The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-14
(Connnued.N


 She regarded me hxedly for a mo- ment. She seemed to be searching my thoughts. You" she said very succinctly. "Why are you so quiet, so funerea1?'', I observed faint tnge of red in her cheeks and an onatnous steadiness in her gaze. Was there an ger also?
 I apologized for my manners and as- sured her that my work was respon- sible. Would I come to see her the next day?
 "But don't think of coming, Mir Smart,'' she declared, Eff you feel you cannot spare the time away from your work
 My dear countess exclaimed, dis playing livelier interest than at any time before, '|I shall be delighted to come. Permit me to add that my work may go hang"
 Her face brightened. "But men must york; she objected
 9.Not when women are willing to play,'' I said.
 .sSpIendidy' she cried. You are re viving. I feel better. If you are go ing to be nice I'll let you stay"
 Thanks I'll do my best"
 She seemed to be weighing some thing in her mind.
 eff you don't mind what the servants are saying about us. MT. Smart, am quite sure do not"
 caught my breath. ~Oh, I understand everything" she cried mischievously. before could stammer anything in reply. They are building delightful romance around us And why not2 Why begrudge them the pleasure? No harm can come of it, you see"
 "Certainly no harm" I houndered.. ssThe gossip is confined to the castle. It will not go any further We can afford to laugh in our sleeves, can't weY'
 "Ha, hap laughed in a strained eff fort, but not into my sleeve. tI rejoice to hear you say that you don't mind No more do I. It's rather jolly.1 Fancy any one thinking we could possibly fall in love with each other.' ? she scoded Her eyes were very bright. There was a suggestion o1 sold water in that remark.
 .'Yes, just fancy.''1 agreed.
 "Absurdr'
 'But of course, as you say, if they can get any pleasure out of it why should we objectg"
 
 more, are we not? I am so relieved.'' q suppose Poopendyke told you the the gossip"
 "Oh, no! I had, it from my maid She is perfectly terrible. All French maids are, MT Smart. Beware oi French maidsI She won't have it any other way than that I am desperately in love with you. Isn't she deAcious ? tsEh ?'seI gaSped.
 "And she conddes the wonderful SC eret to every one in the castle, from Rosemary down to JinkO7
 "'Pon my soulr' murmured.
 And so now they all are saying tha I am in love with you,' she laughed Isn't it perfectly ludicrous?"
 Perfectly" I said without enthusi asm. My heart sank like lead. Ludi crous? Was that the way it appeared to her? had a little spirit left. Quite as ludicrous as the fancy Britton ha: about me. He is obsessed by the ides that I am in love with you. What dt you think of that?'
 She started. I thought her eyes mar rowed for a second. "Ridiculous," sh' said very simply. Then she arose ab l ruptly. Please ring the bell fo Hawkes."
 Q1Ok so. aaWk0S dLpSdASO" CACoi the table, Hawkes." she said T wan you to read all these newspaper clip pings, Mr. Smart she went on, point 1 ing to a bundle on a chair near th | window We crossed the room. tNov h that you know who I am. I insist oI your reading all that the papers haFi been saying about me during the pas | five or six weeks I protested, but she was firm. Ev cry one else in the world has beel reading about my affairs, so you mus do likewise. No, it isn't necessary U read all of them. I will select tn most Iurid and the most glowing. Yo1 see there are two sides to the case The papers that father can control ar united in defending my action; tn European press is just the other way Sit down, please. I'll hand them you"
 For an hour sat there in the w1r dow absorbing the astonishing h1stor of the Tarnowsy abduction case. l fel rather than observed the intense scrt tiny with which she favored me-
 At last she tossed the remainder c the bundle unread into a corner lie face was aglow with pleasure.
 ssYou've read both sides, and Tv watched you, oh, so closely. You don believe what the papers over here hay 1 to say. I saw the scowls when yo read the translations that MT. PoopeI dyke has typed for me. Now 1 kno7 that you do not feel so bitterly towar