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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money Copyright, 1913, By Geo. Barr MeCutcheon. Bj Geo. Bui McOntcheon SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS ' INSTALLMENTS. . ... ,hlg In th. opening talent. .1 "A Fool ud His Hon,,," Geo. Bar, MeCutcheou'.; charming novel, we ;'JdBfmte,th; rT vV Danube III tor,. He basinet wrUUmhis firat nor... and at th. a.m,im. h.? fU hf ' .P ndjk h p sio It is ""pposed S, be tenant only by the care discovers an .neient castle, which h purchase, from n Austrian count. With his iraW, pendys., ' " J.? .? t h,m bhe rranta a brief interne, but refuse Wker and hia family, the Sehmicks. Later Smart finds a woman who ia in posseesion oi o leave. The .et. appear to be in league with her, and Smart I. in a quandary. Later from a worthl-u and aeheminr Auatrian Count, -Jthough riie warn.' him of th. danger. A number of visitors make, .t difficuu to ap Kcre, S ipU almost eome. upon Smart and the Oountcs. unaware. TJ,e w"min. ""."f.""", J ..?V, I . f m-.!v but ia refused. "let. Finally th. narty leave, and Bmari is CHAPTER XIV. I Am Forced Into Being Hero. MY HUMBLEST apologies, dear reader, if I have led yott to suspect that I want to be looked upon as a hero. Far from,patting myself on tb. back or hold ing my chin a little higher because of thn et-to in my baronial halls, I confess to i feeling of Bhame. In my study, where tho efficient Blatchford put arnica and bandages on my swollen knuckles, I solemnly declared th nwi.KM ut those who attended tha clinic (my entire establishment was there to ace that I had the proper attention and to tell me how happy they were that it wasn't any worse) I say, I declared to all of them that I Was an unmitigated fool and undeserving of the slightest mead of praise. They insisted upon making a hero of m..i, and niiglit have succeeded, had not the in comparable Eriltnn made the discovery that the Count's revolver was not loaded! Still, they vociferated, I could not have known that at the time of the encounter, nor waa it at all likely that tho Count anew it him- "7 confess to an inward and shameless u ... ; th realisation that I had been 'able to punch the head of th. man win lad lived with and amiseo i 1.11. , u hn,i -.truck her on more lore up-ii". , than one occasion, I had it from Jer own lips. Far worse than that, he had kissed her I But of course 1 had not knocked him down for that. 1 did it because " simpler than being knocked w "'"" The worst feature of the whole unhappy business was the effect it was likely to have upon my commonly pacific nature. Hereto fore I had avoided physical "t"'; because I was afraid of the result, but be cause I hate brutal, uusc.ent.ftc manifesta tions of strength. Now, to my surprise I found that it was a 'i1,ottsl"s!r ""'I to knock a man down and end tho squabble in short order, thereby escaping a great deal in tl shape of disgusting ,n''0"1' turning off victorious with nothing more vita Te wav of wounds that a couple of bruised knuckles.' X lubt, with practice, one could even avoid having his knuckles barked.) Was it not probable, therefore, that my . habitual tendency to turn away wrath witn . soft answer might suffer a " ' ..ngninary shock I Now t hat I had fm out bow simple it was, would I not be. .at fied to let my good right pule, for me-with uniform 'Umty and despatch! Heaven is my witness that I have no deaire to b. regarded a. a bruiser I hope that it may never fall to my lot to again knock a Tan down. But if it should be neee. ,ary I also wish to record the hop. that he man may be a husband who has mistreated his wife. m.,.,t,. ministrations In the course wi " ... . I was regaled with eloquent d.scnpt.ona of 1 was Jt. -trnrajirv took the manner 7 forth his departure iruw - vowing' vengeance, calling f" "If the country I was no, to expect a .all from his seconds. He would not suDmil " fr emls to th. indignities they were