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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION 13 By On. Barr McCntcheon HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money Copyright, 1913, By Geo. Hair McCutcheon. BYHOPSIS OF PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS. In the opening Installments of "A Pool and His Money," Geo. Barr MeCutcheo n's charming novel, we learn of John Bellamy Smart, the young man who it telling this tory. lie has just written his first novel, and at the una time has fallen heir to an immense fortune left him by his uncle. Smart takes a trip on the Hirer Danube. He discovers an ancient castle, which he purchases from an Austrian coynt. With his secretary, Poopendykc, he takes possession. It is supposed to be tenanted only by the care taker and his family, the Schmicks. Later Smart finds a woman who is in possession of a wing of the rastle that is barred to hira. fine grants a brief interview, but refuses to leave. The servants appear to be in league with her, and Smart is in a quandary. Later he meets her and is captivated by her wit and beauty. He finds that she is divorced mm a worthless and scheming Austrian Count, who was awarded the custody of the lady's child. The Court demands a million dollars from his rich American father-in-law, when be would (rive it up. The mother ahducts the child and selects the castle as a hiding place. Smart fears trouble with the authorities, but decides to assist the fair divorcee, although she warns him of the danger. A number of visiters makes it difficult to keep secret the presence of the Countess in the castle. One guest, familiar with the caatle. almost coma upon Smart and tho Countess unawares. The woman tscape but fclams a door behind her. The visitor suspects Bmart of an intrigue with the wife of hi valet. Finally the party leaves and Smart is relieved. TQ Y THE WAY," said I, "I have had SL9 no word from our mntual friends. Have you s. en them f " Mr. Pleas stiffenedd. His fare grew per ceptibly. "I regret to inform yon, Mr. Smart, that onr relations are not quite as friendly as they once were. I have reasons to suspect that Mr. Smith has been working against me for the past two or three days, to such an extent, I may say, that the Ambassador now declines to advise your government to grant us certain privileges we had hoped to secure "without trouble In short, we have just heard that he will not ask the United States Uf consider anything in the shape of an extradition if the Countess is apprehended in her own- country. Cp to yesterday we felt confident that he would advise your State Department to turn the child over to our representatives in case alio is to be found there. There has been underhand work going on, and Mr. Smith is at the bottom of it. He wantonly insulted me the day we left ttoth hoefen. I have challenged him, but he he committed the most diabolical breach of eti quette by threatening to kick my friend the Baron out of his rooms when he waited upon him yesterday morning." With difficulty J restrained a desire to shout the single word : "flood ! " I was proud of Hilly Smith. Controlling my exul tation, I merely suid: "Perfectly diabolic t Perfectly! " "I have no doubt, however, should our Minister make a formal demand upon your Secretary of State, the cause of justice would be sustained. It is a dear case of abduc tion, as you so forcibly declare in the inter views, Mr. Smart. I rammt adequately ex press my gratification for the stand you have taken. Wilt you be offended if I add thul it was rather utiexper ted f I bad the feeling that you were against me, that you did not like me." I smiled deprecatinjrly. "As I seldom rend the newspapers, 1 am not quite, sure that they have done justice to my real feelings in the matter." The lawyer sitting directly opposite to me, was watching my face intently. "They quot ed you rather freely, sir," said he. In stinctively I felt that hero was a wily per son whom it would be difficult to deceive. "The Count is to be congratulated upon hav ing the good will of so distinguished a gen tleman as John Bellamy Smart. It will carry great weight, believe me." "Oh, you will find to your sorrow that I cut a very small figure in national politics," said I. "Pray do not deceive yourselves." "May I offer you a brandy and soda." asked Mr. Plesn, tapping sharply on the ta ble top with his seal ring. Instantly his French valet, still bearing faint traces of the drubbing he had sustained at Itrittnn's hands, appeared in the bedchamber door. "Thank you, no," I made haste to say. "I am on the water wagon." "I beg your pardon," sajd Mr. Pless in perplexity. "I am not drinking, Mr. Tless," 1 ox plained. "Sorry," said he, and curtly dismissed the man. I had a notion that tho great lawyer looked a trifle disappointed. "I fancy yon are wondering why 1 sent for you, Mr. Smart." "I