The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-06-03

1 lluSHcu' LAW luy ucISuDOr as
myself quoted lyon are my
ncighbor, countess. Don't forget that.
And it so happens that your mother is
also my ncighbor at present. and your
brothers too. Have you any cousins
and ;unts:"
II can't understand how any one can
be so good natured as YOU" she sighed.
The crown OF her head was on
level with my shoulder. Her eyes were
lowered. A faint line of distress grew
between them. For minute stared
down at the brown crest OF her head.
an almost nngovernable impulse pound
ing away ut my sense of discretion
do take credit unto myself for being
strong enough to resist that opportuni-
ty to make an everlasting idiot of my.
self. l knew even then that if sim
liar attack ever came upon me again I
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 so
prolonged and earnest was her gaze
CA"l 'oOAVu AON IL III SOillC COIlC0Au liz at
the same time permitting myself to
make nervous, jerky and quite invol-
untary digital examination Of the afore-
said button. She looked up with
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 to the big arm
chair. from the depths of which she
tished a small velvet bag. Looking
please look the other way" she
said. Without waiting for me to do
so she took out little gold box. a pow
der puff and a 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. l 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. l
am disgustingly hungry"
And so am ~ l cried with enthusi-
assn. Murray! You shall eat Poo
pendyke's breakfast just to penalize
him for failing in his duties as host
during my unavoidable"-
"Quite impossible" she said. "He
has already eaten it,"
He has?"
"At half past 6. | believe He an,
nounced at that ungodly hour that if
he couldn't have his coffee the first
thing in the morning he would be In
for 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 l slowly. HE knew
all the time that you were mapping in
that chair. eh?"
You shall not scold him!"
II shall do even worse than that. l
shall! pension him for life"
She appeared thoughtful. A 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 l made
him stand in the window with a field
glass. No. on second thought. shall
scod him. If he had come to the door
and shouted you wouldn't have caught
me in this odious dressing gown. He
ene"-
ut is most fascinating" l cried
"Adorable. | love dimsy. pink things
They're so intimate. And Poopendyke
knows it. bless his ingenious old SOUL"
surprised Il queer little CLEAN of
inquiry in her eyes. 1t flickered 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 if she had given
me chance but for some reason she
chose to drop the subject. You must
be furnished. and l am dying to hear
about your experiences. You must
not omit single detail. r.
There came a gentle. discreet knock
ing on the half open door. started.
Gomez | said.
Blatchford gravely swung the door
| wide open.
breakfast is served. sir-your lady.
ship. beg pardon"
have never seen him stand so
faultlessly rigid. AS we passed him on
the way out a mean desire came over
me to tread on his toes just as an ex.
pertinent. Somehow l felt that he
would say, "Thank you, SIR" and there
would be no satisfaction in knowing
that he had had all his pains for moth.
| mo