rure Rencounter at the hands of. bta. j my type. But, just the same, I would hear from Mm. I would regret the day, etc etc. ' ? had forgotten . B.hgs, ft. UT Bitting alone in my .tuny, , . noon, .mo.ng . bnttoa r What rdberom7.f him, I. prjt. for. accurately, bis absence, -- nr before me the forerunner welcome invasion of my preserve.. H. was doubt, a sort of advance .gent for the Titus family and it. immediate ram.fie.t.ons to m... inquiries concerning him, there came S my ears the sound of tapping on th. back ! Red Lndwig'. portrait. Not until then 2d fJZ that I tad b.c i waiting for two hours for that simple m.n.festation of interest and curiosity from th. regions above I rushed over and rapped resoundingly rJm Ludwig's pudgy knee. Th. next instant Zr. wa. a dick .nd then th. ..cret door rwlng op revealing tho eager, concerned face of my neighbor. "What has happened!" she enod. I lifted her out of tb. from.. Her gase 1.11 upon the bandaged fist. "Mr. Bang. T ! Dn eU ne that he he shot youl" I held up my rrollen hand mth.r proudly. It imelled vilely of arnica. 'Thi. woond wa. .elf lnflieted, my d.ar Countess," I Mid. thrilled by her expression .Teonecrn. "I bd the nplrit. PT and pain of knoekihg jour former husband 0h, nlendid!" .h. eried, hM eyes gleam bg with excitement. "Mr. Bangs was rather hasy abont it, and h. would not l.t me risk telephoning. Yon knocked Maris down! "Emphatically," laid I. Bhe mnsed. "I think It is tb. flr.t 4ime II has ever happened to iim. How how did he like It," "Xt appeared to prostrate Mm. She smiled nndentandingly. "I am glad yon did It, Mr. Smart." "If I remember correctly, yon one. said that he had struck yon, Countess. " Her face flushed. "Tea. On thre. wparate oeoasiona b. .track me In to. face with bis open hand. I I testified to that effect at tb. trial, Every on. eeemed to look npon it who was awarded the custouy ot tne relieves, in. luuju vuru up as a jokfc He swore that they were were lov. pats." "I hope his lack of discrimination will not lead him to believe that I waa delivering a love pat," said I, girmly. "Now, tell me everything that happened," she .aid, seating herself in my big armchair. Her feet failed to touch the floor. Sho was wearing th. little tan pump.. When I came to that part of the story where I accused Tarnowsy of duplicity in connection with the frescoes, sho betrayed intense excitement. "Of course it was all a bluff on my part, I explained. "But you were nearer the trutn man you thought," she said, compressing her lips. After a moment she went on: uount nuueu dahl sold the originals ever three years ago. ... .. . : ., 1 was her. wun Mans at me ul ..l sKai, fhn nftintinfri were re moved. Maris acted as an intermediary in th. 1....1 Tln!,,i4..M refaivMt fWO hundred tllOU sand dollars for the paintings, but they were worth it. I have reason to believe that Maris had a fourth of tho amount for hia commis sion. So, yon see, you were right in your surmise. "The infernal rascall Where are the origi nals. Countess!" '"l-Lav . in mv f.llhcr'. vill. at KeW n f l,. c;,l "r tnttmrieri sneakinff of this to you before, but I was afraid your pride would b. hurt, ui course, i s" if u ,.an,n t,i ihe nnint where you really considered having those forgerie. re stored. Your father bought them! ..... i?i.:a ..... ..., emxtriiiiir nnr honeV' moon here In 8liloss Rothhoefen, Mr. Smart," sne said. Her lace was very paie. I could see that the dark association, filled her mind, and abruptly finished my tale with out further reference to the paintings. "He will challenge you." she said nervous ly. "I am so sorry to have placed you m this dreadful position, Mr. umari. x snau t i.. ,,.Pif tn " "You are iu no way concerned in what happened Joday," I interrupted it was a purely personal affair. Moreover, he will not challenge me." "Ho has fought three duels, sne bbiu. "tr ii not a nhvsical coward." Her dark eyes were full of dread. I hesitated. "Would you uo viiauy