Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-09

to understand why he has haunted the
place."
Eyes; quite easy. Count Montani is
very anxious to see the porcelains."
81 wasn't referring to the pottery;
but shan't press the matter
II advise you not to; your remark
was highly improper from nephew 70
an aunt! | have told you about all
know of this Italian gentleman. am
going to ask favor. He telephOned
from Stamford this afternoon to know
whether we had arrived. and | babe
him call tonight. | should be glad If
you would remain until he leaves. |
should like to know what you make IT
him."
Certainly" l assented, pleased that
she had taken me into her confidence
and deeply curious as to the Italian
connoisseur What she had told me so
frankly and plausibly did not. how
ever, touch upon the matter of the in
| terest shown by the American state de-
partment in my aunt's arrival at Bar
| ton, which troubled me much more
than the antics of the italian who had
| follow .d the women across the Pacific.
| Count MOntani arrived shortly ana
was received in the drawing room. The
| ladies greeted him with the greatest
| cordialty, AS he crossed the room |
verified the limp and other points Of
| Antoine's description. His bearing
was that of ii gentleman; and in his
very correct evening dress he hardly
looked like a man who would disguise
| himself and attempt TO rob a house.
He spoke English all but perfectly and
proceeded at once TO talk great deal.
81 was sad when | found | had so
narrowly missed you at Seattle, anu
again at Chicago. You travel far too
rapidly for one of my age!'
His age might have been thirty. He
was suave. polished, sophisticated
! person Nothing was more natural
than that he should pause in his traV-
: els 20 call upon two agreeable women
he had met on Pacific steamer. Pos
sibly he was in love with Alice Bash
ford this WAS not difficult state or
heart and mind for a man to argue
himself into. She was even more
strikin"ly beautiful tonight than had
thought her before. She was again i'll
White-it was only in daytime that she
wore back-and white was exceeding
ly becoming to her. AS we talked she
piled listleSsly fan-a handsome
trinket of ostrich plumes. pretty
woman and II fan are the happiest
possible combination.
There is no se>erer test of grace
than wOman's manner of using fan.
A clumsy woman makes an implement
of this paything fourishing il TO EN-
phaSize her talk, or what is worse,
pointing with it like an instructor be
fore blackboard. But in graceful
hands it is unobtruSive, mere bit or
decoration that leases and fascinates
the behoder's eye.
With all his poise and eQuanimity |
vas distinctly conscious that Monta-
mis- dark eyes were intent upon the idly
swaying fan. / thought at first it was
her hands that interested him as they
unfailingly interested me, but when.
from time to time, she put down the
fan his gaze still followed it. And yet
there was nothing novel in the delicate
combination of ivory and feathers.
had seen many fans that to all appear
ances were just like it. Once, as she
picked it up and lazily opened it, saw
him bend forward eagerly, then. fina-
ing that had noted his eagerness. he
rose, pretending that brass screen
before the fireplace had caught his eye,
and asked whether it was not Flor
entine production, which shook my
faith in his connoisseurship, as | had
bought the thing myself from New
York brassworker who had made it to
my order.