l
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
15
By
Geo. Ban
McCutcbeon
I SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS
' INSTALLMENTS.
. Io the opening instalments of "A
Fool and His Money," Oeo. Barr Mc--
Cutcheon's charming novel, serial
rights for which have been specially
obtained for the Home and Farm
S Magazine Section, w learn of John.
9 Bellamy Smart, the younj man who p
v is toning thi Btory. Ho has just
written hit first novel, and at the
$ same tirao has fallen heir to an im-
mense fortune left him by his undo.
After a visit to London, Smart
takes a trip on tho Biver Danube.
t After finding an old-world town, be
f e""""re au ancient castle, which Uo t
v pnrmascs trom ita owner, the Count.
With his secretary, Poopendyke, he
takes possession of the immense
3 structure, which is mummed to ho
Q tenanted only by tho caretaker and
-w luuiiiy, me acnmicaa. i.ater Muart
finds a woman who is in possession
ef a wing of the castle that is barred $
s mm. no grants a brief interview,
but refuses to leave. The servants
appear to be in league with her, and
v oman is m a quandary. Later he is
v ciuuraica ny me wit and beauty of
tho mysterious lady and no longer
W urge ner departure. He finds that
V sue is uivorced from a worthless and
Q scheming Austrian CounJ, who was
, awarded the custody of tho lady's
child. The Count dmands a million
dollars fnrm his rich American father
ly in-law, when he would give it up. The
mother abducts the child and selects $,
Q the rastla as a hiding place. Smart
V ""are irouuio .witu me authorities, !
t I'UI decides to assist the fair divorcee, t-
e aiinougn she warns him of tho
0 tlanger. A number of vimtors makes
j it oniituit to keep secret the free-
once oi tlie Countess in the caelle.
yilfcKh was a Russian baron (the
man who had to bo kneaded)
tho last syllable of whose name
was vitch, the first five evading
mo in a perpetual chase up and
down tlie alphabet. For lrovity's sake,
I 11 fall luni I'ltiovitch. The French
valet's master was a Viennese gentle
man of twetity six or eight ( I heard)
but who looked forty. J found mvself
wondering how dear, puritanic, little
Elsie Haazard could have fallen in with
two such unamiable wrecks ss these fel
lows appeared to be at first sight.
J he Austrian s name was Hess, lie
Was a plain mister. Themore I saw of
bun the first afternoon the more I won
dered at George Hazzard's carelessness.
Then there were two very bright and
charming Americans, the Billy Smiths.
He was connected with the American
Embassy at Vienna, and I liked him
from the start. You could tell that he
was the sort of a chap who is bound
to get on in the world by simply look
ing at his wife. Tho man who could
wiu the love and support of such an at
tractive creature must of necessity have
qualifications to spare. She was very
beautiful and very clever. Somehow the
unforgetable resplendency of my erst
while typist (who married the jeweler's
clerk) faded into a pale, ineffective
drab when opposed to the charms of
Mrs. Betty Billy Smith. (They all call
ed her Betty Billy.) i
After luncheon I got Elsie off in a
corner and plied her' with questions con
cerning, her friends. The Billy Smiths
were easily accounted for. They be
longed to the most exclusive set in
New York and Newport. He hud an
incomprehensible lot of money and a
taste for the diplomatic service. Some
day he would be au ambassador. The
Baron was in the Russian embassy and
was really a very nice boy
"Boy!" I exclaimed.
"He is not more than thirty," said
she. "iou wouldn't call that old
There was nothing 1 could say to that
and still be a perfect host, But to yon
I declare that he wasn't a day under
fifty. How blind women can be! Or
is silly the word!
From where, we sat the figure of Mr.
rless wns plainly visible in the loggia.
He was alone, leaning against the low
wall and looking down upon the river.
Ho puffed idly at a cigarette, His coal
black hair grew very sleek on his small
ish head and his shoulders were rather
high, as if pinched upward by a tend
ency to defy a weak spine.
"And this Mr, Pless, who is he!"
Elsie- was looking at tho rakish young
man with a' pitying expression in her
tender blue eyes,
"Poor fellow," she sighed. "He is
in great trouble, John. "We hoped that
if wo got hint off here where it is quiet'
ho might be able to forget;- Oh,-but
I am not supposed to tell you a word of
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL.
A Fool and His Money
the storyl We are all sworn to secrecy.
It was only on that condition that be
consented to come with us."
"Indeed!"
Sho hesitated, uncomfortably placed
between two duties. She owed one to
him and one to me.
"It is only fair, John, that you should
know that Bless is not his real name,"
she said, lowering her voiee. "But, of
course, we stand sponsor for him, so
it is all right."
"Your word is sufficient, Elsie."
She seemed to be debating some in
ward question. The next 1 knew she
moved a little closer to me.
"His life is a a tragedy," she whis
pered. "His heart is broken, I firmly
believe. Oh!"
The Billy Smiths eame up. Elsie pro
ceeded to withdraw into herself.
