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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1914)
nOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION 19 By Geo. Barr McCutcbeor. HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money Copyright, 1913, By Geo. Ban McCutcheon, SYNOPSIS OP PBEVIOUS TKRTALLMENTS. Q In the opening inatalments of "A 4 Fool and Hit Money," Geo. Barr Me- 3 Cutcheon'i churning novel, serial rights for which have been specially s obtained for the Home and Farm lfagaaine Section, we learn o! John 4 Bellamy Smart, the young man who $ it telling thia itory. He hai just written hit tint novel, and at the tame tine haa fallen heir to an im- menae fortune left him by hie uncle. e After a viait to London, Smart 4 Ukea a trip on the River Danube. After finding an old-world town, he 4 diaenvers an ancient eaatle, which U purchaeee from lta owner, the Count. With hia aecretary, Poopendyke, he e takee poaaeaaion of the immenee itrueture, which la tuppoaed to be e tenanted only by the caretaker and $ hia family, the Schmieka. Later Smart e e finda a woman who is in poaaeaaion of a wing of the castle that ia barred e to him. She granta a bTief interview, $ 4 bat refueea to leave. The aervanta appear to be in league with her, and Smart ia in a quandary. Later he ia 6 captivated by the wit and beauty of the myaterioua lady and no longer nrgea her departure. He finda that 2 abe ia divorced from a wortfalesa and 4 acheming Auatrian Count, who waa $ 4 awarded the enatody of the lady 'a child. The Count demands a million dollara from hia rich American father- $ J in-law, when he would give it up. The J mother abducta the child and aelecta 4 the eaatle aa a hiding place. Smart feara trouble with the authcritiea, 4J but deeidea to aaaiat the fair divorcee, J $ although the warna him of the $ danger. 4 iflVJHTLE I am not overjoyed at the prospect of being dragged into it, CounteBs, I certainly refuse to back out at this stago of the game. Moreover, you may rest assured that J shall not turn you out." "It occurred to me last night that the safest thing for you to do, Mr. Smart, is to get out yourself." I (tared. She went on hnrriedly: "Can't yon go away for a month's visit or " "Well, upon my soul!" I gasped. "Would you turn me out of my own house f This beats anything I've " "I was only thinking of your peaee f mind and your your safety," she cried unhappily. "Truly, truly I was." "Well, I prefer to stay here and do what little I can to shield you and Bosemary," said I sullenly. "Ill not say anything horrid again, Mr. Smart," she said quite meekly. (1 take this occasion to repeat that I've ever seen any one in all my life so pretty as she!) Her moist red lip trem bled slightly, like a censured child's. At that instant there came a rap ping on the door. I started appre hensively. "It is oniy Max with the coal," she explained, with obvious relief. "Wo keep a fire going in the grate all day long. You 've no idea how cold it it up here even on the hottest days. Come in!" Max eame near to dropping the scut tle when he saw me. He stood as one petrified. "Don't mind Mr. Smart, Max," aid she serenely. "He won't bite your head off." The poor clumsy fellow spilled quan tities of coal over the hearth when he attempted to replenish the fire at her command, and moved with greater ce lerity in making his escapo from the room than I had ever known him to ex ercise before. Somehow I began to re gain a lost feeling of confidence in myself. The confounded Schmicks, big and little, were afraid of me, after all. "By the way," she said, after we bad lighted our cigarettes, "I am nearly out of these." I like the way she held the match for me, and then flicked it snappily into the center of pile of cushions six feet from the fireplace. I made a mental note of the shortage and then admiringly said that I didn't see how any man, even a count, could help adoring a woman who held a cigar ette to her lips as she did. "Oh," she said coolly, "his friends were willing worshippers, all of them. There wasn't a man among them who failed to n.ake violent lovo to me, and with the Count's permission at that. You must not look so shocked. I man aged to keep them at a safe distance. My unreasonable attitude toward them UBed to annoy niy husband intensely." "Good Lord!" ' ' "Pooh! He didn't caro what be came of me. There was one particular man whom he favored the most. A dreadful man! We-quarrelled bitterly when I declared that either he or I would have to leave the house for ever. I don't mind confessing to you j that the man I speak of is your friend, tho gentle Count Ilohendahl, some time ogre of this castle." I shuddered. A feeling of utter loath ing for all these unprincipled scoundrels came over me, and I mildly took the name of the Lord in vain. With an abrnpt ehange of nature, she arose from her chair and began to pace the floor, distractedly beating her clinched hands against her bosom. Twice I heard her murmur: "Oh, God!" This startling exposition of feeling gave me a most nneanny shock. It eame out of a clear sky, bo to say, at a mo ment when I was beginning to regard her as cold-blooded, callous, and utterly without the emotions supposed to exist in the breast of every