The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-09-10
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION sER1A
A Fool and His Money

lea. They laugh at all OF us over here. ="
~ dare say they laugh at me, con
found them,' said l, lugubriously.
"They do, said she flatly. Before l
could quite recover from this sentient
dig she was ordering me to put the
bathtub where it belonged. This task
completed, looked up. She was stand
ing near the head Of the bed, with
revolver in her hand. I stared. ~ keep
it under my pillow, Mr.. Smart" she
said nervously I said nothing, and she
replaced it under the pillow, handling
the deadly weapon as gingerly as if it
were the frailest glass. "Of course I
couldn't hit anything with it, and l
Know [ should scream when it went
off, but still-accidents will happen,
you know"
"Um!" said I, iudicially "And so
my study is just beyond this mirror,
ehs May l enquire how you happen
to know that ] have my study theref"
ooh, l peeked in the other day."
she said, serene once more.
"The deuce you did,"
~ was quite sure that you were
out, E" she explained 81 opened Lud
wig the Red an inch or two, that S all
You are quite cosy in there, aren t
you' I envy you the grand old chaise
longe. y
| wavered, but succeeded in subduing
the impulse. at is the only comfort
able piece of furniture | have left in
my apartments said I, with convinc
ing candor.
"You poor man. she said, with her
| rarest smile. Glow fortunate you are
that I did not remember the chaise
longe. You would have been depri ed
of it, I am quite sure. Of course l
couldn It think of robbing you of it
now."
Gas matter Of fact, never lie in
it" l said, submitting to a once con-
quered impulse. eff you really like
to have it, I'll see that it is taken up
to your rooms at once"
"Thank you,' she said, shaking her
head. at IS kind Of you, but am not
SO selfish as all that, believe me. -
"It is-quite in the way, Countess. F."
"Some one would be sure to miss it
if you sent it up now" she said reflect
lively.
Gwen wait till they re all gone, "
said I.
She smiled and the bargain was set
tied without a word from her. You We
heard of men being wrapped about lit
tie fingers, haven't youf Well, there
you are.
We returned to the corridor. She
closed the door softly, mockery in
view of the clatter had made in shift
ing the bed and its impediments.
"We can't be too CAREFUL she
said in whisper. She might have
spoken through a megaphone and still
been quite safe. We were tramping up
the stairs "Don't you think your
guests will consider you rather inhos
pitable if you stay away from them all
morning'"
| stopped short. "By Jove, now that
you remind me of it, promised to take
them all out for a spin in the motor
boat before luncheon. Hazard has had
his boat sent down"
She looked positively unhappy. ooh,
how l should love to get out for a spin
on the river / wonder if I'll ever be
free to enjoy the things like most
Of
"Listen!" I whispered suddenly,
grasping her arm. "Did you hear foot
steps in the Shl"
Some one was walking over the stone
floor in the lower hall, brisk strides
that rang out quite clearly as they
drew nearer.
"It is-it is Mr.. Pless," she whis-
pered in panic. ~ recognize his
tread. AS if 1 could ever forget i'll
Oh, how 1 hate him! He"
"Dont stop here to tell me about
it," I cut in sharply. "Make hasteI
get up to your rooms and lock yourself
in. I1l-I1l stop him. How the deuce
did he get into this side of the"
Through the dungeons. There is a
passage,' she whispered, and then she