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.