courtlandt through
the pail OF smoke which he had pur-
1 posefully blown forth. He questioned,
rather amusedly. what would have
happened had he gone down to the
main hall that night in Paris? Among
/ the few things he admired was a we'll
built handsome man. Courtlandt on
4 his part pretended that he did not
see.
you'll find the claret and cham
payne punches In the hail." suggested
Courtlandt.
mot for mine! Run away and
| Dance"
"Good-by, then" Courtlandt van
| ished.
There's q fine chap. Edward Court
landt, the American millionaire" Il
was not possible for Harrigan to omit
this awe-compelling elaboration.
Edward Courtlandt" The stranger
stretched his legs. II have heard of
him. Something Of a hunter"
"One Of the keenest"
There ID no halfway with your
rich American; either his money ruins
him or he runs away from It,"
There's q sumner" exclaimed Har-
rigan. Wonder how she got here?"
ITO which lady do you refer!"
The one In scarlet. She IL Flora
Desimone. She and my daughter
sing together sometimes. OF course
. you have heard of Eleonora Ia Tos-
cana: that's my daughters stage
name. The two are not on very good
terms, naturally"
Quite naturally" dryly.
But you can't get away fro~ the
CaIaDrians beauty" generously.
NO" The bearded man extin.
guished his cigarette and rose. LAYING
. carte-de-visite on the tabouret