The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-04-30
Copyright. 1915. BY George Barr Mccutehsen.

Gated condition Of my brain. ! was
thinking very ntently. not to say re
m0tely.
Don't you read the n~ewspapersT'
she cried impatiently. She actually re
scented by ignorance.
"Religiously." I said, 'stung to revolt.
But make it a point to read
the criminal news"
Criminal newsy" she gasped. What
do you meanY
1T IL merely my way OF saying that
l put marriages Of that character In
the category of crime"
"Ohw she cried. staring at me With
unbelieving eyes.
EVERY time a sweet, lovely Amerl.
can cir, is delivered into the hands
OF a foreign bounder who happens to
possess a title that needs fixing ! call
the transaction a crime. You did not
love this p~usillanimous count, nor did
he care a hang for you. You were too
young in the ways of the world to have
any feeling for him. and he was too
old to have any for you. The whole
hateful business therefore resolved it.
self into = case Of give and take-and
he took everything. He took you and
your fathers millions and now you are
both back where you began. Some one
deliberately committed a crime. and as
it wasn't you or the who levied
his legitimate toll-it must have been
the person who planned the conspir-
acy. | take it.. OF course. that the
whole affair was arranged behind your
back, so to speak,"
Her face was quite pale. Her eyes
did not Ieave mine during the long and
crazy diatribe, OF which | was already
beginning to feel heartily ashamed.
in them that should have warned me.
She arose from her chair. 1t seemed
to me she was taller than before.
"lf nothing else came to me out of
this transaction" she said Ievelly. lat
least a certain amount Of dignity was
acquired. Pray remember that | am
no longer the unsophisticated girl you
so graciously describe. am d woman,
Mr.. Smart" 1 -.
xlbCs enIu /. SCuSCICSSly OUkKCu.
"a woman with the power to think for
yourself. That is my point. II the
same situation arose al your present
age | fancy you'd be able to select N
husband without assistance. n l e
ture to say you wouldn't pick up the
first dissolute n0bleman that came your
way. No. my dear countess, you were
.,. ~ lInw,. "a, h1,,I N~ s,nNNn
parents did. that marriage with a count
would make a real countess OF you.
What rot. You are a simple. lOvable
American girl. and that's all there ever
Tar be to it. To the end Of your days
you will be an American"
We were both standing now. She
was still measuring me with somewhat
iDcrednlous eyes. rather more tolerant
than resentful.
DO you expect me to agree with
You. Mr.. Smarty" she asked.
Il do" said | promptly. You Of all
people should be able to testify that
my views are absolutely right"
''They are right" she said simply.
Still you sre pretty much OF a brute
to insult the With them"
Il most sincerely crave your par
don if it isn't too late" | cried. abject
once more. q don't know what gets
into me once in 8While.I
please. please don't say anything
more about it. daresay you've done
, me a lot uf good. Perhaps | shall see
things q little more clearly. 10 be per
:, fec:ly honest with you. ! went into
this M marriage With my eyes wide open
but l was only n fool among many
r Dozens of other girls in my set were
crazy to marry him. IL haven't tOlC
you that he is extremely good looking
And he was-was adorable in those
days"
:, ~"Stranger things have happened thar
p that you should patch up your Difficult
ties and 60 back to live with our hus
! band
She uttered a little cry OF revulsion.
, How dare you suggest such Il thing
t How dare You speak to me IN tina
way. You'll ought to order you OH
? of this room and never never
Ny luminous smile checked the Out
burst
"SpleDdid" ! cried. 'You convince
noe that it can never happen"
you spoke of him as my husband.
she said. going back to my remark
HE is not my husband. Please b
coed enough to remember that"
ut will be easy. I assure you. Ma,
I therefore venture the hope that !
you ever decide to marry again your
give some deserving American a chanc
to make you his queen:"
II shall never marry. Mr.. Smart.
she said with decision. "Never. Deve
again will l get into a mess that is .
hard to get out Of. l a say this t
you because I've heard yon are
bachelor. You can't take ofense."
!" fopdiy hope to die a bachelor.