13
HOME AND 7 ABM. MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL.
A Fool and His Money
Bj
Qm. Bur
McCrrtcheon
j&pytit, 1913,
$y Geo. But
MeCtehooa.
grsopsia of pbktioos vssxjjjjtana.
in M (vesting raitollmoum f A rml ana mi aloeey, . arr meamiawew- "-"" , " JT -. ' 7. rr. r.k' . " Z - .l. w., tw-w;
tory. H. fcTVrtti hto. Ant awvel. and t the ..m. um. he. faUen heir J"" ..il" J""? IftJljTlfv iTu.
Geo. Ban MeCu tehee anning navel, ,w mar i at Mam bm-w , . r? "V-! iZ
Mien u ancient guth, wMt aa (iraum mm aa uwiu count, una in p -- - r- ; , -- - gr- ,ta ; k. i.terview bat renal
taker and hil family, the Schsntoks. liter Smart find. . woman who 1 to paunsioa wing of In caatll that J-. i f- ., 'JfU W. ST rti aOTatwaS
to km Th. servant, appear to b. In league with h.r, and Smart i to . quandary. LMer he meato h end ll eapuvatod by J"'' T, American tothen-Lw whan
tnm a worthies, and sejieW.,, Austrian Count, who wa awarded th. custody of th. lady'. ehild. Th. Count demand, a f-,1 i iiir Z'vmZ
he would (It. it a. Th. mother .hduou th. child and .eltct. th. eaaU. .. a hiding pl.ee. Smart Iw. trouble with to. ""v d" to with th. S
although .V. warn.' him of th. danger. A number of vieitora mak.a it difficult to keep neret thi prwnee .1 th. Ooanlo m. caatte. Oa. f", . thi wito ol hi
ahaoat comra upon Bmart and th. Oou.t.a uruw.ru. Th. woman escapes but lis mi a door behind her. Th. vtaitor nuipeeU Mut el aa intrigue wi ui "
Wet. finally (ha party nana and Bmart relieved. Th. Count turn, np .fain and aat. tor lau f money, bat to rarasod.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
A LL UUSBAKDS ar bad," I mid,
m "but some ar mora pre-enrinently
nil than .than. 1 am not finding
fault with Tarnowiy a a hnahandL H. did
Just what wa expected of him. H. did what
ha aat out to do, H. isn't ta b. blamed for
living up to hia craad. Thar. ar. bad hus
bands in America, and bad wivei. But they
went into th. (am. blindly, moat of thorn.
Thoy didn't find out their miatak. until
after th. marriage. Th. aam. atatem.nt
appliea to hosbandi and wivei the world
w. I hold a brief only .rainat th. mar-
vage wherein th. contracting partial, their
lamiues, their mends, their enemies, their
hankers and their creditors know beforehand
that it's a business proposition and not a
aacred compart. But we're gone into all
nu Before. Why rako it up again."
But there are many happy marriage! be
tween American girls and foreign noblemen
aoseai of taa that X could mention."
"I rant you that. I know of a (ew
myself. But I think if you will reflect .for
a moment you'll find that money had no
placa in th. covenant. They married because
they lored one another; Th. noblemen to
auch eases are real noblemen, and their
American wirea are real wives. There are no
Count Tarnowsys smonir them. My blood
curdles when 1 think of you being married
to a man of the Tarnowsy type. It ia thai
.aort of a maxriug. that Z execrate.,"
"The bay and sell kindt" she said, and
her eyes fell. Tho color had fided from her
cheeks.
"Yes. The premeditated murder type."
She looked up after a amomenl. There
was a bleak expression in her eyes.
"Will you believe me if I say to you
that I went into it blindly!"
"God bless my soul, I am sure of it," 1
eried earnestly. "You hud never been in
love. You did not know."
"T have told you that I believed myseif
to be in love with Maris. Doesn't doesn't
that help matters a little bitt"
I looked away. Tho hurt, appealing look
was in hrr eyes. It had come at last, and,
upon my soul. I wax as little preparrd to
r-pel it a when I entered the room hours
aeo aftrr having lived in fear of it for hours
before that. I looked away because 1 knew
that I should do something rash if I were
to lose my head for an Instant
She was like an unhappy pleading child, i
solemnly affirm that it waa tender-heartedness
thrtt moved me in this crucial instant.
