15
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL.
A Fool and His Money By George Barr McCutcheon
Copyright, 1018, fay George Bmrr McCutcheon.
IIOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
I BROKE In rashly. "If you please, Mr.
THus, be good enough to keep your tem
per. I have no desire to appear harsh and
arbitrary, but I can see that it is necessary
to speak nlainlv. There isn't anything In the
world I will not do to help you and the
Countess in this unfortunate bum n ess, Mrs.
Pit us, I hone you believe me when I say as
much. I am her friend; I want to be yours
if you will let mo. But I reserve t he right
to sav what shall he and what shall not be
done as ion as you are under my roof. Just
a moment. Mr. Titus! I think we are quite
agreed that vour sister Is to depart from
hero on the fourteenth of the month. I am
to o her escort, so to sieak, for a consider,
able distance, in company with Mr. Bangs.
Well, it must bp clearly understood that not
one uf vou is to show his or her faro out
side these walls until after that journey Is
over. That's blain-speaking, isn't ii?"
"1 shall go where I phase, and I'll go to
the to An today" roared Colingraft, getting
no farther for the reason that his mother,
seeing that I was desperately in earnest,
leave vont to a tittle crv uf alarm and
clutched her blr sun hy the shoulder, bhe
beared him to listen to reason!
Reason!" he gasped.
"If you or sny of you put a foot out
side these nails." 1 declared, "you will not
bo allowed to re-enter. That's flat!"
'By crick v!" fell In fervent admiration
from the line of jtsper. Jr. I glanc-d at Ills
beaming, astonished face. He positively wae
grinning! 'Good for you! You're a wonder,
Mr. Smart! By crick y! And you're dead
right. We're darn fools!"
"Jasner!" gasped Mrs. Titus.
"Good for you, Jasper!" 1 cried warmly,
and took the hand he proffered.
"Colingraft. please take me to my room."
murmured the mother. "I I feel faint.
Bend for Aline. Ask Mr. Bangs to come to
me at once "
I bowed stiffly. I am sorry, Mrs, Tltua,
to have been so harsh, so assertive "
She held uo both hands. "I never was so
spoken to in all my life. Mr. Smart. I
shall not forget It to my dying day."
She walked away from me, her Fretty
head held hltrh and, her chin suspiciously
aqulver. Colingraft hastened after her, but
not without giving me a stare in which
rage and wonder struggled for the mastery.
I ran my hand over my moist brow,
"Gee!" said Jasper. Jr. "You've corked
her ail right, all right." He followed ine
Intj the study and 1 couldn't get rid of him
lor hours.
Later in the forenoon the Countess, with
a uucer little smile on her lips, told ma
that her mot her considered me the most
wonderful, the most forceful character she
had ever encountered. I brightened up at
that.
But Colingraft was not yet through with,
me.
e
CHAPTER XVII.
I Bee to the Bottom of Things:
Vie souEht me out lust before luncheon.
I was in the courtyard, listening patiently
to Jasper. Jr.'s theories and suggestions
conrei nlng the restoration of the entire
facade of the castle, and what he'd do If ha
were In aiv nlace. Strange to say, I was
considerably entertained; he was not at all
offensive: on the contrary, he offered his
ideas In a pleasantly Ingenuous way, always
supplementing them with some such salve
as: "Don't vou think to, Mr. Smart?" or
"I'm uuro vou have thought of It yourself."
or "Isn't that vour idea, too?" or "You've
done wonders with the loint, old man."
iiiincrriift t-ame direct Iv un to where we
were standing. There was trouble In his
eye.
"See here. Mr. Smart." he began austerely.
"I've not something to say io you. and I'm
not the sort to put it off. I appreciate
what vou've done for Aline and sll that
Hurt of thine, but your manner today has
been Intolerable, and we've got to come to
an understanding."
I eved him closely. "I auppose you're
about to siiEnest that one of the other of
us must evacuate get out, bo to speak,"
said I.
Don' talk rubbish. You've got my
mother hawliiier he eye upstairs, and
wishing "he were dead. You've got to come
off this high horse of vours. You've got to
npologiite to her. and damned quick, at that.
Understand?"
"Nothing will five me greater Joy than to
offer h" mv most abject apology. Mr.
Titus, unless It would be her unqualified
forgiveness."
You'll have to withdraw everything you
said." , ...
"I'll withdraw everything except my ulti.
matum in respect to her putting a foot outside-
these waits. That still stands.'