"Wo were speaking of Mr. Bless,"
said I. "He has a broken heart."
The newcomers looked hard at poor
Elsie.
"Broken fiddlo-sticks," said Billy
Smith, nudging Elsie until she made
room for him beside her on the long
couch. 1 promptly made room for Betty
Billy.
"We ought to tell John just a little
about him," said Elsie defensively. "It
is due him, Billy."
"But don't tell him the fellow
heart is broken. That's rot."
"It isn't rot," said his wife,
"Wouldn't your heart be broken!'
He crossed his legs comfortably.
"Wouldn't it!" repeated Betty Bill
"Not if Jt were as porous as hi
i ou can't break a sponge, my dear."
"What happened to it!" I inquired,
mildly interested.
"Women," said Billy impressively.
"Then it's easily patched," said
Like cures like."
"You don't understand, John," sai
Elsie gravely. "He was married to
beautiful " -
l "Now, Elsie, yon 're telling," cau
tioned Betty Billy.
Well," said Elsie doggedly, "I'
determined to ten tins much ins nam
wo i j-iess, nis wire got a divorce Ironi
him, and now she has taken their child
and run off with it and they can 't fin
what's the matter!"
My eyes were almost popping from
my head.
Is is he a count!" I cried, so loud
ly that they all said "sh!" and shot
tpprehensive glances toward the pseudo
Mr. rless. .
"Goodness!" said Elsie in alarm
'Don't shout John."
Billy Smith regarded me speculative
ly. "I daresay Mr. Smart has road all
about the affair in the newspapers.
They've had nothing else 'lately,
won t say he is a count, and I won't
say ho isn't. We're bound by a deep.
dark, sinister oath, sealed with blood,
"I haven't seen anything about it
n the papers," said I trying to recover
my self-possession which had sustained
most tremendous shock.
"Thank heaven!" cried Elsie devout
"Do you mean to say you won't tell
me his name! I demanded.
Elsio eyed me suspiciously. "Why
did you ask if he is a count!"
"I have a vague recollection of hear
ing some one speak of a count having
trouble with his young American wife,
divorce, or something of the sort. A
very prominent New York girl, if I'm
not mistaken. All very hazy, however.
What is his name!"
"John," said Mrs. Hazzard firmly,
"you must not ask us to tell you. Won't
you please understand!"
"The poor fellow is almost distracted.
Really, Mr. Smart, we planned this little
visit here simply in order to to take
him out of himself for a while. It has
been such a tragedy for him. He wor
shipped the child." It was Mrs. Billy
who spoke.
"And tho mother mado way with
him!" I queried, resorting to a sud
denly acquired cunning.
"It is a girl," said Elsio in a loud
whisper. "The loveliest girl, The
mother appeared in Vienna about three
weeks or a month ago and whiff I Off
?oes tho child, Abducted kidnaped!
And tho court had granted him the cus
tody of tho child. That's what makes
it so terrible, If she is caught anywhere
in Europe well, I don't know what
may happen to her. It is just such silly
acts as this that make American girls
tue laugmng stocks of the whole world.
I give you my word I am almost
ashamed to have people point me out
and say: 'There goes an American
Pooh!' "
By this time I had myself pretty
well in hand.
"I daresay the mother loved the
child, which ought to condone one
among her multitude of sins. I take it,
of course, that she was entirely to
blame for everything that happened."
They at once proceeded to tear the
poor little mother to shreds, delicately
and with finesse, to be sure, but none
tho less completely. No doubt they
meant to be charitable.
"This is what a silly American no
body gets for trying to be somebody
over here just because her father has
a trunkful of millions," said ElBie, con
cluding a rather peevish estimate of
tho conjugal effrontery laid at the door
of Mr. Pless' late wife.
"Or just because one of these spend
thrift foreigners has a title for sale,"
said Billy Smith sarcastically.
"He was deeply in love with her
when they were married," said his wife.
"I don't believe it was his fault that
they didn't get along well together."
"The truth of the matter is," said
Elsie with finality, 'Hhe couldn't live
up to her estate. She was a drag, a
stone about his neck. It was like put
ting one's waitress at the head of the
table and expecting her to make good
as a host cbs. "
"What was her social standing in
rvew lorlcT " I enquired.
'Oh, good enough," said Bettv
Billy, "She was in the smartest set,
if that is a recommendation."
"Then you admit, both of you, that
nie Dest ol our American girls fall
short of being all that is required over
Here. Jif other words, they ean 't hold
a candle to the Europeans."
"Not at all," they both said in a
flSFi).
"That's the way it sounds to me.
1.-1..:- j . .
i.iMe seemed repentant. "I suppose
we are a little hard on the poor thing.
rne was very vouug, vou see."
"What you meau to say, then, is that
she wasn't good enough for Mr. Pless
and his coterie."
No, not just precisely that," ad
mitted Betty Billy Smith. "She made
a bid for him and got him, and my con
tention ib that she should have lived
up to the bargain."
Wasn't he paid in full!" I asked.
witn a slight sneer.
"What do you mean!"