What man could have felt otherwiset
I assumed a coldly impersonal ton.. "Not
a single editorial in any of these papers
holds you responBihle for what happened in
New York." I said.
She bepan to collect the icattered news
asper clippings and the type-written tran
scriptions. I gathered up those in th. comer
and laid them in her lap. Her fingers
trembled a little.
"Throw them in the fireplace, please," she
laid in a low voice. "I kept them only
for the purpore of showing them to you. Oh,
how I hate, how I losthe it alll"
When I came back from the fireplace, she
was lying back in the big, comfortable chair,
a careless, whimsical smile on htr lips. She
was as serene as if she had never known
what it was to have a heart-pang or an in
itant of regret in all her life. I could not
understand that side of her.
"And now I have some pleasant news for
you," she said. "My mother will be here
en Thursday. You will not like htr, of
course, because yon ar. already prejudiced,
hut I know she will like you."
I knew I should hate her mother, but .
ararse it would not do to say so.
"Next Thnrsdsy!" I Inquired. She nodded
her bead. "I hope she will like me," I add
ed, feeling that it was necessary,
"Indeed." The Celingraft family was one
the oldest and most exclusive is New
York. I had a vague recollection of hearing
an. of my fastidiom friends at home lay
that It must have been a bitter blow to the
Oetsngrafts when, ai an expedient, ihe mar
ried the vulgarly rich Jasper Titus, then of
fit. Paul, Minnesota. It had been a clear case
of marryiac the mosey, aot th man. Aline 'l
marriage, therefore, was due to hereditary
old iloodedness and not to eovetoosaess. "A
Una old name. Countess."
"Titus luggeau titles, tharwht It hat
aim. to b. our family name," sh said, with
her aattrio amile. "You will Uka my father.
Be lores me mere than airy en all to th
amrW more than all th world. He la mak
xag the (reat fight for me, Mr. Bmart. H.
veuld buy off th. Count tomorrow U I would
aarmlt him to do. Of late I have keen think
tog very lertouily el urfaittog it to him.
It would be th. simplest way cut if our
ttvohlei, wouldn't HI A jnilUea If nothing
ta my father."
"Nothing at all, I submit, In view the
fact that it may be th. means of saving
you from a term In prison fox abducting
Bo-ternary I"
She paled. "Do yen really think they
wwold put mi In prison I"
"Cnoueitlonanry," I proceuneed m
ahacieally. "Oh, dear I" ihi murmured.
"But they can't lock yea np until they'vs
aught yen," old I reassuringly. "And I
arlTt an to It that they do aot catch yon."
"I I am depending on jm entirely, Mr.
Bmart," (hi laid anxiously. "Bom day I
may hi In a position to repay you tar all
th kindnaia "
"Please, please I"
" and all the risk yon ar taking for
as," ihe completed "Yon see, you haven't
the excuse any longer that yam don't knew
my aam. and story. Yea an Uabta to he
arrested yourself for "
Then un a sharp rapping a th. door
at thi. instant a rather imperative,, linister
rapping, if one were to jadg by th way
we started and the way we looked at each
other. W laughed nervously.
'Goodneail You'd think Sharieek Holmes
himself was it th. door," ah ariad. "Bee
wh. it ia, please."
I went to the door. Poopendyke was there.
He was visibly exeited.
"Can you eome down at enee, afr.
Smart!" he said in a voice aot meant to
reach the ears .1 th Countess.
"What's upt" I queationed sharply.
"The jig, I'm afraid," he whispered aen-
tentioasly. Poopendyko, being a stenog
rapher, never wasted words. H. would hav.
made a fin. playwright.
"Good Lord! Deteetivest"
"No. Count Tarnowsy and a stranger."
Impossible I
Tho Countess, alarmed by ear manner,
ouirkly crossed the room.
"What ia it f ih demanded.
"The Count is downstairs," I laid.
"Don't hi alarmed. Nothing can happen.
You"
She laughed. "Oh, is that all! My dear
Mr. Smart, he has come to see y-oa about
the frescoes."
"But I have iosnlted him!"
"Not permanently," she said. "I knew
him too well. He is like a leech. He has
iriven you time to reflect and therefore re
irret your action of the ether night. Go
down and see him."
Poopendyke volunteered further informa
tion. "There is s!o a man down there
a cheap looking person who says he must
see tho C'mntess Tarnowsy at once."