unv ested in tho outcome of such an affair l" I asked. My voice was strangely husky. "Oh, how can you asm "I mean, on Rosemary's account," I tam- mcred. "He he is her father, you eee. It would mean " "I was not thinking of tho danger to mm, "But can t you seo now aicaanii it womu i. if T wr to kill "Rn-iemarv's father! cried, completely forgetting myself. "Can't you seel" A slow flush mounted to her brow. "That ia precisely what I was thinking, Mr. Smart. It would be unspeakably dreadful." I stood over her. My heart was pounding heavily. She must have seen tho peril that lay in my eyes, for she suddenly slipped out of the chair and faced me, that flush dying in her cheek, leaving it s pale as ivory. "You must not say anything more, Mr. Smart," sha said gently. A bitter smile camo to my lips, and I drew back with a sickening senso of realizatioc. Tbore was nothing more to be said. But I now thoroughly understood one thing: I was in lov. with her I . I am .omcthing of a philosopher. I lub- .,t;,n . t thM time of mv de- ion vuv mj i,uu. -- . i . ,,, fcanri nf the ipweller's clerk proves th. point conclusively. If I failed at that time to inspire leenngs oi iu mi 1 l - - .t,l annrr,nhr what ri?ht urpawfc ui a a'uj ""h' r"-1 - had I to expect anything better from the beautiful Uountess tarnowsy, kuuo tions left nothiug to the imagination! While she was prone to chat without visible restraint at this significantly trying moment, I, being a philosopher, remained ailent and thoughtful. Quito before I knew it, I was myself again a ateady, self reliant person who could mak? the best of a .ituation, who could take his medicine like a man. Lnckily, th. medicine was not so bitter as it might have been if I had made a vulgar, impassioned display of my emotions. Thank heaven, I had that to be thankful for. She was speaking of the buttonless lawyer. Mr. Bangs. "He i waiting to see you thiB evening, Mr. Smart, to discuss ways and means of getting my mother and brothers into the castle without discovery by th. spies who are undoubtedly watching their .very move." I drew in another long, deep breath. It HCCI113 IU UIO .. . - - The risk is tremendous. Why not head her off! "Head ber off! Tou do not know my mother, Mr. Smart. She has made up her mind tnat ner piaco is umb wn." mo, uu thero isn't anything in the world that can head her off, as you say." "But surely you see tne oangerr "I do. I have tried to stop her. Mr. Bangs has tried to stop her. So has father. But she ia coming. We must arrange some thing." t w n.,n the floor In front of her. She bad resumed her place in the chair. "My deepest regret, uonniess, ucs m mo fact that our little visit, will bo well, at an end. Our delightful little .uppers ana "Oh, but think of the comfort it win se to yo not having me on your mind all of a wing . u. w. b,r Wlt he n. . bar and Pt'! mt1C dou' - - - - the time. I .haft not b. lonMome, I shall not be afraid, I shall not t). torever uUU,.e you with selfish demands upon your good na ture. You will have time to write without interruption. It will b. for Uie beat." " uid I. nositively. "They were Jolly parties, and I shall miss them." She looked away quickly. "And, II au goes well, I shall soon be safely on my way w America. Then yon will be rid of m. com pletely." . , t "Ton mean that there i. a plan afoot to to .mnggl. you out of the country. . , . , .j t I hal! have to trouble Lyou again when it comes to tnat. iou mo.. help me, Mr. Bmart. I nodded slewly. ileip ner tu so. - i,.n't thonrht of that lately. The prospect left me rather cold and lick. "I'll do all that I ean, countea.. in ii. j j.i.tin but T waa certain that DUO auiimu - - - I deteeted a challenge a rather unkind enal unrein her eyes. "You will come to ae. mo in Kw York, of course." T .hook my head. "I am afraid we are - .h;.in before thev're hatched. On. or th. other of u. may be in jail for the next few year.. u.., T'll .nm in ftfl VOU in 0W XOTlt, if