Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-30

All voices were stilled and necks
were craned so that not a syllable of
Johns answer might be missed. He
was not in the least degree nervous
ITO tell the truth, Mrs. Howell"
he said. II know very little about
either my title or my relatives Some
how or other, became marquis,
just because ! happened to be my
fathers son, ! suppose. The strange
thing Is that | have always considered
myself sure-enough American, and
| am free to confess that hitherto
/ have looked on my peerage rather
as Joke than otherwise"
Mrs. Howell sirnpered. Evidently
a British marquis was no joke to her.
She introduced John to her daughter,
really pretty girl who reminded
him somewhat Of Mary Temple,
though, hapr lily, there was hint Of
candid and honest disposition in
this girls bright blue eyes, open fore
head and well-shaped, tremulous lips.
Mariorik Howell had been well
trained. She knew exactly how to
talk to an earnest-minded young man
who obviously possessed none of the
airs and graces of the carpet-knight
type.
But John was more observant than
she gave HIM credit for. While doing
his best to counter her lively COM
ments, and repay with interest each
arch smile and laughing pout, he saw
quite plainly that there was at least
one young man present who could
cheeriully have murdered him. T.
He saw, too, that he was the sub
iect of earnest conversation between
Mrs. Howell and her husband, He
was not blind to the skill with which
Marjorie stopped their dance when
close to her father and swept the two
into chat Out Of the corner of his
eye he noticed that the scowling
young man promptly appropriated the
girl and whirled her off in waltz.
| These trivial plots and counterplots
amused him greatly. His mind was
intent on them even to the exclusion
of the affable comments Of that multi
millionaire and dominating power Of
finance, Mr.. Alexander Howell. Still,
he did wake up sufficiently to give
heed to one significant sentence.
"Come down to my office sometime.
Mr.. Burton the host was saying, IL
may have something that will inter-
est you. In any event, you'll meet the
right crowd"
There was degree of genuine tact
in the dropping of Johns title in de.
ference to his expressed wish. Mr..
Howell, at any rate, was a better
Judge than his wife of man like Bur-
ton, marquis or no marquis.
John soon found himself dancing
with Marjorie again The girl was a
natural-born coquette to whom every
good-looking boy was fair game.
| She flirted with John on the APP
proved lines, and led him into a
palm-filled conservatory at just the
right moment. They were laughing
and talking here as though they had
been friends since childhood when
the disgruntled youngster whom
John had already noticed came up.
My dance, Marjorie" he growlcd
angrily.
rs It reallyi' cried the girl, subtly
conveying to John the knowledge
that her forgetfulness was wholly due
to him. Let me introduce you two
the marquis of Castleton, Mr.. Ralph
Morgan!
1t was abundantly clear that Mr..
Morgan's savoir faire did not COM
pare ,favorably with his rivals. His
bow was very stiff and he led off
Marjorie asif she were prisoner.
John heard the girl laughing.
Don't be sillyP she was giggiing.
Its none OF my doing. Is 'um's little
feelings hurt, thenl"
Evidently her companion had some
shred Of wit left. He pulled her be-
hind particularly dense clump Of
palms, and presumably kissed her.
John grinned delightcdly. 1t was
all harmless comedy, he thought.
Such things formed mighty pleas
ant change from many Of his earlier
experience.