The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-08-07
cHAPrER xIl-cOntlnued.

way hurt her, HOW COulu you!
Worst l ever did" He began to
change the whole effect, chuckling au-
dibly as he worked Sunset divided
honors with moonlight 1t was no
longer ineongruous; 1t was ridiculous.
He leaned back and laughed. I'm
going to send II to L'Asino, and call 1t
an afterthought."
Give Il to me-"
WHAT"
Yes"
Nonsense! I'm going to touch a
match to it, I'll give you that picture
with the lavender in bloom"
81 want this"
But YOU cannot hang H."
Il want it,"
"Well!" The more he learned about
women the farther out of mental reach
they seemed to go. Why on earth did
she want this execrable daub? You
may have Il; but all the same, I'm
going to call an oculist and have him
examine your eyes"
why, 1t is the Signorina Fournier!'
In preparing studiously to Ignore
Flora Desimone's presence they had
forgotten all about her.
Good morning, signora," said Ce-
leste in italian.
And the Signore abbott, the paint
er, alsol" The Calabrian raised what
she considered her most deadly weap-
on. her lorgnette.
What is it?" asked Flora, squint-
Ing.
1T is a new style OF the impression
ist which | began this morning" so
berly.
1T looks very natural" observed
Flora.
"NaturaI!" Abbott dropped his
mahlstick.
1T is Vesuv', is it not, on a cloudy
day?"
This was too much for Abbott's
gravity, and he laughed.
1T was not necessary to spoil
good picture on my account,
said Flora, closing the lorgnette with
a snap
THE signora is wrong. l did not
spoil it on her account 1t was past
helping yesterday. But l shall, how
ever, rechristen it Vesuvius since it
represents an eruption of temper"
Flora tapped the handle of her para
sol with the lorgnette. 1t was dis
tinctly a sign of approval. These
Americans were never slow-witted.
She swung the parasol to and fro,
slowly, like pendulum
at is too bad" she said, her glance
rowing over the white walls of the
villa.
1T was irrevocably lost" Abbott de-
clared.
mo, no; do not mean the picture.
/ am thinking of La Toecana. Her
voice was really superb; and to lose 1t
! entirely !" She waved
sympathetic hand.
Abbott was about to rise up in Wig
orous protest. But fate itself chose
to rebuke Flora From the window
came-"Sai cos ebbe cuore!"-sung
as only Nora could sing 1t.
The ferrule of Flora Desimone's
parasol bit deeply into the clover-turf.
Am all right?" asked Harrigan.
Courtlandt nodded. You look like
a soldier in mufti, and more than that,
like the gentleman that you naturally
are" quite sincerely.
The ex-gladiator blushed. This is
the reception-room. There's the ball
room right out there. The smoking
room is on the other side. Now, how
in the old Harry am going to get
across without killing some one?"
Courtlandt resisted the desire to
laugh "supposing you let me pilot
you over?"
You're the referee. Ring the gong"
Come on, then"
What! While they are dancing?"
backing away in dismay.
The. other caught him by the arm.
"Come on"
And in and out they went, hither
and thither, now lodging, now pausing
to let the swirl pass, until at length
Harrigan found himself safe on shore,
in the dim cool smoking-room.
Il don't see how you did it," admir-
ingly.
"Ill drop in every little while to see
how you are getting on" volunteered
Courtlandt. You can sit by the door
If you care to see them dance. I'm
off to see Mrs. Harrigan and tell her
where you are. Here's cigar"
Harrigan turned the cigar over and
over in his fingers, all the while gaz-
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 'em
at wholesale, I'll eat this one"
He lighted his cigar, and gave him.
self up to the delights OF 1t.
Courtlandt loomed In the doorway.
"ComfoTtable"
Perfectly. Good cigar, comfortable
chair, fine view"
Young men began to drift in and
out. The air became heavy with
smoke, the prevailing aroma being
that OF Turkish tobacco OF which Har-