Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1914)
13 HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money By Geo. Ban McCutcheon Copyright, 1913, By Geo. Barr McCutcheon. HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SYSOP8TS OF PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS. In the opening instalments of "A "ol end His Money," Geo. Bmt Me Onteheon', channinr n0vel, serial .i ?r "hl h been specially obtained for th. Hon.. and Farm f Section, wo learn of John JMllamjr smarti th, mM who ,torT- Ha ha. just TOtten hit fir,, nmli ,nd lt th, tin,, h f,eo he.r to ln lm. e fortune left him br nit uncle. After a visit to Loudon, Smart a ? ,rip on ths RiTer Danube. 'ter finding an old-world town, he aMra ,n ancient cattle, which uo . Pnrchaae. from an Austrian count. With hit secretary, Poopendyke, he . " Possession of the immense nieture, which is supposed to b. tenanted on It br the caretaker and is family, the Schmicks. Later Smart "nds a woman who is In possession . f.WUlf 0 the ctle ""t barred aim- She (rrants a brief interview, bit refuses to leave. The servants PPetr to be in league with her, and Bmart la in a quandary. Later he meeta her and ia captivated by .".'' bu,J'- H (in,1 no is divorced from a worthless and scheming Austrian Count, who was w"ded 'be custody of the lady's "i d. The Count demands a million dullara from his rich American father-in-law, when he would cite it up. The mother abducts tho chil l and selects the castle as a hiding place. Kmart fears trouble with the authorities, but decides to assist the fair divorcee, although she warns him of the daniter. A number of visitors makes It difficult to keep secret the pres ence of the Countess In the ears.:), espociaily as she baa been seen by ome of the party, who ore sus picious but have failed to identify her. One guest, familiar with castle, almost comes upon Smart and the Countess unaware. Tho uomaira, escapes but slams a d'or behind her. The visitor suspects Smart of an Intrigue with the wife of his valet. Finally the party leaves and Smart is relieved. )$$) I LOOKED in at the door. Over in his corner by the window Poopendyke was at work, his lanky figure hunch- eu over me Key-ooaru, nis head envelop ed in clouds from a busy pipe, for all the world like a tugboat smothering in its own low-lying smoke. Sheets of paper woro strewn about the floor. Even as I stood there hesitating, he came (o tho end of a sheet and jerked it out of tbo machine with such a resounding snap that the noise startled me. lie was having the time of his life! I stole away, unwilling to break in upon this joyful orgy. Conrad, grinning from ear to ear, was waiting for me outsido by bed room door tate in tho day. He saluted me with unusual cordiality. "A note, mein herr, " said he, and banded me a dainty little pearl-gray envelope. Ho waited while I read the missive. "I sha'n't bo homo for dinner, Con rad," said I, my eyes aglow. "Tell kawkes, will youf" He bowed and scraped himself away; somehow he seemed to have grown younger by decades. It was in tho air to ba yonng and care free. I read the note again and felt almost boyish. Them I went np to my room, got out my gayest raiment without hamo or compunction, dressed with especial re gard for lively effects, and hied me forth to carry sunshine into the utter most recesses of my castle. The Countess welcomed me with a radiant smile. We shook hands. "Well, he has gone," said I, draw ing a deep breath. "Thank the Lord," said she, and then I knew that the symphony was complete. We all had sung it. It must not be supposed for an in stant that I had been guilty of neg lecting my lovely eharge during that season of travail and despair. No, in deed! I had visited her every day as matter of precaution. She required certain amount of watching. I do not hesitate to say at this time that she scorned to be growing lovelier very day. In a hnndreeV little ways she was changing, not only in appoar anee bat in manner. Now, to bo perfoctly frank about it, I can't explain just what these little ehanges wore that is, not in bo many words but they were quite as pro nounced as they were subtle. I may risk mentioning an improvement in her method of handling me. She was not taking quite so mneh for granted as she did at first Sho was much more humblo and considerate, I remarked; instead of bulying me into things bIio now cajoled me; instead of making de mands upon my patience and gener osity, Blie rather hesitated about put ting mo to the least trouble. She wasn't so arrogant, nor so hard to manage. In a nutshell, I may say with some satisfaction, she was beginning to show a surprising amount 01 respect for me and my opinions. Where once she had done as sho pleased, she now did bo only after asking my advico and permission, both of wkk I gave free ly as a gentleman Bhould. Fundamen tally sho was all right. It was only in a superficial sort