The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-06-11

tiousness.
Then | bent over her hand and kiss
ed it. AS | neglected to release it at
once. the cuff of Poopendyke's best
coat slid down over our two hands.
completely enveloping them. 1t was
too much FOR me to stand. ! squeezed
her hand with painful fervor and then
released it in trepidatiOn.
"Poopendyke goes to church in it,"
| said vaguely. leaving her to guess
What it was that Poopendyke went
to church in. or. perhaps. knowing what
| meant. how | happened to be ir II
for the time being. you've been cry.
ing"
Her eyes were red and suspiciously
moist.
AS she met my concerned gaze. a
wavering. whimsical smile crept into
her face.
1T has been a disgustingly wet
night" she said. "Oh. you don't know
how happy ! am to see you standing
here once more. safe and sound. and
and amiable. expected you to glover
and growl and
ION a bright. glorious. sunshiny
morning like this?" | cried. Never:
| prefer to be graciously refulgent.
Our troubles are behind u.s."
How good you are!" After a mo
ment's careful scrutiny of my face she
added, II can see the traces Of very
black thoughts. Mr.. Smart. and recent
ones"
They were black until | zane into
this room.'' | confessed. Now they
are rose tinted"
She bent her slender body a little to-
ward me, and the red seemed to leap
back into her lips as if propelled by
magic. Resolutely l put my awkward.
ungainly arms behind my back and
Strengthened my figure. l was curl
ously impressed by the discovery that
| was very. very tall and she very
much smaller than my memory record
ed. or course | had no means OF
knowing that she was in bedroom slip
pers and not in the customary high
heeled boots that gave her an inch and
a half Of false stature.
your mother is here" | remarked
hurriedly.
She glanced toward my bedroom door.
"Oh. what a night" she sighed. II
did all that l could to keep her out Of
your bed. 1t was useless. / did cry.
Mr.. Smart. l know you must hate all
of u.s."
l laughed. "'Love thy neighbor as
myself" | quoted. "You are my
neighbor. countess. Don't forget that.
And it so happens that your mother is
also my neighbor at present. and your
brothers too. Have you any cousins
and aunts?"
II can't understand how any one can
be 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 a minute l stared
down at the brown crest OF her head
an almost ungovernable impulse pound
ing away at my sense Of discretion.
do take credit unto myself for being
strong enough to resist that opportuni
ty to make IN everlasting idiot of my
self. | knew ever 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 so
prolonged and earnest was her gaze
that l looked down in some concern. ut
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 4
nervous little laugh.
II shall have to sew one on right
there for poor Mr.. P%oopendyke." 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 sht
fished Il small velvet bag. L.ookins
owe her shoulder, she smiled at me.
"Please look the other way" sh'
said. Without waiting for me to d'
so she took out IL little gold box, Il pow
der puff and Il stick Of lip rouge. Cross
! ing to the small Florentine mirror
that hung near my desk, she proceede,
before my startled eyes to repair TIN
slight-and to me unnoticeable-dam
, age that had been done to her com
5 pleXiOn before the sun came up.
( "WOman works in a mysterious way
e: my friend. her wonders to perform.
she %paraphrased calmly.
= mo matter how transcendently beau
tiful woman may be. she always doe
, that sort of thing to herself, l take it.
, said l.,
"She does" said the countess wit
conviction. She surveyed herself Crit
ically, There! And now ! am read
to accept an invitation to breakfast.
: am disgustingly hungry"
And so am H." | cried with enthus
asm. Murray. You shall eat Poo
, pendyke's breakfast just to penaliZ
49,