you'll let me," I eried, trying to repair the damare 4 had none. i " jwa t i 1 i;i " t nnrVered in tboncht. "It has just occurred to m, my dear friend, that even if I do get saieiy left hero to face the consequences. When it becomes known that you sneuereu m, authoritiea may make it extremely uncom fortable for you. M "I'm not worrying about that. "Just the same, it is something to worry about," sho said, seriously. now, ner. is what I have had in minu lor a is. '""s time. Why don't you come with me when 1 leave! That will be the safest plan." "You are not in earnest!" "Aasuredly. Tb. plan is something like this- I am to b. taken by slow stages, over land, to a small Mediterranean port. One of a half-doien American yachts now cruising th. sea will be ready to pick me np. Doesn t it seem eimplet" "It .eems simple enough," .aid I. But there are a lot of 'ifs' between here and the little port you hope to reach. It will not be an easy matter to manage the successful flight of a party as large a. yours will be." "Oh," she cried, "I shall be quite alone, except for Rosemary and Blake and Mr. Bangs." , "But your mother! You cant leave ner "ere. . . v "You will hav. to smuggle jier out oi sue castlo a day or two in advance. It ia all thought out, Mr. Smart." "By Jov.I" I exclaimed, with more irasei- T iinAaA tn nhtiW. "If I SUCCPCd unity maix. ... in doing all that is expected of me. I certainly will be entitled W more man an mi.wuvu im vnii in New York." She arose and laid her finffers upon my bandaged hand. Tne recsiesa ngn. " out of her eyes. - 'I have thought tnat out, too, mr. ouan Bho said, quietly. "And now, good-bye. You n b a a TWr tai,en tnnilrbtf" WIU COIIIO U VU ica.A...-.B- Considerably mystineo oy ner remar., a said I would eome, ana men assisieu u-x through the opening in the wall. She amiled back at me as the portrait swung into place. What did she mean! Was it possible that she meant to have old man Titus reward me i - namn;.,. itl The verv thought of such a thing caused me to double up my tint mw vaoAntlV fllS-aVRreU JIB. I UUI V wad' Afiw nnder mv breath. After a few moments I was conscious of a fierce pain in the back of my hand. v. ... . -hA.j llttla Cnrlishman. 1 - T .k.A l,.n. rith him nsinp mv left i. i with -nnAfflnnna anolorv i danced at the top of hia waiateoat. There waa no button missing. "Th Conntess sewed It on for me," h. said drily, reading my thought.. I stayed late witn uem, aiscussing puns. TTa t,A AtronHv advised aeainst any attempt on Mr. Titus' part to enter her daughter's hiding place, but naa D.en overruiea. i con ceived the notion, too, that h. was a very . a : J .1 -, Wliil Ih.n mncl have been th. .trength of Tin. ntus' resolution to overcome the objection, ne put m -or way! He, too, bad thought It all out. Svery body teems to have thought everything out l.i. . .i.J. ..unti A., tt, A.Alf TTia nlftn W1W Bllla'a A J was not a bad one. Mrs. Titus and her ions were to enter the easue under cover oi night, and I waa to meet them in an auto mobile at a town some fifteen kilometers away, where they would leave the train while their watchers were asleep, and bring them overland to Sehloss Eolhhoefen. They would be accompanied by a single lady'. maid and no luggage. & enarvereu motor boat would meet ui np th. river a few miles, and well, it looked very simple! All that was required of m was a willingness to address her as "Mother" and her sons as "brothers" in case there were any ques tions asked. rrkln maA TnAnAV TltA Mminv nn rnursaay, ana win train reacucu . Thursday, and the train reached the station menuonea at nan-past iweive at mem. you will see it was a Jol'y arrangement DO tnd beauty. Ho finds that she is divorcee. from h,8 rich American father -in-law, whe. Smart of an intrigue with th. w.I. 01 n.. . ' ti aa a.. Ia mv best eneat! I put air. ui"!,. f - - ehamber, and, be it said to my credit, u Countess did not have to suggest i. -. a h., nn the IlttIP As we saia