am." "Am I to assume thai the newspapers were correct in stilting that you meati to support my cause with 1 may say, to the full extent of your powers!" "It depends on circumstances, Mr. Pless." "Circuuihlanccs !' ' He eyed me rather cold ly as if to say, "What right have you to suggest circumstances." "Perhaps I should have said that it de trends somewhat on what my powers repre sent" He crossed his slender logs comfortably and looked at me with a queer little tilt of his left eyebrow, but with an unsmiling vis age. Ho was too cocksuro of himself to grant me even so much as an ingratiating mile. Was not X a glory-seeking American and he one of the glorious! It would be doing me a favour to let me help him. "I trust you will understand, Mr. Smart, that I do not ask a favour of you, bat rather put myself under a certain obligation for the time being. You have become a land owner in this country, and as such, you should ally yourself with the representative people of our land. It fi not an easy matter for a for eigner to plant himself in our midst, to to apeak, ni a mushroom, and expect to thrive on limited favors. I can be of assistance to yon. My position, as yon doubtless know, is rather a superior one in the capital. An un fortunate marriage has not lessened the power that I possess, as a birthright nor the esteem in which I am held throughout Europe. The disgraceful methods employed by my former wife in securing a divorce are well known to you, I take, it, and I am gratified to observe that yon frown upon them. I suppose you know the whole story f" "I think I do," said I, quietly. I have never known such consummate self assurance as tho fellow displayed. "Then you are. aware that her father has defaulted under the terms of an antc-suptiui agreement. There is still due me, under the contract, a round million of your exceedingly useful dollars." "With the interest to be added," said the lawyer, thrumming on the chair-arm with his finders something after the fashion my mother always employs in computing a simple sum in addition. "Certainly," said Mr. Pless, sharply. "Mr. Smart understands that quite clearly. Mr. Schemansky. It isn't necessary to eu lighten him." The lawyer cleared his throat. I knew him at once for a shyster. Mr. Piesi continued, addressing me. "Of course he will have to pay this money before his daughter may even hope to gain from me tho right to share the custody of cur little girl, who loves mo devotedly. When the debt is fully liquidated, I may consent to an arrangement by which she shall have the child part of the time at least." "It seems to mo she has the upper hand of you at present, however," I said, not with out secret satisfaction. "She may be in America by this time." "I think not," said he. "Every steam ship has been watched for days, and we are quite positive she has not Bailed. There is the possibility, however, that she may have been taken by motor to some out-of-the-way pu. w where she will owait the chance to slip away by means of a specially chartered ship. It is th "vry thing that we are seek ing to prevent, i do not hesitate to admit that if she once gpts the child to New York, we may expect serious difficulty in obtain ing our rights. I humbly confess that I have not the -moans to fight her in a land where her father's millions count for so much. I ojn a poor man. My estates are heavily in volved through litigation started by ray for bears. You understand my position!" Ho said it with a rather pathetic twist of hia lips. "I understand that you received a mil lion in cash at the. time of the wedding," Said I. "What has become of all thutt" He shrugged his shoulders. "Can you ex pect mo to indulge an extravagant wife, who seeks to become a social queen, and still save anything out Of a paltry million!" "Oh, I see. This is a new phase of the matter that hasn't been revealed to mc. It was she who spent tho million." "After a fashion, yes," said he, without a spark of shame. "The chateau was in rather a dilapidated condition, and she insisted on its restoration. It was also necessary to spend a great deal of money in the effort to secure for herself a certain position in so ciety. My own position was not sufficient for her. She wanted to improve upon it, 1 might say. We entertained a great deal, and lavishly. She was accustomed to gratifying every taste and whim that money could pur chase. Naturally, it was not long before we were, hard pressed for funds. I went to New York a year ago and put the matter clearly before her father. He met me with another proposition which rather disgusted me. I am a man who believes in fuir dealing. If I have an obligation I meet it, Isn't that true, Mr. Schymansky!" "It is," said the lawyer. "Her father revoked his original plan and suggested an alternative. He proposed to put tho million in trust for his granddaughter, our Kosemary, a