"A middle aged man with the upper but
ton of his waistcoat' off 1" Rhe asked sharp-
ir.-
"T I can't say as to the huttnn."
"I am expecting one of my lawyers. It
must he he. He was to have a button off."
"I'll look him over again," said I'oopen
dyke. "Do. And be careful not to let the Count
catch a glimpse of him. That would be
fatal."
"No danger af -that. He went at once
to old Conrad's room."
"Good! I had a note from him this morn
ing, Mr. Smart. Ho is Mr. Bangs of Loo
don."
"May I insure. Countess, bow yon man
age to hsve letters delivered to you here I
Isn't it extremely dangerous to havathem
go through the mails."
"Thoy are all directed to the Schmicks,"
she explained. "They are passed on to me.
Now go and 'see the Count. Don't lend him
any money."
"I shall probably kick him off the cliff,
I said, with a scowl.
She laid her hand upon my arm. "Be
careful," she ssid very earnestly, "for my
sake.
Poopendyke had already started down tin
stairs. I raised her hand to my lips. Then
I ruahed away, cursing myself for a fool,
an ingrate, a presumptuous bounder.
My nncalled-for act had brought a swift
flush of anger to her cheek. I saw It quite
plainly as she lowered her head and drew
bark into, the shadow of the curtain.
Bounder! That is what I was for taking ad
vantage of her simple trust in me. Strange
to Bay, she came to the head of the stairs
and watched me until I was out of sight in
the hall below.
The Count was waiting for me in the
loggia. It was quite warm and he fanned
himself laxily with his broad straw hat. As
I approached, he tossed his cigarette over
the wall and hastened to meet me. There
was quaint diffident smile on his lips.
"It ti good to see you again, old fel
low," hi laid, with an amiability that sur
prised me. "I was afraid yon might hold
a grieeaae against mi. Yea Americana are
queer chaps, you know. Our little tilt of the
other evening, you understand. Stupid way
for two grown-up men to behave, wasn t ltl
Of course, the explanation is simple. We
had been drinking. Men do silly things in
their cups."
Oonsummste assurance! I had not touched
I drop of anything that night.
"I assure you. Count Tarnowsy, thi littl.
tilt, as yon ire pleased t call it, wag of no
consequence. I had quit, forgotten that it
occurred. Sorry yon reminded me of it."
The irony was wasted. He beamed. "My
dear fellow, ihall we not shake hands!"
There waa something Irresistibly winning
about him, is I've said before. Something
boyish, Ingenuous, charming what you will
that want far toward accounting for many
things that yon who hav. niter leen him
may consider 'incomprehensible.
A certain wariness took possession of me.
I could well afford to temporize. We shook
hands with what seemed to be genuine fervor.
"I suppose yon ar wondering whit
brlnga m here," ha laid, si we started
toward th entrance to thi loggia, hil arm
through mine, "I do not forget a promise,"
Mr. Smart. Yon may remember that I agreed
to fetch a man from Man eh an to look over
your tin eld frescoes and to give yon an
estimate. Well, he to here, th very beat
man in Europe,' '
"I am sere I am greatly Indebted to ya.
Count," I said, "hut after torn king it ever
I'T "
Don't say that yon have already en
gaged some one to d. the work," a aned
in horror. "My dear fester-, damt tell me
thai! Yea ar rtoi to make a dwaadful
mtotaki if yam liaaaa to any en but
Schwartomaller. Ha i. the laal word to
restorations. H ti Ih beat bat, aa yen
would lay in New Teak. Any an eta win
make a botch of th work. Yen will cane
th. day you "
I cheeked him. "I hare virtaaBy decided
to l.t th. whole matter g ever an til aext
spring. However, I ahaU be happy to hav
Mr. Schwartz muller'a opinion. We may I.
able to plan ahead."