gooa. uiu. ; Unding at the top of th. stairs, she too my bandagea paw bands and said: "You will on b. nd oi m. jot-v. . -Smart. Will you bear with me patiently l a little wnne longeri a - tive, appealing note in her voice. She eeme rtrangely subdued. .. " , . :.a aaa --n-b easier tH"Ji "1 can near wuu I ean hear the thought of being nd ! you," I d in TerT " . , prei.ed my clumsy band fiercely, and 1 felt no pain. . " At "You have been too good to me, we. said in a very small voice ' wf I m out of all tbi. trouble, I may be aMj to tell you how much I appreciate all jk have done for me. n Almost irresistible I was about to .a J uugovernable-impula. , to . h my arm. came over me, . - - hrf ruahed after Mr. Bangs, as blind a. . bjl and reeling for a dosen .teps or more. was a most extraordinary feeling. I found myself wondering if P"n had that effect on all mm. U thi. wa. an mu ration of what, a real paasionat. lov. eM do to a sensible, lev.l-beed I" what, in heaven', name, was th. cmoUW I had characteriaed aa love during my placM Bering sensation - thi. JNo though U 1 J physical contact wim u-j - , had left me weak and trembling and daaM aa I was at this historic momeo.. Bangs wa. chattering in his glil fashion as we descended to my T.M I did not hear hall that ne ram. . - i uiu , .nswera I .urpnsea at lJ " . , maT. to his questionand I am .urether. were several ot tnem m. . ' - to at all. Ha must hv tnougm mannerly person. One remark of his brougbt me is sharply to my senses. I seemed of grasping its awful itrmficane. when aD the others had gone oy "If all goe. well," he was .aying, ah should be Bafely away from here on tfti fourteenth. That leavea less Ulan ! more, sir, under your nospi-sDie ,.t a., ten dava." I repeated. Thii was the fifth of the month. "If all f well. Less than ten days. , Again I . passed i sleepless night. - feeling of the utmost loneliness snS desola tion grew up within me. iss .n-. . , .. u k. "-f,Iv awav irons Ana tnen sne vuw - - -. me. She and Rosemary 1 There was a mgl ray of brightness in the gloom mat my thoughts she had urged me to fly away with her. She did not want to leave m behind to face the perils after she we. safely ont of them, God bless her for, thinking of that I But of course what little common e .nd judgment I bad loft within m. told m that such a course waa entirely ont of Inf question. 1 could not go away with her. I conld do no more than to see her nafely on her way to the queer little port on th eaat coast of Italy. Then I should retar, to my pleak, joyless eastle to my sepulchrj and suffer all the torments of the damned for days and week, until word came thai .he was actually nl m the other .ide oi the Atlantic. What courage, what pluck she had ! OnrnJ. nal. No, a thousand times, nol She wai claiming her own, hex dearest own. Tb devil must have been in the people who set themselvos up a. judges to condemn hen for fighting so bravely for that which Bod had given her. Curse them alll . . . I fear that my thought, became more an4 more maudlin a. the interminable nignt went on. . . Alwavs they came back to the rcsnrn realisation that I wa. to lose her in te days, and that my castle would be like tomb. M Of course the Haaxards and the Billy Smiths were posnble panaceas, but what) eould they bring to ease the pang, of ecret nostalgia! Nothing but their own blissful contentment, their own happiness U make my loneliness seem all th. more hos rible by contrast, wouia n not o- " m to fare it alone! Would it not be betten to live the life of a hermit! Bhe came to visit me at 1- o cioca in. . j t . .i... t-, th,. -tnv. Poonen. dyk. was showing Mr. Bangs over the cast! She waa dressed in gown v m'u gray material, and there was a bunch of violets at her girdle. (To Be Continued.) STENOGRAPHERS WANTED Good Salaries :: Rapid Promotion Yon can learn by mail. Write today or full information. SUCCESS SHORT HAND SCHOOL, Liberty Bldg., Seattle, Wash. Opposite Postoffice.