name, sir, that I abominate and which was given to her after my wife had sulked for weeks, the interest to bo paid to his daughter until the child reached the ago of twenty-one. Of course, I could not ac cept such an arrangement. It " "Acting on my advice, for I was present at the interview, the Count emphatically de clined to entertain " "Never mind, Schemansky," broke in tho Count petulantly. "What is the use of go ing to ail that?" TIo appeared to reflect for a moment. "Will you be good enough to leavo tho room for awhile, Mr. Schymansky? I think. Mr. Smart and I can safely manage a friendly compart without your assistance. Eh, Mr. Smart!" . - I couldn't feel sorry for Schymansky. He i hadn't the backbone of an angleworm. If I were a lawyer and a client of mine were t speak to' me as Pless spoke to him, I firmly believe I should hare, had at least a fair sprinkling of his blood upon my hands. "1 beg of you, Count, to observe caution and i' ' "If you please, sir!" out in tho Count, with the austerity that makes the continental nobleman what ho is. "If you require my sen-ices, you will find, me in the " ! "Not in the hall, I trust," said his client in a most insulting way. Schymansky left the room without so much an a glaneo nt me. Ho struck mo as a man who knew his placo better than any menial I'vo ever seen. I particularly noticed that not even his ears were red. "Rather rough way to handle a lawyer, It strikes me," I said. "Isn't he any good?" "Ho is as good ns the best of them." said tho Count, lighting His fourth or fifth cigarette. "I have uo patience with the way they muddle matters by always talking law, Inw, law! If it were left to me, 1 should dismiss the whole lot of them and depend entirely npou my common-sense. If it hadu't been for the lawyers, I am convinced that all this trouble could have been avoided, or at least amicably adjusted out of court. But I am Baddled with half a dosen of them, simply because two or three banks and as many pri vate interests are inclined to be officious. They claim that my interests are theirs, but I doubt it, by Jove, I do. They're a blood sucking lot, these bankers. But I sha'nt bore you with trivialities. Now here Is the situation in a word. It is quite impossible for me to prosecute the search for my child without financial assistance from outside sources. My funds are practically exhausted and the banks refuse to extend my credit. You have publicly declared yourself to be my friend and well-wisher. I have asked you to com here tonight, Mr. Smart, to put you to the real test, so to speak. I want one hundred thousand dollars for six months." While I was prepared in a sense for the request, the brazeness with which he put it up to me took my breath away. I am afraid that the degftge manner in which he paid compliment to my affluence was too much for me. .1 blinked my eyes rapidly for a sec ond or two and then allowed thorn settle into a stare of perplexity. "Really, Mr. Pless," I mumbled In direct contrast to his sangfroid, "you you surprise me." He laughed quietly, almost reassuringly: as he leaned forward in his chair the better to stndy my face. "I hope you do not think that I expect yon to produce so much ready money tonight, Mr. Smart. Oh, no I Any time within the next few days will be satis factory. Take your time, ' sir. I appreciate that it 'requires time to arrange for the " I held up my hand with a rather lofty air. "Was it one hundred and fifty thousand that yon mentioned or 11 "That was the amount," said he, a sudden glitter iu his eyes. T studied the ceiling with a calculating squint, as if trying to approximate my bal ance in bank. He watched me closely, al most breathlessly. At last, unable to con trol his eagerness, he said: "At the usual rate oi interest, you under stand. 1 "Certainly," T said, and resumed my cal culations. He got the impression that I was annoyed by the interruption. "I beg your pardon," ho said. "What security can you give. Mr. Pless!" T demanded in a very business like way. "Oh, yon Americans!" he cried, his face beaming with premature relief. "You will pin us down, I see. I do not wonder that you are so rich. I shall give you my per sonal note, Mr. Smart, for the amount, se cured by a mortgage a supplementary mort gage on the Chateau Tamowsy." Tarnowsy! Now I remembered everything. Tamowsy! The name struck my memory like a blow. What a stupid dolt I had been! The whole world had rung wedding bells for the marriage of the Count Maris Tamowsy, scion of one of tho greatest Hungarian houses, and Aline, the nineteen -year-old daughter of Gwendolen and Jasper Titus, of New York. Newport, Tuxedo, Hot Springs, Palm Beach and so forth. Jasper Titus, the banker and railway magnate, whose name as well as his hand was to be seen In every great financial movement of the last two decades! What a fool I was tiot to recall a marriagp