high-minded woman. And now I was witness to the pain she suffered, now I heard her cry out aorainst the thing that had hurt her so pitilessly. I turned my head away, vastly moved. Presently she moved over to ihi window. A covert glance revealed her standing there, looking not down at the Danube that seemed so far away but up at the blue sky that seemed so near. I sat very still and repressed, trying to remember the harsh, unkind things I had said to her. and berating myself fiercely for all of them. What a stup.d, vain glorious ass I was not to have di vinetl something of the inward fight she was making to conquer the emo tions that filled her heart onto the bursting point The sound of dry, suppressed sobs came to my ears. It was too much for me. I stealthily quit my position by the mantel piece and tip-toed toward the door, bent on leaving her alone. TTalfway there I hesitated, stopped and then deliberately returned to tho fire place, where I noisily shuffled a fresh snpply of coals into the grate. It would be heartless, even unmannerly, to leave her without letting her know that I was heartily ashamed of myself and completely in sympathy with her. Wise ly, however, I resolved to let her have her cry out. Some one a great deal more far-seeing than I let the world into a most important secret when he advised man to take that course when in doubt. For a long while I waited for her to regain control of herself, rather dread ing the apology she would feel called upon to make for her abrupt reversion to the first principles of her sex. The sobs ceased entirely. I experienced the sharp joy of relaxation. Her dainty lace handkerchief found employment. First she would dab it cautiously in ono eye, then the other, after which she would scrutinise its crumpled sur face with most extraordinary interest. At least a dozen times she repeated this puzzling operation. What in the world was she looking for! To this day, that strange, sly peeking On her part re mains a mystery to me. She fumed swiftly upon me ; and beckoned with her little forefinger. Greatly concerned, I sprang toward her. Was she preparing to swoon i What in heaven's name was I to do if she took it into her pretty head to do such a thing as that! Involuntarily I shot a quick look at her blouse. To my horror it was buttoned down tne dsck. u would be a bachelor's luck to But she was smiling radiantly. Saved! "Look!" she cried, pointing upward through the window. "Isn't she love ly t" I stopped short in my tracus ana stared at her in blank amazement. What a stupefying creature she was! She beckoned again, impatiently. I obeyed with alacrity. Obtaining a rather clear view of her eyes, I was considerably surprised to find no trace of departed tears. Br check was as smooth and creamy white as it had been beforo the deluge. Her eyelids were dry and orderly snd her nose had not been blown onco to my recollection.. Truly, it was a marvelous recovery. 1 still wondered. Tho cause of ber excitement was visible at a glance. A trim nurse-maid stood in the small gallery which circled the top of the turret, just above and to tho right of us. She held in her arms the pink-hooded, pink-coated Rosemary, made snug against the chill winds of her lofty parade ground. Her yellow curls peeped out from beneath the lace of the hood, and her round little cheeks were the color of the peach's bloom. 'Now, isn't she lovely t" cried my eager companion. "Even a erusty bachelor can see that she is adorable." "I am not a crusty bachelor," I pro tested indignantly, "and what's more, I am positive I should like to kiss those red little cheeks, which is saying a great deal for me. I've never volun tarily kissed a baby in my life." 'I do not approve of the baby-kiss ing custom," she said severely. "It is extremely unhealthy and middle-class. Still," seeing my expression change, "I sha'n't mind your kissing her once." "Thanks," said I humbly. It was plain to be seen that she did not intend to refer to the recent out burst. Superb exposition of tact! Catching the nurse's eye, she sig nalled for her to bring the child down to us. Bosemary took to me at once. A most embarrassing thing happened. On seeing me she held out her chubby arms and shouted "da-da!" at the top of her infantile lungs. That had never happened to me before. I flushed and the Countess shrieked with laughter. It wouldn't have been so bad if the nurse had known her place. If there is one thing in this world that I hato with fervor, it is an ill-manenred, poorly trained Bcrvant. A grinning nurse-maid is the Worst of all. I may be super-sensitive and crotchety about such things, but I can see no ex cuse for keeping a servant especially a nurse-maid who laughs at everything that's said by her superiors, even though the quip may be no more Bide splitting than a two syllabled "da-da." "Ha, ha!" I laughed bravely. "She she evidently thinks I look like the Count. He is very handsome, you say. "Oh, that isn't it," cried the Countess, taking Bosemary in her arms and directing me to a spot on her rosy cheek. "Kiss right there, Mr. Smart. There! Wasn't it a nice kiss, honey bunch f If you are a very, very nice littlo girl the kind gentleman will kiss yon on the other cheek some day. She calls every man she meets da-da, ex plained the radiant young mother. She's awfully European m her habits, you see. You need not feel flattered. She calls Conrad and Rudolph and Max da-da, and this morning in the back window she applied the same handsome compliment to your Mr. Poopendyke." "Oh," said I, rather more crest fallen than relieved. "Would you like to hold her, Mr. Smartt She's such a darling to hold." "No no, thank you," I cried, back ing off. 