"T he to differ with you."
"You mav bar till you're Mack In the
fae." said T coolly.
Ho swallowed hard. His ace twitched,
end his bunds were clenched.
"You are nrettv much of a murker, Mr.
Smart,' he said, between his teeth. "T m
parry my sister has fallen Into your hands.
The worst of H is. sho seems satisfied with
evcrvtblng vou do. Good Lord! What the
can see In you Is beyond my comprehension.
Protection! Whv you couldn't protect her
from the asaault of a chicken."
"Arc you trvtng to insult me, Mr. Titus?
"You couldn't resent It if I were. There
never was an author with enough moral
backbone to-" 14
''Walt' You are her brother. I don't want
to have 'trouble with vou. Put If you keep
on In this strain. Mr Titus. I shall be com
pelled to thresh you soundly."
Ho fairlv gnsoed. "Th thresh met" he
choked out. Then he advanced.
Much to his surprise nnd, slrnngely
enough, not to mv own I fulled to retreat.
Instead. I extended mv left flat with con
siderable abruptness and precision and he
'landed on his back. '
I experienced ft sensation of unholy Joy.
1TD to that moment I hod wondered whether
1 could do it with mv left hand.
I lOOkea 8t jaspor, .ir. no nun oiaiiiiH v
na In utter bewilderment.
"(lOOd LOrUI PU JUU vu tviiui-iveu mm
flo w n '
"I 'didn't think I could do It," said I
hlHV'spranor to his brother's side, and as
sisted him to a sitting nosture.
"Right to the Jaw," shouted Jasper, with
$, strange enthusiasm.
"T,eft." I corrected hlm:
Colingraft gaxed about Mm In a stupid,
vacant fashion for a moment, and (hen al
lowed Ms glazed eves to res); upon me. He
sat rather limply. I thought.
"rA vou hurt. Collv?" cried Jasper, Jr.
A slcklv grin, more of surprise than
name, stole over Collngraft's face. He put
his hand to hie law; then to the back of
'"Bv Jove!" ho murmured. "t T didn't
think he had U In Mm. Let m get up!"
Jaswr. Jr. was discreet, "Better let well
enough alone, old"
"I Intend to." said Colingraft, at he
struggled" to his feet.
p,,r a moment fc faced me, uncertainly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Titus." snld I calmly.
"You vou are a wonder!" fell from Ms
lips. 'I'm not a coward. Mr. Smart. I've
boxed a good deal In my lime, but by
jovrt. I never had a lolt like that."
He turned abruptly and left us. Wo fol
lowed him slowly toward the steps. At the
bottom he stopped and faced me again.
"You're a better man than I thought," he
said. "If you'll bury the hatchet, to will I.
I take back what I said to you, not because
I'm afraid of vou. but because I respect
you. What say? Will you shake hands?"
The surly, arrogant expression was gone
from hlB face. In Ha niace was a puzzled,
somewhat Inquiring look.
, "N'o hard feeling on my part," I cried
gladly. We shook hands. Jasper, Jr. slapped
ine on th hack. "It's a most distressing,
atavistic habit I'm setting into, knocking
people down without rhyme or reason."
"I daresav you had reason," muttered
Colingraft. "I got what was coming to me."
An eager light crept into his handBome
eves. "By Jove, we can get in some corking
work with the gloves while I'm here. I
box cum a bit at home, and I mist It
traveling about like this. What say to a
half-hour or ao every day? I have the
gloves in one of my trunks. I'm getting
horriblv seedy. I need stirring up."
"Charmed. I'm sure," I said, assuming an
enthusiasm I did not feci. Put on the plovea
with this strapping, skillful boxer? Not 11
I was firmlv resolved to stop while my
record was good. In a scientific clash with
the gloves be would soon find out what a
miserable dutfer I was.
"And Jappy, here. It no slouch, He's as
sliiftv as the dickens."
"The shiftier the better," said I. with
great aplomb. Jasper. Jr.. stuck out his
chest nioiieiitly. and said: "Oh, piffle. Colly."
But lust the same I hadn't the least doubt
in mv mind that Jasper could "put It all
over me." It was a rather sickening admit,
aion, though strictly private.
We rnaiio our way to my study, where I
mildly suggested that we refrain from men
tioning our little encounter to Mrs. Titus
or the Countess. I thought Colingraft was
especially pleasud with the idea. We swore
secret v.
