The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-15


and aunts:"
II can't understand how any one can
he so good natured as YOU" she sighed.
The crown of her head was on a
level with my shoulder Her eyes were
lowered. A faint line of distress grew
between them. For minute | stared
down Mt the brown crest of her head.
an almost ungovernab!e impulse pound
ing away ut my sense Of discretion. |
do take credit unto myself for being
strong enough to resist that opportuni
t. to make an everlasting IDIOT OF my
SELF. l knew even then that If a sim.
liar attack ever came upon me again
should not be able to withstand it.
All this time she was staring rather
penSively at the second button from
the top Of Poopendyke's coat. and Sc
prolonged and earnest was her gaze
that | looked down in some concern. al
the same time permitting myself to
make Il nervous. jerky and quite invol
untary digital examination of the afore
said button. She looked up with a
nervous little laugh
II shall have to sew one on right
there for poor Mr.. Poopendyke." she
said. poking her finger into the empty
buttonhole. You dear bachelors!"
Then she turned swiftly away from
me and glided over 10 the big arm
chair. from the depths of which she
fshed small velvet bag. Looking
over her shoulder. she smiled Mt ME.
"Please look the other way" she
said Without waiting for me to dc
so she took out little gold box. pow.
der puff and stick of lip rouge. Cross
ing to the small Florentine mirror
that hung near my desk. she proceeded
before my startled eyes to repair the
slight-and to me unnoticeable-dam
age that had been done to her com
plexion before the sun came up.
Woman works in mysterious way
my friend. her wonders to perform.
she paraphrased calmly.
mo matter how transcendently beau
tiful woman may be. she always does
that sort of thing to herself, take it,
said l.
she does" said the countess with
conviction She surveyed herself crit
ically. There. And now | am ready
to accept an invitation to breakfast
am disgustingly hungry"
"And so am IT, cried with enthusi
asm. "Hurray. You shall eat Poo
pendykes breakfast Just to penaIiz,
him for failing in his duties as hos
during my Unavoidable
quite impossible" she said. N,
has already eaten it,"
He has?"
AT half past 6. believe. He an
nounced at that ungodly hour that II
he couldn't have his coffee the first
thing in the morning he would be In
for Il headache all day. He suggested
that take little nap and have break
fast with you-if you succeed In sur
viving the night
"Oh. see." said slowly HE knew
all the time that you were mapping in
that chair. eh?"
You shall not scod him.
II shall do even worse than that.
shall pension him for life"
She appeared thoughtful little
frown of annoyance clouded her brow
He promised faithfully to arouse
me the instant you We're sighted on
the opposite side of the river. made
i'm ste i,> Fl ,t,;ft ,II Il
glass. No. on second thought. | shall
scold him. If he had come to the door
and shouted you wouldn't have caugh,
me in this odious dressing gown. He
lene"--
1t is most fascinating | cried
Adorable. | love fimsy, pink things
They're so intimate. And Poopendyke
knows it. bless his ingenious old soul.
surprised queer little Gleam of
inquiry in her eyes 1t fickered for a
second and died out
"Do you really consider him an In
genuouS old soul:" she asked And
thought there was something rather
metallic in her voice. | might have re.
piled with intelligence il she had given
me chance. but for some reason she
chose to drop the subject. You must
be famished. and am dying to hear
about your experiences. You must
not omit a single detail. r.
There came a gentle discreet knock
ing on the half open door started
Come" | said
Blatchford gravely swung the door
wide open.
Breakfast Is served. sir-your ledy,
ship beg pardon"
| have never seen him stand so
faultlessly rigid. AS we passed him on
the way out mean desire came over
me TO tread on his toes just as an ex-
pertinent. Somehow | felt that he
would say. Thank you. sir" and there
would be no satisfaction in knowing
that he had had all his pnins for moth.
ing.
I shall never forget that enchanted
breakfast-never. Not that | can re-
call even vaguely what we had to eat.
or who served it. or how much of the
naked truth | related to her in de.
scribing the events of the night; can
only declare that 1t was singularly
light hearted affair.
At half past o'clock I was received
by Mrs. Titus in my own study The
countess came down from her eerie
abode to officiate Mt the ceremonious
function-if 1t may be so styled-and I