The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-29

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"GuestsT p she cried in dismay. "oh,
dear; can't you put them Off" ~
Il have hopes that they won't be
able to stand the workmen banging
around all day." l confessed, some.
what guiltily.
Women In the partyr
1.-TWO believe. Both married and
qualified to express opinions"
"They will be sure to nose me out"
she said ruefully. Women are dread.
full nOsers."
Don't worry" said. We'll get a
lot Of new padlocks for the doors
downstairs. and you'll be as safe as
can be If you'll only keep quiet"
But l don't see why l should be
made to NOPE here all day and all
night like II sick cat, holding my hand
over Rosemary's mouth when she
wants to cry and muzzling poor Jinko
so that he
"My dear countess" I interrupted
sternly, you should not forget that
these other guests of mine are invited
here"
But ! was here first" she argued
1T is most annoying"
II believe you said yesterday that
you are In the habit of having your
own way" She nodded her head.
well, am afraid you'll have to come
down from your high horse-at least
temporarily"
"Oh, see! You-you mean to be
very firm and domineering with me-"
.'You must try to see things from my
point off,
please don't say thatr' she Jared.
I'm so tired Of hearing those words
For the last three years I've been
commanded to see things from some
one else's point of view. and I'm sick
of the expression"
For heavens sake don't put me in
the same boat with your husbandw
She regarded me somewhat frigidly
for a moment longer, and then a slow,
witching smile crept into her eyes.
II shan't," she promised and laugh
ed outright. "Do forgive me, Mr..
Smart. I'll try to be nice and sensi-
BILE. and will be as still as a mouse
all the time they're here. But you
must promise to come up every day
and give me the gossip"
We fell into discussion Of present
and future needs; Of ways and means
for keeping my friends utterly In the
dark concerning her presence in the
abandoned east wing.
1--WE been trying to recall all of the
notable marriages we had In New York
three years ago. said |. after she
had most engagingly reduced me to a
state of subjection In the matter Of
three or four moot questions that came
up for settlement. You don't seem to
fit In with any of the International az
fairs l can bring to mind"
You promised you wouldn't bother
about that. Mr.. Smart" she said Sc
verely.
"Of course you were married in New
York;"
in a very nice church just off Fifth
avenue, If that will help you any" she
said. THE usual crowd inside the
church and the usual mob outside all
fighting for glimpse of me in my
wedding shroud and for chance to
see real Hungarian noble nan. 1t
really was very magnificent wedding.
Mr.. Smart" She seemed to be unduly
proud of the spectacular sacrifice.
A knitted brow revealed the obfus-
Gated condition of my brain. l was
thinking very intently. not to say re-
motely.
Don't you read the newspapers y
she cried impatiently. She actually re.
sented by ignorance.
"Religiously," said, stung to revolt
"But l make 1t point never to read
the criminal news"
Criminal news?" she gasped. What
do you meanY
1T Is merely my way of saying that
I put marriages of that character In
the category Of crime"
"Ohw she cried. staring at me with
unbelieving eyes.
Every time sweet, lovely Ameri-
can girl is delivered into the hands
of foreign bounder who happens to
possess title that needs fixing 1 call
the transaction crime. You did not
love this pusilanimous count, nor did
he care hang for you. You were too
young In the ways of the world to have
any feeling for him, and he was too
old to have any for you. The whole
hateful business therefore resolved it.
self into case of give and take-and
he took everything. He took you and
your fathers millions and now ycu are
both back where you began. Some one
deliberately committed crime. and as
1t wasn't you or the count-who levied
his legitimate toll-it must have been
the person who planned the conspir-
acy. l take 1t, Of course. that the
whole affair was arranged behind your
back, so to speak"
Her face was quite pale. Her eyes
did not leave mine during the long and
crazy diatribe, of which / was already
beginning to feel heartily ashamed.
and there was a dark, ominous fre
in them that should have warned me.
She arose from her chair. It seemed
to me she was taller than before.
"If nothing else came to me out of
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