"I've always been regarded as a peaceful,
harmless grub," I explained, still somewhat
bewildered by the feat I had performed,
and considerably shaken by the fear that
I whs degenerating into a positive ruffian,
"t'ou will believe me. I hope, when I de
clare that I was merely acting In self-defense
when T "
He actually laughed. "Don't apologise."
He could not resist the Impulse to blurt out
once more: "By Jove I didn't think you
could do it."
"With my left hand, too," I'eaid wonder
Ingty. fetching myself up, I hastily changed
the subject
A little later on. as Colingraft left the
room, slyly feeling of his Jaw," Jasper, Jr.,
whispered to me excitedly: "You've got
him eatfn out of your hand, old top."
Things were coming- to a pretty pass, said
I to mvself when I waa all alone. It cer
tainly is a prettv pass when one knocks
down the ex-husband and the brother of
the woman he loves, and Quite without the
least suspicion of an inherited pugnacity.
had a little note from the Countess that
afternoon, ceremoniously delivered by Helena
Marie imise Antoinette, It read as follows:
"You did colingraft a very good turn when
you laid him low this morning. He Is tlre
somely interested In his prowess as a box
maker, or a boxster, or whatever it Is In
athletic narlance. He has been like a lamb
all afternoon and he really can't ret over
the way vou whacked him. (Is what the
word? i At first he was as mum as could he
about it. but I think he really felt relieved
when 1 told him I had seen the whole af
fair from a window Hi my hall. You see it
gave him a chance to explain how you got
In the whack, and I have been obliged to
listen to intermittent lectures on the manly
urt of self-defense all afternoon, first from
him, then from Jappy. I have a headache,
and no means of defense. He admits that he
deserved it. but I am not surprised. Colly
la a sporting chap. He hasn't a mean drop
of blood In his body. You have made a
friend of him. So please don't feel that I
held a grudge against you for what you did.
The ftinnv nart of It all is that mamma
quite agrees with him. She says he de
served it! Mamma is wonderful, really,
when it comes to a o!nch. She has given up
all thought of 'putting a foot outside the
castle.' Can you have luncheon with us to
morrow? Would it bo too much trouble If
we were to have It in the loggia? I am Just
mad to get out-of-doors if only for an hour
or two In that walled-in spot. Mr. Poopen
dyke has been perfectly lovely. He came up
this morning to tell me that you haven't
sneezed at all and there Isn't the remotest
chance now that vou will have a cold. It,
seems ho was afraid you might. You must
have a very rugged constitution. Brit ton
told Blako that most men would have died
from exposure if they had been put In your
place. How- good you are to me.
"A LINK T.
"P. ?. I may come down to see you this
evening."
I shall skip over the rather uninteresting
event? of the next two or three days. Noth.
Ing of ronseouence happened, unless you
are willing to consider Important two per
fectly blissful nights of sleep on my part.
Also. I had the pleasure of taking the
fuunteps "out walking" in mv courtyard,
to use a cdloouiailsm: once In the warm,
sweet sunshine, again 'ncath the glow of a
radiant moon. Sho had not been outside
the castle walls, literally, in more than five
weeks, and the color leaped hack Into her
cheeps with a rush that delighted me. I
may mention in passing that I paid particu
lar attention to her suggestion concerning
my dilapidated, gone-to-seed garden, al
I hough T had been bored to extinction by
Jasper. Jr. when he undertook to enlighten
me hortlc.iHurally. She agreed to come forth
everv day and assist me in building the
noor thing no: propping It, bo to speak.
As for Mrs. Titus, that really engaging
ladv made life bo easy for me that I won
dered whv I had ever been apprehensive.
She was milto wonderful when "It camo to
a pinch." I began to understand a good
litnuv things about her. chief among them
being her unvoiced theories on matrimony.
While she did not actually commit herself.
I had no difficulty In ascertaining that,
from her point of view, marriages are not
made In heaven, and that a properly ar
ranged divorce is a great deal less terrestrial
than It Is commonly supposed to be. She
believed matrimony as a trial and divorce
as a reward, or something to that effect.
Mv opinion seemed to carry considerable
weight with her. For a day or two after
our somewhat sanguinary encounter, she
was prone to start even to Jump slightly
when I addressed myself to her with unin
tentional directness. She soon got over
lhf:t. however.
