The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-14

 me as you did at frst."
 was resolved to make last deter mined stand for my original convic- tions.
 ''But our own papers-the New York Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago journals still voice in 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 1amentab bIe state of affairs. mean the custom of getting a t1tle&1nto the family at any cost"
 's6y dear MT. Smart she said seri- ously, s.do you really contend that all of the conjugaI unhappiness and un- rest of the world is confined to the American girls who marry noblemen? Has it escaped your notice that there are thousands of unhappy marriages and equally happy divorces in Amer 1 lea every year in which noblemen do :. not figure at all?" ] Then suddenly she changed the sub ject-
 q have some pleasant news for you" she said 'My mother will be here on Thursday. You will not like her, of course, because you are already preju- diced, but know she will like you"
 .'I hope she will like me-" added, feeling that 1t was necessary. 1 s"She was a CoIingraft, you know"
 s'Indeed?" The Colingraft family was one of the oldest and most ezclu- sive in New York.
 'sYou will like nay father" she said 'fHe loves me more than any one else in the world-more than all the world. He would buy off the count tomorrow if would permit him to do so- or late I have been thinking very seri- ousIy of suggesting it to him A mil lion is nothing to my father.
 There came sharp rapping on the
 door at this instant "Goodness! You'd think Sherlock Holmes htmself
 was at the door" she cried.
 went to the door
 sCan you come down at once, Mr.
 Smartg' Poopendyke said in q voice
 not meant to reach the ears of the , countess.
 ~Whats upY' I questioned sharply. seThe jig, I'm afraid, ? he whispered
 "Good LordI Eetectives? ??
 ssNo. Count Tarnowsy and strsn-
 ger.''
 "Impossib1e,'' The countess, alarmed by our man ner, quickly crossed the room.
 What is it?'' she demanded. s'The count is downstairs" I said. 5 .sDon't be alarmed. Nothing can hap pen. You"-
 She laughed. "oh. is that all? Ny dear MT. Smart, he has come to see ] you about the freseoes-" <sBut I have fnsulted him." 7 ssNot permanently she said. ''I 2 know him too we'll He Is like leech. He has given you time to reflect and
 therefore regret your action of the oth- : r night. Go town and see him. ! Poopendyke volunteered further in- ] formation .eThere is also a man down : there, a cheap looking person. who t says he must see the Countess Tarnow : sy at once"
 "A middle aged man with the upper : button of his wastcoat off?'' she asked : sharply.
 "II can't say as to the button 3 1'I am expecting one of my lawyers 5 It must be he. He was to nave but ! ton off,
 } 'I'n look him over again. said Poop
 endyke.
 '.Do. And be careful not to let the count catch glimpse of him. That F would be fatal r ssNo danger of that. He went at
 once to old Conrad's room" r "Good. I had note from him this [ morning, MT. Smart. He is MT. Bangs r of London"
 , May I inquire, countess.s how you e manage to have letters delivered to ? you here? Isn't it extremely danger a ous to have them go through the g mails ?'
 t ''They are all directed to the
 Schmicks,'' she explained. '@rhey are = passed on to me. Now go and see the D count. Don't lend him any money" t The count was waiting for me in Q the loggia. 'sIt is good to. see you again, old fel- Iow,'' he said, with an amiability that : surprised me. t'I was afraid you might hold a grievance against me You Americans are queer chaps, you know. q ' Consummate assurance! I had moi touched a drop of anything that night
 q assure you, Count TarnOwsy, the
 little tilt as you are pleased to cal ' it, was Of no consequence, l had quite U forgotten that it occurred. Sorry you reminded me of l. :. The irony was wasted. He beamed '1 My deWr fellow, shall we not shake II hands?''
 There was something irresistibly . winning about him, as I've said before We shook hands with what seemed t, ' be genuine fervor. U CContinued.1