"Didn't he get his money!"
"I am sure I don't see what money
has to do with the case," said Elsie
with dignity. "Mr. Pless is a poor man
I've heard. There could not have been
very much of a marriage settlement."
'A mere million to start with," re
marked Billy Smith ironically, "It's
all gone, my dear Elsie, and I eather
that father-in-law locked the trunk you
peait ot ana 1ml the key. You don't
know women as well as I do, Mr. Smart.
Hotn ot these charming ladies nro
fessei to adore Mr. Vless' wife up to
uo time the trial lor divorce came un.
Now they've got their hammers and
Hat pins out for her and"
"That isn't true, Billy Smith." cried
Elsie in a fierce whisper, "We stood
by her until she disobeyed the mandate
or whatever you call it of the court.
She did steal the child, and you can't
y it."
loor little kiddie," said he. and
from his tone I gathered that all was
not rosy m tho life of the infant in
this game of battledore and shuttle
cock.
To my disgust, the three of them re
fused to enlighten me further as to
the history, identity or character of
thor Mr. or Mrs. Pless, but of course
knew that I was entertaining under
y roof, by tho most extraordinary co-
ncidence, the Count and Countess of
Something-or-other, who were at war,
na tue cima they were fighting for
ltn motives ot an entirely opposite
aturo.
Right or wrong, my sympathies were
itb the refugee in the lonely east wing.
was ail the more determined now to
shield her as far as it lay in my power
Copyright, 1913,
By Geo. Barr
McCutcbeon.
to do so, and to defend her if the worst
were to happen.
Mr. Pless tossed his cigarette over
the railing and sauntered over to join
us.
"I suppose you've been discussing
the view," he isaid as he came up.
There was a mean smilo on his yes, it
was a rather handsome face and the
two ladies "started guiltily. The attack
on his part was particularly direct when
one 6tops to consider that there wasn't
any view to be had from where we
were sitting, unless one eould call a
three-decked plasterer's scaffolding a
view.
' ' We 've been discussing the recent
improvements about the eastle, Mr.
Pless," said I with so much directness
that I felt Mrs. Billy Smith's arm
stiffen and suspected a general tension
of nerves from head to foot.
"You shouldn't spoil the place, Mr.
Smart," said he, with a careless glance
about him.
"Don't ruin the ruins," added Billy
Smith, of the diplomatic corps:
"What time do wc dine!" asked Mr.
Pless, with a suppressed yawn.
"At eight," said Elsie promptly.
We were in the habit of dining at
seven-thirty, but I was growing accus
tomed to the over riding process, so al
lowed my dinner hour to bo changed
without a word.
"I think I'll take a nap," said he.
With a languid smile and a little flaunt
of his hand as if dismissing us, he
moved languidly off, but stopped after
a few steps to say to me: "We'll ex-
plore the castle tomorrow, Mr. Smart;
if it 's just the same to you. ' ' He spoka
with a very slight accent and in a
peculiarly attractive manner. There was
charm to the man, I was bound to ad
mit. "I know Schloss Rothhoefen very
well. It is an old stamping ground of
mine."
"Indeed," said I, affecting surprise.
"I spent a very joyous season here
not so imany years ao. Hohendahl ia
a bosom friend."
When he was quite out of hearing,
Billy Smith leaned over and said to me:
"He spent his honeymoon here, old
man. It wag the girls' idea to bring
him here to assuage the present with
memories of the past. Quite a pretty
sentiment, eh!"
"It depends on how he spent it,"
I said significantly. Smith grinned : p
provingly. Being a diplomat, he sensed
my meaning at once.
"It was a lot of money," he said.
At dinner the Russian baron, who
examined every particle of food he ate
with great care and discrimination, evi
dently looking for poison, embarrassed
me in the usual fashion by asking how
I write my books, where I get my plots,
aud all the rest of the questions that
have become 60 hatefully unanswerable,
ending up by blandly enquiring what I
had written. This was made especially
humiliating by the prefatory remark
that ho had 'ived in Washington for
five years and had read everything that
was worth, reading.
If Elsie nad been a man I should have
kicked her for further confounding me
by mentioning the titles of all my books
aud Baying that ho surely must have
read them, as everybody did, thereby
supplying him with the chance to trium
phantly say that he'd be hanged if he'd
ever heard of any one of them. I shall
always consolo myself with the joy
ful tbougu. that I couldn't remember
his infernal name and would now make
it a point never to do so.
Mr. Pless openly made love to Elsie
and the Baron openly made love to
Betty Billy. Being a sort of non-committal
bachelor, I ranged myself with
the two abandoned husbands and we
had quite a reckless time of it, talking
with uninterrupted devilishness about
tho growth of American dentistry in
European capitals, the way one has his
nails manicured in Germany, the upset
price of hot-house strawberries, the
relative merit of French and English
bulls, the continued progress of the
weather and sundry other topics of
similar piquancy.
(To Be Continued.)
Sheep will sometimes eat weeds, but
t is generally because they have notu
ng bettor.