We were discussing A line's unfortunate
venture Into the utate of matrimony and T,
feeling temporarily august and superior,
managed to sav tli wrong thing and in
doing so nut mvself In n position from which
I couid not recede without Iors of dignity.
If mv memorv serves me correctly I re
marked, with some asperity, that marriages
of that kind never turned out well for any
oim except the bridegroom.
She looked at me coldly. "I am afraid,
Mr. Smart, that you have been putting some
very bad notions into my daughter's heed,"
she ?ald.
"Had notion!?" I murmured.
"Hhe has developed certain pronounced
and raihr extraordinary views concerning
the nobility as the result of your ah
argument I may say."
"I'm very soru". I know one or two ex
ceedingly nice noblemen, and I've no doubt
there are a great many more. She must
have misunderstood mo. I wasn't running
down the nobility. Mrs. Titus. 1 was merely
questioning the advisability of elevating it
in the wav we Americans sometimes do."
"You did not put H so adroitly in dis
cussing the practice with Aline," she said
quickly. "Granted that her own morria:;e
was a mistake. a dreadful mistake, it
does no; follow that all International
matches are failures. I would just as soon
be unhappily married to a duke as to a
dry-gojds merchant. Mr. Smart."
"But not at the same price, Mrs. Titus,"
I remarked.
She smiled. "A husband is dear at any
price."
"I shouldn't out It Just that way," I
protested. "A good American husband i
a necessity, not a luxury."
"Well, to go back to what I started to say,
Allue is very bitter about matrimony as
viewed from my point of view, I am sorry
to sav I attribute her attitude to your ex
cellent counseling."
"You flatter me. I was under the impres
sion she took her lessons of Tarnowsy."
"Granted. But Tarnowsy was unfit. Why
tar all of them with the same stick? Taere
are good ioblemen, you'll admit."
"But they don't need rehabilitation."
"Aline, I fear, will never risk another ex
periment. It's rather calamitous, isn't it?
Wheu one stops to consider her youth,
beauty and all the happiness theiu may
"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Titus, but I
think vour fears are groundless.
"What do you meen?"
"The Countess will marry again. I am
not betravlne a secret, becauso sue lias In
timated as much to my secretary a well as
to me. I take It that as soon as this
unhappy affair is settled, she will be free
to reveal the true state of her feelings to
ward " I stopped, somewhat dismayed by
inv garrulous turn,
"Toward whom?" she fairly snapped.
"I don't know," I replied truthfully and,
I fear, lugubriously.
"Good heaven!" she cried, starting up
from the bench on which we were sitting
in the loggia. There was a queer expres
sion In her eves. "Hasn't hasn't Bhe ever
hinted at hasn't she mentioned any one at
all?"
"Not to me."
Mrs. Ti'-us was aeiiated, I could see that
very plainly. A thoughtful frown appeared
on her smooth brow, and a gleam of anxiety
sprang into her eves.
"I am sure that she has had no oppor
tunity to" She did not complete the sen-te-nce.
in which there was a primary note of
perplexity and wonder.
It grilled me to discover that she did not
even so much as take me into considera
tion. "You mean since the er divorce?" I in
quired. "rib o has been in seclusion all of the
time. She has seen tio man, that is to say,
no roan for whom she could possibly enter
tain a But, of course, you are mistaken
in your impression, Mr. Smart. There is ab
solutely nothing in what you say."
"A former sweetheart, antedating her
marriage," 1 suggested hopelessly.
"She has no sweetheart, uf that I am
positive," said sho with conviction.
"She must have had an army nf admirers.
They were lesion after hr martiage, I may
be pardoned for reminding you.'
Sho started, "Has she never mentioned
Lord Amberdale to you?" she asked.
"Ambcrdale?" I repeated, w ith a queer
sinking of the heart. "No, Mrs. Titus. An
Englishman ?"
She was mistress of herself once moro.
In a very de-gnge manner she informed mo
that his lordship, a most attractive and
honorable young Englishman, had been one
of Aline's warmest friends at the time of
the divorce proceedings. But, of course,
there was nothing In that! They had been
good friends for years, nothing more, and
ho was a nerfect dear.
But she couldn't fool me. I could see that
there was something working at the back
ot. her mind, but whether she was distressed
or gratified 1 was not by way of knowing.
"I've never heard her mention Lord Am
berdale," said 1.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Hod I but
known, the mere fact that the Count ess
had not spoken of his lordship provided
her experienced mother with un excellent
reason for believing that there was some
thing between them. She abruptly brought
the conversation to a close and left me,
saying that she was off for her beauty nap.