A lack of disappointment flitted taw bis
fee. Th mggeatien if hard out age crept
toto hi! features for a second aad then aa
appeared. -
"Delayi ar. dangerous," h Mid. "My
judgment ia that the gergeeue paintings
will disintegrate mora during the coming win
ter than in all the yean gone by. They an
at the critical Itaga. If not preserved now
well. I cannot bear to think ei th. eon-
sequences. Ah, here is Herr Scnwnrts
muller." Just inside the door, we came upon a pom
pous yet servile German who could not by
any means have been mistaken for anything
but the last word in restoration. I have
ever seen any one in my lif whose ap
pearance suggested a more complete stato of
rehabilitation. His frock eoit was new, it
had the unfailing smell of new wool freshly
dyed; his shoes wen painfully new; his
gloves were new; his ulk hat waa reaplend-
ently new; his fat jowl was ihaved to a
luminous pink; his gorgeous moustache was
twisted up at the ends to such a degree that
when he smiled the point! wavered in rron!
of his eyes, causing him to blink with aston
ishment. He was undeniably dressed up for
tho occasion. My critical eye, however, dis
covered a pair of welt-worn striped trousers
badly stained, slightly frayed at the bot
tom and inclined to bag outward at the
knee. Perhaps I should have said that he
was droseeu up from the knee.
"This is the greet Herr Schwartimuller,
of the Imperial galteries in Muncheu," said
the Count, introducing us.
The stranger bowed very profoundly and
at the same tima extracted a business card
from the tail pocket of his coat. This he
delivered to me with a smile which seemed
to invite me to participate in a great and
serious seeret the secret of irreproachable
standing as an art expert and couuoisseur.
I confesa to a mistaken impression concern
ing him up to the moment he handed me his
clumsy business card. My suspicions had
set bitn down as a confederate of Count
Tarnowsy, a spy, a secret agent or what
ever you choose to consider one who is
cmploved in furthering a secnt purpose.
But the business card removed my doubts
and misgivings. It tumped him for what
he really was there is no mistaking a ber
man who hands you his business card. He
destroys all possible chance for discussion
In three languages the card announced
that he was "August Schwartxmuller, of the
Imperial galleries, Munrhen, Zumpe ft
Schwartsmuller, proprietors. Restorations a
specialty." There was much more, but I
did not have time to read all of it. More
over, the card was a trifle soiled, as if it
had been used before. There could be no
doubt is to his genuineness. Ha wai an art
expert.
For ten minutes I allowed them to torpati-
fate on the perils of procrastination in the
treatment of rare old canvases and pig
ments, and then, having formulated my
plans, blandly inquired what, the cost would
be. It appears that Herr Sohwartamuller
had examined thi fret coal no longer than
six montiis before in the intareeta ef a
New York gentleman to wham Canal Hohan-
dahl had tried to sell them for a lamp run.
He was unable to recall the gentleman's
name.
"I ihotrld say let mora than an hun
dred and fifty thousand marks, perhaps
less," said thi expert, rolling ail aalealatrve
eye upward and running tt atoag the vast
dome el th. hall a if to figure it ant in
yards and inches.
The Count was watching mi with an lager
light in his eyes. He looked away aa I shot
a quick glance at hit face. The whole mat
ter became ai dear as day to mi. Hi was
to receive a handsome commission if thi
contract waa awarded. Na doubt hia share
would be at least half ef th amount itipu
lsted. I hid reason to believ that the
woik could be performed al a profit tor
lesi than half thi figure mantiened by the
German.
- "Nearly forty thousand dollars, la ether
words," aaid I reflectively.
"They are worth ten time that amount,
sir," laid the expert gravely.
I smiled skeptically. The Count took in
stant alarm. He realised thai I was aat
such i fool ai I looked, perhaps.
"Hohendahl 'waa one. offered two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, Mr, Smart,"
hi said.
"Why didn't he accept HI" I aaked
bluntly. "Ha sold thi whole placa to me,
content! included, for lest thin half that
amount"
"It was yean ago, befon he waa In
such din itraiti," hi explained emiekly.
A terrible suspicion entered my head. I
felt myself turn cold, If thi frcscoca van
genmin they wen worth all that Sebwarto
maller deetared; that being the can why
ahaald Hebendabl have let them cam to
ma in practically nothing when there man
asanas af collectors who would have nsda
the fall price 1 I swalWwed hard, but mam
aged to control my voice.
'Aa a mastei af fact. Ooant Taraomay.'
I laid, resorting to unworthy mean, "I nan
every reason to believe that Hohendahl sold
thi originals sometime age, ana naa tneni
replaced on th saimaga by ctover imitation.
TWy are not worth th can rat Ibay an
TT. V !- --1 4h raift lo
af axmrehenaian that Baaaed (rem him to tha
stood SehvartomaUcr, whose tic toraed a
shad redder.
