The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-03-20


'Humph!" said the Countess.
That's . mere guess"
rs ~ Then dare you to deny
that you aren't. Come! Am not
right, my dear AdelsT'
The Countess started and tossed her
head angrily.
''It doesn't matter In the least about
my name. ! asked for yours"
And II gave it-what thenr"
"why-why. I'll know who you
are" and the Countess could not ~
press a little smile.
REALTY How perfectly simplsi
But II suits me better not TO give e."
Then perhaps you viii tell me why
you are in thsrsf"
"Oh. certainly. There's no mystery
about that. The door II locked on the
outside"
But who aid itf"
"A stout, pink faced person who u
widely known. I believe. ~ 'Chsrub'
Dsvins."
"Ah!" The Countess aid not mean
TO allow this exclamation to 20
audible. but Il was.
80 he hasn't told you about Il yet,
chi commented the unseen prisoner.
stupid Of me. wasn't II, to allow him
20 trick me 30 easiiyf But didn't
know all that know now. You
wait! Your Mr.. Dsvine 10 going to
regret that he was % clever"
But why did he do itf'
why not ask Mr.. DsvinsT'
"Of course" said the Countess. III
rs something you are ashamed
to-
Nov that's very subtle OF you.
very. But I'm not ashamed. IA Just
a. soon tell you a. not. You might
have guessed anyway. There's lady
In the case"
IA lady!" gasped the Countess.
Some one that--that Mr.. Devtns"--
Exactly. found out only re-
Gently"
The arched lips Of the Countess
vecchi were pressed tightly together.
her chin was held very hrmly; al
though she could 500 nothing but the
auger holes In the thick door. she
stared hard at them.
"And you" she went on. after .
pause. you are interested In her alsof'
I'll explain all that. When he found
that I happened to be the lsdy's hus-
band he decoysd me here and locked
me up."
"Oh. oh! Her husband! ! don't
believe . word Of II. not . wordi Il
Its Q mistake. all . mistake"
"Rsaiiyr The prisoner seemed u
md something entertaining In her
apparent agitation. for thsrs was .
hint Of amused tolerance in his tone.
Where does the mistake come int
I'm shut up here fast enough. am I
not? No mistake about that. II
there?"
mo. no." admitted the Countess.
But about the-about your wife. you
know. Why should you think that
Mr.. Dev1ne cares enough for her too
DO 20 unjust toSou AZ this7"
"Only because he as good a. told me
so himself. You SEQ. my wife and I
have besn living apart. lie thought
! was dead. When l appear. he finds
mo In the way. So he locks mo up.
But II there's any mistake I wish
you'd point It out to Mr.. Devins.
Think there IL. chi"
"Oh. I don't know what to think"
To he sure It would have been much
inner and nobler II the Countess
Vecchi had held to her faith In
"Cherub" Dsvine. II she had denied
this implication OF fickleness with
scornful lips and flashing eye. That
would have been tho approved man
nor. But why prstend7 We know
her too we'll for that. II 10 more
than likely that. II the eyes Of the
Countess flashed at all. tho flashes
had . Groenish hue; and We wouldn't
bs too positive that, II "Cherub" De-
vine had been within reaching dis
lance OF her firm white hands at this
particular moment. he wouldn't have
had his ears boxed.
However. she found nothing more
to do than wiring her hands and de-
clare over and over that she did NOT
know what to think. And why
shouldn't she have been In doubt!
Hero was corroboration In detail of
her fathers unwiliingly told story.
And hero was tho prisoner In tho leo
house. She wanted most TO run back
home. lock herself In her room, and
bang things around a bit before tba
tears came. She knew they would
come. and soon. for the Hewingtons
almost always cried most when very
angry. There WAS ono old Continental
Hewington who. 80 the story runs.
wept and cursed all through the bat
tie Of Monmouth Plains. when Hes
sian officsr had stirred his lighting
blood by an awkward jab with q
sword point.
The Countess Vecchi was detor-