Alone. I soon became a prey to certain
disquieting thoughts. Summed up, they re
solved themselves Into a condition of cer
tainty w hlch admitted of but one aspect:
the charming Countess was in love with
Amberdale. And the shocking part of It all
waa that she was in love with him prior to
her reparation from Tarnowsy! I felt a
cold perspiration start out all over my
body ns (his condition forced . Itself upon
me. He was the man : he had been the
man from the beginning. My heart wss
like lead for the rest of the day, and, very
curiously, for a leaden thing it was subject
to nafn.
Just before dinner, Brltton, after inspect.
Ing me out of the corner of his eye for some
time, advised me to try a little brandy.
"You look seedy, sir he said with con
cern In his voice. "A cold setting in per
haps, sir."
I tried the brandy, but not because I
thought I was taktnir a cold. Somehow it
warmed mo up. There is virtue in good
spirits.
The Countess was abroad very early the
next mornng. I discovered her in the court
yard, riving directions to Max and Rudolph
who were doing some spading in the gar
den. She looked very bright and trah and
enticing In the light of an early moon, and
I was not only pleased but astonished,
having been led lo believe n!l mv life that
a woman, no matter how pretty she may be,
appears at her worst when the day is
young.
I joined her at once. Sho gave me a gay,
accusing smile.
"What have you beon saying to mother?"
sho demanded, as sho sho-dt hands with me,
"I thought you were to be trusted."
I flushed uncomfortably, "I'm sorry,
Countess. I I didn't know U was a se
cret." She looked at me somewhat quizzically
for a moment. Then she laughed softly, "It
is a secret."
"I hope I haven't got you into bad odor
with your"
"Oh. dear me. no! I'm not In the least
worried over whnt mother may think. I
shall do as I please, so there's the end of
it."
I swallowed something thnt seemed to be
stinking In mv throat, "Then it is true
that vou arc going to marry"
"Oulte." she Rnid succinctly.
I was silent for a moment, "W 11, I'm
I'm glad to know it In time," I "said, rather
mom gruffly than was necessary.
She smiled too merrily. I thought. "You
must not tell any ono else about it, how
ever." - "I can promise that," I said, a sullen rs
in my soul. "Devils could not drag It out
of me. Rest easy."
It occurred to me afterwards that she
laughed rather Jerkily, you might say un
easily. At any rate, she turned away and
began speakine to Max.
"Have vuu bad your breakfast?'' I asked
stupidly.
"No."
."Neither have I. will you join me?"
"Isn't It awning to be a habit?"
"Breakfast or vou?"
"Breakfast and me."
"1 confess, mv dear Countess, that I like
you for breakfast." I said gallantly.
"That is a real tribute." she said demure
ly, and to fk her place beside me. Together
we crossed the courtyard.
On the steps Colingraft Titus was stand
ing, i uttered an audible groan and winced
as if iu dire nafn.
"What is It ?" she cried quickly,
"Rheumatism." I announced, carefully
raising mv riant arm and affecting an ex
pression of torture. I am not a physical
coward, kind reader. The fact that young
Mr. Titus carried in his hands a set of
formidable looking boxing-gloves did not
frighten me. Heaven knows, if It would
give him any pleasure to siara me about
with a pair of gloves, I am not without
manliness and pluck enough to endure phy
sical nain and mental humiliation. It was
diplomacy, cunning, astuteness, whatever
you mav choose to caJI it, that stood be
tween me and a friendly encounter with
him. Two minutes time would serve to
convince him that he was my master, and
then where would I be? Where would be
the prestige I had gained ? Where my
record as a conqueror? "I must have caught
cold In my arms and shoulders." I went on,
making worse faces than before as I moved
the afflicted parts experimentally,
"There!" she exclaimed ruefully. "I knew
you woull catch cold. Men always do. I'm
so sorry."
"It's nothing." I made haste to explain:
"that is, nothing serious. I'll get rid of it
in no time at all." I calculated for a min
ute. "A week or ten days at the most.
Good morning. Colingraft."
'Morning. Hollo, sis. Well" He dangled
the cloves before my eyes.
Mv disappointment was quite pathetic.
"Tell him." I said to the Countess.
"He's ail crippled up with rheumatism,
Colly." she said. "Put those ugly things
a way. We're goinsr in to breakfast."
