The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-11-12

thing in reply. ''They are building a de-
lghtful romance around us. And why mott
Why begrudge them the pleasure! No harm
can come of it, you see."
Certainly no HARM" I floundered.
1.-THE gossip is confined to the castle. Il
will not go any farther. We can afford to
lsugh in our sleeves, can't wei"
"Ha, hal" 1 laughed in a strained effnrt
but not into my sleeve. ~ rejoice to hezz
you say that you don't mind No more do
l. rs rather jolly"
"Fancy any one thinking we could pos
sibly fall in love with each other" she
scoffed. Her eyes were very bright. There
was o suggestion Of cold water in that ~
mark.
Eyes, just fancy" I agreed.
"Absurdl''
but, Of course, Is you say, If they cR
get any pleasure out of il, why should ~
objecti It's a difficult matter keeping .
cook any way"
well, we are bosom friends once mora
are we mott / am SO relieved"
II suppose Poopendyke told you he-tha
gossip"
'Oh, moi I had it from my maid. She i
perfectly terrible. All French maids are. M
Smart. Beware of French maidsi She won1
have it any other way than that l I'm des-
perately in love with you. 1sn't she dstt
~ciousf'
"Ehi" I gssped.
"And she confides the wonderful secret
to every one in the castle, from Rosemary
down TO Jihko."
"'Pon my souli'' I murmured.
"And SO now they I'll are saying that I
an in love with you" she laughed. Isn't =
perfectly ludicrous."
Perfectly" I said without enthusiasm
Ny heart sank like lead. Ludierousi WH
that the way it appeared to her? l had .
little spirit left. 'Quite IS ludicrous a.
the fancy Britton has about me He is OBJ
sessed by the idea that I am in love with
you. What do you think of that9'
She started. I thought her eyes narrowed
for q second. ''RidicuAous," she said. yery
simply. Then she arose abruptly. Please
ring the bell for Hawkes."
did SO. Hawkes. appeared. "Clear the
table, Hawkes. she said. "I want you 10
read all these newspapers clippings, Mn
Smart, she went on, pointing to a bundle
on a chair near the window. We crossed ths
room. Now that you know Who I am, /
insist on you reading al that the paper1
have been saying shout me during the pass
five or six weeks"
1 protested, but she was firm. EVERY ons
else in the world has been reading about
my affairs, so you must do likewise. No, d
isn't necessary to read all Of them. I will
select the most lurid and the most glowing.
You see there are two sides to the case
The papers that father can control are united
in defending my action; the European press
ia just the other way. Bit down, please. IN
hand them to you"
For an hour I sst there in the window ab-
scrbing the astonishing history of the Tar
nowsy abduction case. l felt rather than
observed the intense scrutiny with which she
favored me.
At last she tossed fhe remainder of thS
bundle unread, into a corner. Her face was
aglow with pleasure.
you've read both Edes. and I've watched
you-oh, SO closely. You don't believe whss
the papers over here have to say. l saw
the scowls when you read the translations
that Mr.. Poopendyke has typed for me. Now
I know that You do not feel so bitterly
toward me Is you did at first"
I was resolved to make a last determined
stand for my original convictions.
but our own papers, the New York, Bog
ton, Philadelphia, Chicago iournais-stn
voice, IN q way, my principal contention in
the matter, Countess. They deplore the
vretched custom smong the idle but smbi-
tious rich that made possible this whole
lAmsntable state OF affairs. I mean the GUS
tom Of getting q title into The family at any
cost"
my dear Mr.. Smart she said serious
y, 'Ado you really contend that all Of the
unhappiness and unrest of the world
Is confined to the American girls who marry
noblemeni Has it escaped your notice that
there are thousands Of unhappy marriages
and equally happy divorces in America every
year in which noblemen do not figure OF ALT
Rave you not read Of countless cases over
in which conditions are quite similar
10 those which make the Tarnowsy fiasco %
notorious' Are not American women stealing
their children from American husbandsi Are
al American husbands SO perfect that Count
Tarnowsy would appear black among themf
there no American men who marry for
money, and are there no American girls given
in marriage to wealthy suitors of all ages,
creeds and habits3 Why do you maintain
that an unfortunate alliance with a foreign
is any worse than an unhappy
marriage with an ordinary American brutet
there no bad husbands in America
iTa b Caahan~N