of way that she fell short of being ideal. I thought 1 could see tho making of a very fine woman in her. I do not say that sho was perfect or ever could be, but she might come very close to it if she went on improv ing as sho did every day. As a matter of fact, 1 found an immense amount of analytical pleasure in studying the changes that attended the metamor phosis. It seemed to my eager imagi- I nation that sho was being translated j before my eyes; developing into a seri i oils, sensible, unselfish ierson with .1 I soul preparing to mount higher than I self. Her voice seemed to be softer, 'sweeter; tho satirical nolo had dis i appeared almost entirely, and with it j went Hie forced raillery that had been so pronounced t the beginning of our acquaintance. . Her devotion to Rosemary was won derful to see. liy the way, while I think of it, the child was quit ador able. She was learning to pronounee my name, and getting nearer and near er to it every day. At the time of which I now write sho was calling me (with great enthusiasm), by the name of "(logo, " which, reduced to aborigi nal American, means " Man with-the- Strong-Arm-Who-Carries-Baby. " "It is very nice of you to ask me to dine with you," said I. "Isn't it about time I was doing something fur yon in return for nil that you have done for mef" she inquired gaily. "We arc having a particularly nico dinner this evening, and I thought you'd enjoy a change.'' "A changef" said I, with a laugh. "As if we haven't been eating out of tho same kettle for days!" "I was not referring to the food," she paid, and 1 was very properly squelched. "Nevertheless, speaking of food," said I, "it may interest you to know that I expected to have rather a sump tuous repast of my own to celebrate tho deliverance. A fine plump pheas ant, prepared a la Oscar, corn fritters like mother used to make, potatoes picard " "And a wonderful alligator pear salad," she interrupted, her eyes danc ing. j. suireu. new in tne worm did vou guess 1" She laughed in pure delight, and I began to understand. By the Lord Harry,- the amazing creature was in viting me to eat my own dinner in her sallo manger! "Well, may 1 be hanged! Yon do beat tho Dutch!" Sho was wearing a wonderful dinner gown of Irish lace, and she fairly sparkled with diamonds. There was no ornament in her brown hair, how ever, nor were her little pink ears made hideous by ear rings'. Her face was a jewel sufficient unto itself. I had never seen her in an evening gown be fore. The effect was really quito ravish ing. As I looked at her standing there by the big rak table, I couldn'i help thinking that the Count was not only a scoundrel, but all kinds of a fool. "It as necossary for mo to bribe nil of your servants, Mr. Smart," she said. "You did not offer tho rascals money, I hope," I said in a horrified tone. 1 ' No, indeed! ' ' Sho did not explain but I know that money isn't everything to a servant after all. "I hopo you don't mind my borrowing your butler and footman for tho evening," she went on. "Not that we really noed two to serve two, but it seems bo much more like a function, as the newspapers would call it." It was my torn to say, "No, in deed." "And now yon must come in and kiss Bosemary good night," she said, glancing at my great Amsterdam dock in tho corner. 3Ve went into the, nursery. It was. past Rosemary's bedtime by nearly an hour and the youngster was having great difficulty in keeping awake. She managed to put her arms around my neck when I took her np from the bed, all tucked away in her warm little nightie, and sleepily presented her own little throat tor me to kiss, that par ticular spot being where the honey came from in her dispensation of sweets. I was full of exuberance. An irre sistible impulse to do a jig seized upon me. To my ,own intense amazement, and to Dlake's horror, I began to dance about the room like a clumsy kangaroo. Rosemary shrieked delightedly into my ear and I daueed the harder fur that. The Countess, recovering from her sur prise, cried out in laughter and began to clap time with her hands. Blake for- i got herself and sat down rather heavily on the eiigo of the bed. 1 think the poor woman's knees gave wav under her. "Hurrah!" I shouted 'to Kosemary, hut looking directly at the Countess. "We're celebrating!" Only Wake's reserved and somewhat dampening admonition brought me to my senses. "Please don't drop the child, Mr. Smart," she said. I had the great sat isfaction of hearing Rosemary cry when I delivered her up to Wake and started to slink out of the room in the wake of my warm-cheeked hostess. "Vou would be a wonderful father, sir," said Wake, relentir.g a little. I hail the grace to say7 "Oh. pshaw!" and then got out. while the illusion was still alive. (As I've said before, I do not like a crying baby.) It was the most wonderful dinner in tne worm, notwithstanding it was served on a kitchen table moved