He tossed the gloves into a corner of the
vestibule. I felt a little ashamed of my
subterfuge in the face of his earnest ex
pression of concern.
"Tell you what Til do." he said warmly.
"I know how to rub a fellow's muscles"
"Oh. I have a treasure in Britton," said
I, hastily. "Thanks, old man. He will work
it out of me. Sorry we can't have a go this
morning."
The worst of It all was that he insisted,
as a matter of personal education, on
comtne to mv room after breakfast to watch
the expert maneuvers of Britton in kneading
the stiffness out of my muscles. He was
looking for new Ideas, he explained. I first
consulted Britton and then resignedly con
sented to the demonstration.
To mv surprise, Britton was something of
an expert. T confess that he almost killed
me with those strong, iron-like hands of
his: if I was not sore when be began with
me. I certainly was when he finished.
Colingraft was most enthusiastic. He sala
he'd never seen anv one manipulate the
muscles so cientificslly as Britton, and
ventured the opinion that he would not
have to repeat the operation often. To my
self I said that he wouldn't have to repeat
it at all.
We bo-rnn laving our plans for the four
teenth. Communications arrived from Italv,
addressed to me but Intended for either the
Countess or the rather remote Mr. Bangs,
who seemed better qualified to efface him
self than any human being I've ever seen.
These letters informed us that a yacht-tone
of three now cruising in the Mediter
ranean would call at an appointed port on
such and such a day to take her out to sea.
Everything was being arranged on the out
side for her wnue from tho continent, and
precision seemed to be tho watchword
Of course I couldn't do n stroke of work
on mv novel. How could I be expected ru
devote mvself to fiction when fact was
staring me in the face so engagingly? We
led an Idle. Oolce fur niente life in these
days, with an underlying touch of anxiety
and excitement that Increased as the day
for her departure drew near. I confess to
a sickenitis sense of depression that could
not be shaken off.
Half of mv lime was sn nt In plavfng with
Ttosemarv. She became deafer to mo with
each succeeding day. I knew I should miss
her trenu'ndouslv. I should even miss Jinko,
who didn't like me. but who no longer
growled at me. The castle would be a verv
gloomv. drear place after they were out of
it. I found mvself wondering how long I
would be able to endure the loneliness Se
eretlv I cherished the Idea of selling tho
Place if I could find a lunatic in the mar
ket An unexpected, diversion came one day
when, without warning and figuratively out
of a clear t-kv, the Hansards and the Billy
Smiths swooped down upon me. Thev had
come un the river in the power boat 'for a
final September run. and planned to stop
over r.itfht with me!
They were the last people In the world
whom I could turn away from mv door.
There inkht have beon a ohanco to put
them un for the night and still avoid dis
closures, had not circumstances ordered that
the Countess ntid I should be working In
the tarilen at tho very moment that
broupht them pounding at the postern gates.
Old Conrad opened the pate in complete
Ignorance ,of our presence in the garden.
(Wo happened to be in a somewhat obscure
nook nnd seated upon a sfine bench -90
he must be held blameless. The
quartet brushed past the n!! nrtn and I,
hearing their chatter, foolishly exposed my.
self.
I shall not attempt to describe the scene
that followed their discovery of the Countess
Tarnowsy. Ho it said, however, to the credit
of Elsie tind Bcttv Hilly, the stariled refugee
was fairlv smothered in kisses and tears and
almost deafened by the shrill, dellphuid ex
clamations that fell from their eager lips.
I doubt if there ever was such a sensation
before!
Thev brought rather interesting news con
cerning the Count. It appears that he and
tho Baron had qunrreled nnd at the time of
mv friends' depart ore from Vienna It was
prettv generally understood that thcro would
bo a duel.
"I never liked the Baron," I ta!d, with a
grim smile that could not have been misin
terpreted, "but 1 hope to heavens he Isn't
killed."
Mrs. Titus sighed. "Tarnowsy Is regarded
as a wonderful marksman."
"Worse luck!" crow led Colingraft, filoom-
II y twlddllm his thumbs.
"What kind of a shot Is the Baron" asked
Jasper, Jr , hopefully.
No .one was able to enlUlitf-n him, but
BUlv Smith shook Jiis head dolefully.
"Maris Tarnowsy is a dead .hot. IIo'U
pot the Baron sure."
"Itaitg it all." said I, and then lapsed Into
n horrified silence.
, iTo Be Continued.)