"Imnesmthtal" ariad Tammy therpry.
" Bona hnauikh" I aaid cahm,
ly, asm aara ef my grenad. "To be pea
taetly frank with you, I've known from Aa
beginning that they were fake. Yew trieaa
usual ztoaencaas, is newer wh ju a
htm credit tor being. Ha eetifeiiad to m
at thi time oar transaction took plae that
h Mndi vm, rv recent reproductions..
The originals, I think, in to bemoan t
New York." 1 law guilt in in. ie ei
Schwartxmuller. His moustaches drooped
with the corners af hil mouth; hi did no
seem to be filling out the frock coat qulta
o completely ai when I first beheld ham,
A shrewd saapieun impelled m w tasa
.k.n.u nn - JiM,t lrilti(,T f looked
straight into the Gorman's eyei and said-i
"Bow that 1 came t tawx ei m a am
he mentioned the name of Behwanamullat
in connection with the "
T, ..i inl Tt ta not true!" roaral
the expert, without wailing for me to fin
ish. "He lied to you, we the great firm
of Zumpe ft Schwartsmallex wi could aad
be tempted with millions ta to aucn a
thing.' '
'I went a step farther in my deductions,
Somehow I had grasped thi truth thil pair
deliberately hoped to swindli mi out if forty
thousand dollars. Thsy knew the freecoe
A iM;i.tinn &nd vet thev wen urffina
me to spend a huge sum of meney in 're
storing canvases that had been purposely
made to look oiu ana ninny in r
,,,,, mora (-.fill tiotis nurchaaer than I. But,
as I say, 1 went a step farther and .de
liberately accused uounl larnowsy.
"Moreover, Count Tarnowsy, you an futty,
aware of all this."
"My dear fellow "
"I'll not wast ward. Y an a damn
icoundrell"
He measured th distance with his en
and then aprang swiftly lorward, striking
blindly at my face.
Schwartxmuller was near the door, look
ing over his shoulder as he felt fox the great
brass knob.
"Mein Gottl" he bellowed.
"Stopl" I sheeted. "Come bick hen
and take this fellow away with youl"
Tarnowsy was Bitting up, looking about
him in a daxed, bewildered manner.
At that moment, Poopendyke cam. ran-
ja-, ,h ,!,in attracted hv the Ion
voice. He was fallowed closely by tore
or four wide-eyed giaaiera who were work
ing n the second floor.
"Jn the name of heaven, lirl"
"I've bruised my knuckles horribly," waa
all that I said. I seemed to bs In a sort
. - a mveelf. 1 had never knocked a
man down befon to my life It w am
amasingly easy thing to do, I could hardly
believe that I had don It,
Tinv itrnzeled to hil feet and fanes.
ma, quivering with rage. I was dumb-
fhundea to see mat a wai not coverwa wise.
uA Hnt a ma ef a lieht. Taliowiak
green. I could icaicely believe my ayes.
"I, aaall pay tor uiar na cxie. imm
ur, naheA to hia ere. "Coward 1 Beast I
To strike a defence! sea man I"
ir. . i,,nj wnt nriftlv te bda breast Bockes.
and an instant later a small revolver flashed
toto new. It wai then thai I sua anotner
strange aad toecunnsehaniihla thing. Wish
a, ntMMt iiimliiiMe 1 asepnad forward and
wreatad it tram hil haad. I say Strang
aad lAeomprenenaioie 1ST tn. reason inai
was pointing it directly at my breast aad
yet I had aot tha slightest ecaietiea of fear.
Ha eeaM bar shot m like a dag, I never
even thought el that.
"Nen f tbatl" I cried aharuly. "Now,
will yam he goad: enough to get oat of thil
aa and liny enti"
"My lacaadi will Mil on you ' '
11 4h will Meeive Inst what von
bar received. If yon or any of your friend
presume to tnspass on ine privacy 01 uioaw
a. .1 ln T'U Viek the whole lei
of yon into the Danube. Hawkesl Either
how or lead Count Tarnowsy to the gate.
Al tor yam, Mr. Sehwartsmuller, I ihall ex
pose "
But th list word in restorations had de
parted.
(To Be Continued.) '
CANCER tSzt
cured without drugs or knife
NATURAL SANATORIUM
178 East 60th S treat, Portland, Oregcrn