that had been not only on the lips of every man, woman and child in the States but on mine in particular, for I had bitterly exe crated the deliverance into bondage of this young girl of whose beauty and charm I had heard so much. The whole spectacular travesty came back to mo with a rush, as I sat there in the presence of the only man who had ever been known to get the better of Jasper Titus in a trade. I remembered with some vividness my scornful attitude toward the newspapers of the metropolis, all of which fairly sloshed over with the news of the great event weeks beforehand and weeks afterward. I was not the only man who said harsh things about Jasper Titus in thoso days. I was but one of the multitude. I also recalled my scathing comments at the time of the divorce proceedings. They were too caustic to be repeated here, Tt Is only necessary to state that the proceedings came near to putting two friendly nations into very bad temper. Statesmen and diplo- nts were drawn into the mess, and jingo congressmen on onr side of the water intro duced sensational bills bearing specifically upon the international mamace nuirsei. Newspaper humorists stood together as one man in advocating a revision oi ine lanti up ward on nil foreipn purchases coming under the head of the sons of old masters. As I have said before, T did not follow tho course f the unity squabble very closely, and was quite niuitterent as to ine resuir. i nave a vaguo recollection of some one telling me that a divorce hnd been granted, but that is all. Thero was also something said about n child. My pleasant little mystery had come to a sharp and rather depressing end. The lovely countess about whom I had cast the veil of secrecy was no other than the much -discussed Aline Titus and Mr. Pless the expensive Count Tarnowty. Cold, hard facts took the place oi indulgent fancies. The dream was over. I was sorry to have it end. A joyoug enthusiasm had attended me while I worked in the dark; now a dreary reality stared ma in the face. The sparkle was gone. Is there anything so sad as a glass of cham pagne when it has gone flat and lifelesa. My cogitations were brief. The Count, after waiting for a minute or two to let me grasp the full importance of the sacrifice ha was ready to make in order to secure m4 against personal loss, blandly announced that there were but two mortgages on the chateau, whereas nearly every other place of the kind within his knowledge had thriee as many. "You wish me to accept a third mortgage on the place!" I inquired, pursing my lips. "The Chateau is worth at least a million," he said earnestly. "But why worry about that, Mr. Smart! My personal note ia all that is necessary. The matter of a mortgage is merely incidental. - I believe it is con sidered businesa-lika by you Americans, bo I stand quite ready to abide by your habits, I shall soon be in possession of a million in any event, so you are quite safe in advancing; me any amount up to " "Just, a moment. Count,' I interrupted, leaning forward in my chair. "May X inquire where and from whom you received the im pression that I am a rich man!" He laughed easily. "One who indulges a whim, Mr. Smart, is always rich. Schloss Bothhoefcn condemns you to the purpatory of Croesus." "Croesus would be a poor man ia these days," said I. "If he lived in New York he would he wondering where his next meal was to come from. You have made a very poor guess as to my wealth. I am not a rich man. 1 ' He eyed me coldly. "Have you suddenly discovered the fact, sir!" "What do you mean!" "I suggest a way in which you can be of assistance to me, and you hesitate. How am I to have it, sir!" HiB infernal air of superiority aggravated me. "You may take it just as you please, Mr. Pless." "I beg you to remember that I am Count Tarnowsy. Mr. " I arose. "The gist of the matter is this: you want to borrow one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of me. That is " He hastened to correct me. "I do not call it borrowing when one gives ample security for the amount involved." "What is your idea of borrowing, may I ask!" "Borrowing is the same thing as asking a favor according to our conception of the transaction. I am not asking a favor of you, sir. Far from it, I am offering you an opportunity to put a certain amount of money out at a high rata of interest." (To Be Continued.) New Glove SPECIAL $1.35 H Mailed Postpaid on receipt of price. Having our orders placed be fore the outbreak of the European War raised the prices of doves makes this price possible. A variety of style and colors to choose from two clasp, over team Glace; Pique Lamb with self or contract ing wide embroidery; English Cape in new shades of Tan and one clasp ffenoine Arabian Mocha. Packed n Holiday boxes if desired. Send for new catalog of Gloves, Hosiery and Umbrella a P. BERG, Manager 309 Morrison Street Portland, Oregon MS
