Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-09-04
DAN MEETS COUNT
BY BARBARA SANDS.

said to the barber, ave an important
enlargement tonight. and II Is inpera-
tive that I look my best"
"AH right" returned Tony, "Tll give
you q haircut fit for a king"
81 thought that kings, like poets
aud holsheyiSts, always wore long,
vavv locks" remarked Dan. as long
as get one fir for count I'll he sat
isfed. I'm going 20 meet a count to-
night-my sisters fance. He is
countryman Of yours, by the way, an
italian. I don't much like the idea
Of having a bro'hcr-in-iaw with II
lie. though. His kind doesn't amount
10 much rs a rule and usually marr!e>
for money. l wish l knew If he was
after Helen's."
"Oh, not al our aristocraCy are de,
generate defended Tony May ]
ask the genteman's name"
ale is the Count VitelH."
~ have heard of him. He is reputed
TO Se very wealthy in his own right,
so It Is unlikely that he would marry
for money"
81 wish ] was sure of that" said
Dan thoughtfully.
MEANWHILE at Mile. CelPstp's eXClu.
Sive beauty parlorS, in another part ~
the city, Dams sister, Helen, was pre-
pairing to make q favorable impress
sion upon her brothers bride-to-be.
Il must look my best tonight Mary"
she confded TO the pretty and intelli-
gent looking manicure girl whom she
had come to regard more as q friend
than a servant. Dan is going TO
bring his fancee to meet me and the
count"
HE must be a fine man." agreed
Mary, "but do you think you will like
the girl who Is going to marry your
brother"
Helen looked dubious. "rm not
sure" she answered.
At eight o'clock that evening the
count stopped his. roadster at the curb
in front of the FentOn home. At the
door he was greeted eagerly by Helen.
for theirs was love match. pure and
simple.
Meanwhile. Dan and his fancee
were speeding toward the Fent0n
home IN the formers runab0ut.
As the two entered the living room.
Helen and the count stood up and
turned to greet them. As the noble.
man faced Dan. the latter stopped IN
his tracks. his face assuming an ex-
preston Of lncredulity, which how
ever, soon changed to one Of anger
If he had noticed. he would have seen
precisely the same emotions reflected
upon the pretty face OF his sister as
she gazed at his fancee. For long
instant the -four stood as though made
OF stone. Helen was the first to speak.
why, DAN" she cried. "what--"
But her sentence remained unfin-
ished. as Dan gave vent to his anger
with explosive speech.
$50 this is your count" he cried
"This is the adventurer who inveigled
you into accepting him with his lies
about money and q title! A count
Why he's no more a count than am
the King OF Slant He's nothing hut
common, ordinary barber, and he
has shaved me every day for the list
six months! You unprinCipled sCoun
drel," he yelled. turning to the impos
sor "Tll--"
But his threat was halted I'm the
middle by his sister. who had placed her
arm about her lover as though tC
shield bin from the wrath Of hel
brother.
Dan" she cried, her voice chokef
with anger, will YOU stop abusing
poor Tony long enough r. tell m,
what you mean by getting engaged Il
this common manicure girl and lead
anc me to believe that she was an au
thoreSs? Why, she has been manicur
ing my nails at CeleSte's for the las
three months. Haven't you any re
gard for the family Nance"
Dan reached OUT and drew Mary
!ntN his arms.
Common manicure Cirlw ne cried
so angry that he could hardly see
"Nary isn't n manicure girl. She ha'
iuSt been working nj CeleSte's 10 ge
first hand Information for new move
she IS going to write I'm which mani
clIrtst is the heroine Her father f
James P. McNary. the copper mag
nate. As for YOU" he continued. re
leasing Mary and taking another stey
toward the Italian, "the quicker
you"
He was again interrupted by his sis
ser.
"Stop" she cried, u won't stant
here and listen 10 YOU insult Tony. RI,
Is count, and he was only workini
IN barber shop because ! told hin
ttat wouldn't marry him until n,
had proved that he could earn his owl
living for six months. And the ST,
months was IN today. So the;er
And she stamped her little Foot nm,
regarded her brother dctiantly.
Dan returned her look blankly. onl,
haG comprehendng. Then Mary ant
the count, who had taken no part Il
the conversation, caught each other
eve and hegan 20 smile. Graduate,
the smile turned into p churk'e an
then 10 a laugh, Dan and Helen sur
yeyed each other comically. In ,
moment the corners Of their mouth
began IN witch. and In n short I'm,