Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-13

For two long and extremely monotonous
days toiled. A chapter shaped itself
after a fashion. Even as 1 wrote, l knew
that it wasn't satisfactory, and that should
tear it up the instant it was finished. What |
irritated me more than anything else was the
certain conviction that Poopendyke, who
typed it as | advanced, also knew that it |
would go into the waste paper basket.
Both nights l went to bed early and to
sleep late. | could not deny to myself that |
| was missing those pleasant hours with the
Countess. | did miss them. | missed Rose
mary and Jinko and Helene Marie Antoi-
nette Louise and Blake.
An atmosphere of gloom settled round |
Poopendyke and Britton. They eyed me
with sort of pathetic wonder. AS time
went on, they began to look positively for
lorn and unhappy. Once or twice | caught |
them whispering in the hallway. On seeing |
me they assumed an air o. nonchalance that |
brought grim smile to my lips. l was be-
ginning to hate them. Toward the end OF |
the second day the four Schmicks became
SO aggravatingly doleful that ordered them
one and all to keen out of my sight. Even |
the emotionless hawkes. and the perfect |
Blatchford were infected. | don't believe |
I've ever seen human face so solemnly |
respectful as Hawkes. was that night at din
ner. He seemed to be piuying me from the |
bottom of his heart. 1t was getting on my |
nerves.
TTOOK stroll in the courtyard after din
ner, and 1 may be forgiven, hope, for
the few surreptitious glances | sent upward |
in the direction of the rear windows in the
eastern wing. l wondered what she was
doing, and what she was thinking of my ex-
traordinary behavior, and why the deuce
she hadn't sent down to ask me to come up
and tell her how busy l was She had not
made single sign. The omission was not |
particularly gratifying, to say the least
Before going to bed went into the loggia
for the first time in three days-and, keep
ing myself pretty well hidden behind a
projection in the wall, tried to get a glimpse
of the Countess windows. Failing there,
l turned my steps in another direction and
soon stood upon my little balcony There
was no sign of her in the windows; although |
a faint light glowed against the curtains of
a we'll remembered room near the top of the
tower.
1t was cool on the balcony, and l was alb
normally warm. 1t occurred to me that |
might do worse than sit out there in the cool
of the evening and enjoy cigar or two.
But, though l sat there until nearly mid
night and chartered my teeth almost out of
my head with the cold, she did not appear
dC llSl "iiuO". liz e'eiiiS Pe'le VI ~
was that while l was shivering out there in
the beastly, raw, miasmic air she was doubt
less lying on a luxurious couch before a
warm fire in dressing gown and slippers,
reading novel, and thinking of nothing in
the world but her comfort. And those ras-
cally beggars presumed to think that was
in love with selfish, lf-centered, spoiled
creature like that! Rubbish!
7 AM afraid that Poopendyke found me
l in particularly irascible frame of mind |
the next morning. l know that Britton
did. l was determined that, for a begin |
ming, Hawkes. and Blatchford would have
to go.
@Mr. Poopendyke," said I, after Batch
ford had left the breakfast room, al want |
you to give notice to Hawkes. and Blatchford |
today"
"Notice!" he exclaimed incredulously II
thought they were most satisfactory to YOU"
ave changed my opinion"
"By Jove, Mr.. Smart! II don't know
how the Countess will take such high-handed |
-ahem! You see, Sir, she-she was good |
enough to recommend them to me. 1t will |
be quite shock to"
"By the Lord Harry, Fred! am I to"
"DOn't misunderstood me y he made