Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-06

Pless had evidently been restored, was grinning
broadly at me.
And the Countess had imperiously directed me
to supply her with all the scandal of the hour
CHAPTER TX. Am Invited Out to Dinner
T SOMETIMES wonder what would happen if
really had mind of my A man with a
firm, resolute grip on himself would have checked
PlesS and Baron Umovitch at the outset of their
campaign to acquire undisputed possession OF all
the comforts and cOnvenienCes that the castle at
forded. He would have said no to their demands
that all work about the place should be regulated
according to their own lifelong habits; which,
among other things included lying in bed till noon,
going back to bed at three for quiet nap and stay
ing up all night so that they might be adequately
worn out by the time they went to bed in the first
place.
l mention this as single instance of their power
to override 1t got to be SO that when car
penter wanted to drive nail he had to substitute
a screw and screwdriver,- noiseless process,
but insufferab1e waste of time and money.
Lathers worked four days job that should have
been accomplished in many hours. Can you
imagine these expert, ablebodied putting laths
wall with screwdrivers?
When Elsie Hazard, painfully aware OF my an
noyance asked the two noble1nen why on earth
they couldn't get up for breakfast, they coldly in
formed her that they were civilized human beings
and not larkS.
They used my study for purposes of their own,
and gared at me when presumed to intrude upon
their privacy. Pless took possession of this room,
and here received all sorts of secret operatives en-
gagged in the task of unearthlng the former Mrs.
Pless. Here he had as many as fifteen reports
day by messenger from all parts of the land and
here he discussed every feature of the chase it
presented itself, coolly barring out of my sane
tum Sanctorum with the impassive command to
knock before attempting to enter.
In Of
table, he and the Baron thick as could be
when it to the question of the derelict Count
ess They maintained the strictest privacy, and
resented the polite interest of their four Aeri
can friends.
Finding Poopendyke at work over some tipping
day, Pless peremptorily ordered him out of the
study, and subsequently complained to me about
the internal racket the fellow made with his type
writer They cursed my servants, drank my Wines
complained of the food, and had everybody about
the place doing errands for them. My butler and
footnan threatened to leave if they compelled
to continue to drinks until four in the morn
ing; but somewhat appeased when l raised
their wages. Britton surreptitiously threshed the
French valet, and then had to serve Pless Ito my
despair) for two days while FRANCOIS took his time
recovering.
The motorboat was operated as ferry after the
third day. hustling detectives, lawyers, messengers
and newspaper correspondents back and forth
across the much besung Danube. Time and again
l shivered in my boots when these sly-faced de-
tectives appeared and made their reports behind
closed doors. When would they strike the trail?
A T last there came a day of deliverance. The
"A guests were departing, and l truthfully
say that was speeding them.
Elsie Hazard took me off to a remote corner
where little later on Betty Billy and the two hus-
bands found us. "John, will you forgive me?7
she said very soberly. Il swear to you l hadn't
the faintest idea what it"
"Please, please, Elsie" broke in warmly, "don't
abuse yourself in my presence l fully understand
everything; at least, nearly everything. What l
can't understand, for the life of me, is this How
did you happen to pick up two such consummate
Founders as these fellows are?"
@Alas Iohn!n said she. shaking her head. "a