The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-10
Scontaaned.l.

you seen them?" Mr. Pless stinened. His face grew perceptibly older.
 s'I regret to inform you, MT. Smart, that our relations are not quite as friendly as they once were. 1 have reason to suspect that MT. Smith has been working against me for the past two or three days, to such an, extent, I may say, that the ambassador now declines to advise your government to grant us certain privileges we had hoped to secuxe without trouble. In short, we have just heard thatsh will not ask the United States to consider anything in the shape of an extraditfon if the countess is apprehended in her own country.
 q fancy you are wondering why I sent for you, MT. Smart said Mir. Pless
 s.I am.''
 .sAm I to assume that the newspa- pers were correct in stating that you. mean to support my cause withI may say, to the full extent of your pow ers2"
 .1t depends on ci-cumstances, MT. Pless.'
 "Circumstances2s He eyed me rath- CT coldIy. as if to say. What right nave you to suggest C1EG0AASIdAcGSs
 Perhaps should have said that iS depends somewhat on what my pow CTS represent
 He crossed Iss slender legs comfort. ably and looked at me with qreer little tilt of his left eyebrow, but with an unsmiling visage. He was too cock sure of himself to grant me even So much as an ingratia ting smile. Was TT E@N one of the glorious? It would be doing me a favor to let me help him.
 q trust you will understand, MT. Smart, that I do not ask favor of you, but rather put myself under a certain obligation for the time being. It is quite impossible for me to prose cute the search for my chllGm with out financial assistance from outside sources My funds are practically ex- hausted, and the banks refuse to ex- tend my credit. You have publicly de ciared yourself to be my friend and well wisher. have asked you to come here tonight, MT Smart, to put you to the real test, so to speak. I want $10o,- GOO for six months" " < While was prepared in 8 sense for the request, tho brazenness with which he put it up to me took my breath away.
 seReaI1y, Mfr. Pless,' [ mnmbled in direct contrast to his sangfroid, styo1 you surprise me-"
 He laughed quietly, almost reassnr- ingly, as he leaned forward in his chair the better to study my face. T hope you do not think that I expect you to produce so much ready money tonight, MT Smart. Oh, no. Any kJs1 satisfactory. Take your time, sir I appreciate that it requires time to ar range for thei-
 I held up my hand with a rather lofty air 'sWas it one hundred and fifty thousand that you mentioned or''-
 That was the amount" said he, q sudden glitter in his eyes.
 I studied the ceiling with a caicuIat- ing squint, as if trying to approximate my balance in bank. He watched me . closely, almost breathlessly. At last, unable to. control his eagerness, he said:
 At the usual rate of interest, you understand
 What security can you give. MT. Pless ?'' I demanded in a very business like way.
 s.Oh, you Americansr' he cried. his face beaming with premature relief. 'eYou will pin us down. I see. I do not wonder that you are so rich. I shall give you my personal note, MT. E Smart, for the amount secured by a mortgages supplementary mortgage on the Chateau Tarnowsy.''
 Tarnowsy. Now I remembered ev- erything. Tarnowsyi The name struck my memory like blow What a stu pid1 dolt had been! The whole world had rung wedding bells for the mar riage of the Count Maris Tarnowsy, scion of one of the greatest Hungarian houses, and Aline, the nineteen-year- old daughter of Gwendolen and Jasper Titus of New York, Newport, Tuxedo, Hot Springs, Palm Beach, and so forth Jasper Titus, the banker and railway magnate, whose name as we'll as his hand was to be seen in every great financial movement of the last two decades!
 My pleasant little mystery had come to a sharp and rather depressing end. A joyous enthusiasm had attended me while I worked in the dark; now a dreary reality stared me in the face. The sparkle was gone
 My cogitahons were brief. The count after waiting for a minute or two to let me grasp the full imnorta nee