Middletown transcript., 1920-05-15

II advise you not to; your remarl
was highly improper from nephew te
an aunt! have told you about all
know of this Italian gentleman. an
going to ask favor. He telephonee
from Stamford this afternoon to know
whether we had arrived. and bads
him call tonight. I should be glad II
you would remain until he leaves. J
should like to know what you make Il
him."
Certainly" 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 ut Bar
ton, which troubled me much more
than the antics of the italian who had
followed the women across the Pacific.
Count Montani arrived shortly and
was received in the drawing room. Th6
ladies greeted him with the greatest
cordially. AS he crossed the room
verified the limp and other points 81
Antoine's description. His bearing
was that of q gentleman; and in his
very correct evening dress he hardly
looked like man who would disguise
himself and attempt to rob house.
He spoke English all but perfectly AMI
proceeded at once to talk great deal.
Il was sad when found I had 50
narrowly missed you ut Seattle, and
again at Chicago. You travel far too
rapidly for one of my age!"
His age might have been thirty. He
was q suave, polished, sophisticated
person. Nothing was more natural
than that he should pause in his trav'
els to call upon two agreeable women
| he had met on Pacific steamer. Pos
/ sibfy he was in love with Alice Bash.
ford; this was not difficult state OF
| heart and mind for a man to argue
| himself into. She was even more
strikingly beautiful tonight than I hal
thought her before. She was again n
white-it was only in daytime that she
wore black-and white was exceeding
ly becoming to her. AS we talked she
piled listlessly q fan-a handsome
trinket Of ostrich plumes. A pretty
woman and a fan are the happiest
possible combination.
There is no severer test Of grace
than a woman's manner of using fan
A clumsy woman makes an implement
Of this plaything, flourishing it to EN-
phasize her talk, or, what Is worse
pointing with it like an instructor be
fore a blackboard. But In graceful
hands it is unObtrusive, mere bit o.
decoration that leases and fascinate:
the beholder's eye.
With oil his poise and equanimity
was distinctly conscious that Monta
mis- dark eyes were intent upon the i'd!
swaying fan. I thought at first 1t wa
her hands that interested him as the.
unfailingly interested me, but when
from time to time, she put down tn
fan his gaze still followed it. And ye
there was nothing novel in the delicat
combination Of ivory and feathers.
had seen many fans that to all appear
ances were just like it. Once, as sh
picked 1t up and lazily opened 1t, sas
him bend forward eagerly, then. find
Ing that had noted his eagerness. h
rose, pretending that brass screel
before the fireplace had caught his eye
and asked whether it was not q FloI
entine production. which shook m
faith in his, connoisseurship, as I ha
bought the thing myself from Ne'
York brassworker who had made 1t t
my order.