The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-10
CONTINUED

viving. | feel better. If you are 90
ing to be nice I'll let you stay"
THANKS. III do my best"
She seemed to be weighing some.
thing in her mind.
If you don't mind what ehe servants
are saying about us. Mr.. Smart. l am
quite sure do not"
l caught my breath.
"Oh. understand everything" she
cried mischievously. before | could
stammer anything in reply. They are
building delightful romance around
us. And why not? Why begrudge
them the pleasure? No harm can come
of 1t, you see."
Certainly no harm fioundered.
''I'he gossip is confined to the castle
1t will not 30 any further. We can
afford to laugh in our sleeves. can't
we%'
"Ha. ha"' ] laughed in strained eff.
fort. but not into my sleeve. II rejoice
to hear yon say that you don't mind.
No more do /. It's rather jolly"
Fancy any one thinking we could
possibly fall in love with each other
she scotfed. Her eyes were very
bright There was a suggestion of
rold water in that remark
"Yes. Just fancy | agreed.
absurd"
but Of course, as you say, If they
can get any pleasure out of it why
should we obiect?'
well, we are bosom friends once
more. are We not? | am so relieved"
II suppose Poopendyke told you the
1.-The gossip"
"Oh. no. | had it from my maid
She is perfectly terrible. All French
maids are. Mr.. Smart. Beware OF
| French maids. She won't have it any
other way than that am desperately
In love with you. Isn't she delicious %
"Eh?' l gasped.
And she confides the wonderful Sc.
| cret to every one in the castle. from
Rosemary down to Jinko."
"'Pon my soul.' | murmured.
"And so now they all are saying that
l am in love with you" she laughed
ioh IL perfectly fuulcTOuS.
Perfectly" said without enthusi
asm. My heart sank like lead Ludi
crous? Was that the way it appeared
to her? ! had little spirit left. Quite
as ludicrous as the fancy Britton has
about me. He is obsessed by the idea
that | am in love with you. What dc
you think of that?"
She started. I thought her eyes mar.
rowed for second. Ridiculous" she
said very simply. Then she arose alb
ruptly. please ring the bell for
Hawkes."
did so. Hawkes. appeared. '"Clear
the table, Hawkes." she said. 81 want
you to read all these newspaper clip.
pings, Mr.. Smart" she went on. point.
ing to bundle on chair near the
window. We crossed the room Now
that you know who | am. | insist on
your reading all that the papers have
been saying about me during the past
five or six weeks"
l protested. but she was firm. "Ev.
cry one else in the world has been
reading about my affairs. so you must
do likewise. No. it isn't necessary to
read all of them | 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 is just the other way.
Sit down, please. I'll hand them to
you"
For an hour l sat there in the win,
dow absorbing the astonishing history
of the Tarnowsy abduction case. felt
rather than observed the intense scru.
tiny with which she favored me.
At last she tossed the remainder of
the bundle unread into corner. Her
face was aglow with pleasure.
you've read both sides. and I've
watched you. oh. so closely. You don't
believe what the papers over here have
to say. | saw the scowls when you
read the translations that Mr.. Poopen-
dyke has typed for me. Now know
that you do not feel so bitterly toward
me as you did at first"
! was resolved to make last deter
mined stand for my original c0nvic.
tions.
But our own papers-the New York.
Boston. Philadelphia. Chicago journals
still voice in "A way my principal con-
tention in the matter. countess They
deplore the wretched custom among
the idle but ambitious rich that made !
possible this whole lamentable state of
affairs. | mean the custom of getting
title into the family at any cost
MY dear Mr.. Smart" she said seri-
ously. do you really contend that all |
OF the conjugaI unhappiness and un-
rest of the world Is confined 10 the |
American girls who marry noblemen?
Has 1t escaped your notice that there
are thousands of unhappy marriages
and equally happy divorces in Amer
lea every year In which noblemen do |
not figure at all?"
Then suddenly she changed the sub
ject.
II have some pleasant news for you."
she said. MY mother will be here on
Thursday. You will not like her. of
course. because Won are already preju-
diced. but know she will like you"
II hope she will like me-" added.
feeling that it was necessary.
"She was Colingraft. you know"
'1ndeed:" The CoIingraft family