into tho living room for the occasion. Im posing candelabra adorned the four corners of the table and the very best plate in the castle was put to use. There were roses in the center of the board, a huge bowl of short-temmed Marechal Niel beauties. The Countess' chair was pulled out by my stately but ler, llawkes; mine by the almost equal ly imposing footman, and we faced each other across the bowl of roses and lifted an American cocktail to the health of those who were about to sit down to the feast. I think it was one of the best cocktails I've ever tasted. The Countess admitted having made it herself, but wasn't quite sure whether sho used the right ingredients or the correct proportions. Sho asked me what I thought of it. "It is the best Manhattan I've ever tasted," said I, warmly. Her eyes wavered. Also, 1 think, her faith in me. "It was meant to be a Martini," she said sorrowfully. Then wo both sat down. Was it pos sible that the corners of llawkes' mouth twitchedf I don't suppose I Bhall ever know. My sherry was much better than I thought, too. It was deliciously oily. The champagne! But that came later, so why anticipate a joy with realiza tion staring ouo in the face! Wo began with a marvellous hors d'oeuvres. Then n clear Boup, a fish nspec, a Why rhapsodise f Let it be sufficient if I say that in discussing tho Aladdin-like feast I secretly and faithfully promised my chef a material increase in wages. I had never sus pected him of being such a genius, nor myself of being such a Pantegrue lian disciple I must mention the alli gator pear salad. For three weeks I had been trying to bny alligator pears in the town hard by. These came from Paris. The chef had spoken to me about them that morning, asking me when I had ordered them. Inasmuch as I had not ordered them at all, I couldn't satisfy his curiosity. My first thought was that Elsie Hazzard, re membering my fondness for the vege tableit is g yegotable, isn't itl had sent off for them in order to Surprise me. It seems, however, that Elsie had nothing whatever to do with it. The Countess had ordered them for rao through her mother, who was in Taris at the time. Also she had ordered a quantity of Parisian strawberries of the hot-house, one-franc-apieco variety, and a basket of peaches. At tho risk of being called penurious, I confess that I was immensely relieved when I learned that these precious jewels in the shape of fruit had been paid for in advance by the opulent mother of the Countess. "Have I told you, Mr. Smart, that I am expecting my mother here to visit me week after ncxtf" She tactfully put the question to me at a time when I was so full of con tentment that nothing could have de pressed me. I must confess, however, that I was guilty of gulping my cham pagne a little noisily. The question camo with the salad course. "You don't say so!" I exclaimed, quite cheerfully. "That is to say, she is coming if you think you can manage it quite safely. ' ' "I manage it? My dear Countess, why speak of managing a thing that is so obviously to bo desired?" "You don't understand. Can you smuggle her into Hie custle without i:ny one knowing a thing about it? You see, sue is being watched every minute of the time by detectives, spies, secret agents, lawyers, and Heaven knows who else. The instant she leaves Paris, bang! It will be like the starter's shot in a race. They will bo after her like a streak. And if you arc net very, very clever they will play hub with every thing." "Then why run the risk?" I ven tu red. "My two brothers are coming with her," she said reassuringly. "They are such big, strong fellows that ", "My dear Counters, it isn't rtrength we'll need," I deplored. "No, no, I quite understand. It is cunning, strategy, cnution, and all that sort of thing. But I will let yon know in ample time, so that you may be pre pared. ' ' "Do!" I said gallantly, trying to be enthusiastic. "You are so wonderfully ingenious at working ont plots and conspiracies in your books, Mr. Smart, that 1 am confident you can manage everything beautifully." Blatchford was removiug my salad plate. A spasm of alarm came over me, I had quite forgotten the two men. Tho look of warning I gave her brought forth a merry, amused smile. "Don't hesitate to speak before Blatchford and Hawkes, " she said, to my astonishment. "They aro to ba trusted implicitly. Isn't it true, Hawkest" "It is, Madam," said lie. (To be continued.) On of Our He uses, TIME YET TO BUILD YOUR HOME BEFORE WINTER. With our - plans and your hammer- home-building is an easy matter. We furnish the lumber, trim, doors, win down, cut sad numbered to fit onr plant. Alto finish, paint, ttain, hardware, plaster or Interior wall-board. Just follow our plans and a permanent, substantial and attractive home will ba yours. Your own ideat car ried out. Catalogue of plans free. Write today. READY BUILT HOUSE COMPANY 90 Broadway, Portland, Oregon.