'Oh, you will come to it, never fear," she said gaily, as she restored Rosema'ry to the nurse's arms. "Won't he, Blake " "He will, my lady," said Blake with conviction. I noticed this time that Blake's smile wasn't half bad. At that instant Jinko, the chow, pushed the door open with his black nose and strolled imposingly into the room. He proceeded to treat me in the most cavalier fashion by bristing and growling. . The Conntoss opened her eyes very wide. "Dear me," she sighed, "you. must be very like the Count, after all. Jinko never growls at any one but him." At dinner that evening I asked Poop endyke point blank if he could call to mind a marriage in New York society that might fit the principals in this puzzling case. Ho hemmed and hawed and appeared to be greatly confused. 'Really, sir, I I really, I" 'You make it a point to read all of the society news," I explained; "and you are a great band for remembering names and faces. Think hard." "As a matter of fact, Mr. Smr.rt, I do remember this particular marriage very clearly," said he, looking down at bis plate. "You dol" I shouted eagerly. The new footman stared. "Splendid! Tell me, who is sheor was she! My secretary looked me steadily in the eye. "I'm sorry, sir,, but but l ean i ao it. I promised her this morning I wouldn't let it be dragged out of mo with red hot tongB." CHAPTER VII. I Receive Visitors. She was indeed attended by faithful slaves. The east wine of the castle was as still as a mouse on tho day my bouse party arrived. Grim old doors took on new oadlocks. keyholes were caretuuy stopped up; creaking floors were Miked: windows were picketed by un compromising articles of furniture de ployed to keep my ruthless refugee irom adventuring too close to the danger zone; and adamantine instructions were served out to all of my vassals. Every- thine appeared to be m tip-top shape for the experiment in stealth. And vet. T trembled. Mv secret seem ed to be safely planted, but what would the harvest be1 I knew I should watch those upper windows with hypnotic zeal, and listen with straining ears lor the inevitable squall of a child or the bark of a dog. My brain ran riot with incipient subterfuges, excuses, apologies and lies with which my position was to be sustained. There would not be a minute during th week to come when I would be per fectly free to call my soul my own, and as for nerves! well, with good luck they might endure the strain. Popping up in bed out of a sound sleep at the slight est disturbance, with ears wide open and nerves tingling, was to be a nightly occupation at uncertain intervals; that was plain to be seen. All day long I would be shivering with anxiety and praying for night to come bo that l might lie awake and pray for the sun to rise, and in this way pass the time as quickly as possible. There would be dif ficulty in getting my visitors to bed early, another thing to test my power at conniving. They were bridge play ers, of course, and as such would be up till all hours of the morning overdoing Jhemsclves in the effort to read each other's thoughts. T thanked the Lord that my elcctrio lighting system would not be installed until after they had departed. Ordi narily the Lord isn 't thanked when an electric light company fails to perform its work on schedule time, but in this case delay was courted. Wo were all somewhat surprised and not a little disorganized by the appear ance of four unexpected servants in tne train of my party. We hadn't counted on anything quite so elaborate. There were two lady's maids, not. on friendly terms with each other: a French valet who had the air of one used to being served on a tray outside the servants' quarters; and a German attendant with hands constructed especially for the purpose of kneading and gouging the innermost muscles of his master, who it appears had to be kneaded and gouged three times a day by a masseur in order to stave off paralysis, locomotor ataxia or something equally unwelcome to a high liver. We had ample room for all this physi cal increase, but no beds. I transferred the problem to Poopendyke. How he solved it 1 do not know, but from the woe-begone expression on his face the morning after the first night, and the fact that Britton was unnecessarily rough in shaving me, I gathered that the two of them had slept on a pile of rugs in the lower hall. Elsie Hazzard presented me to her friends and, with lordly generosity, I presented the castle to them. Her hus band, Dr. George, thanked me for sav ing all their lives and then, feeling a draft, turned l p his coat collar and in formed me that wed all die if I didn't have the cracks stopped up. He seemed unnecessarily testy about it. (To Be Continued.) Cornell University recently dedicatel a forestry building in connection wits) the state college of agriculture,
