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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1914)
19 HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money By Geo. Ban McGutcheon Copyright, 1913, By Geo. Bare MeCutcheon. SYNOPSIS OF PEBVIOtJS INSTALLMENTS. In the opening Installments of "A Fool and His Money," Geo. Barr McCutheetTB charming novel, we lrn ef John Bellamy Bmart, the young man who la .telling thin twy. H has just written hi first novel, and at tli itma lime hae fallen heir to an immense fortune left him by hie unele. Smart takes e trip on th River Dumbis. He wmeorers an ancient castle, which he purchases from an Austrian count. WUh hie secretary, Poopendyke, he takes possession. It ie supposed to be tenanted only by the care ker and hie family, tho Schraieks. Later Smart finds a woman who la in possession of a wing of the eaetle that is berred to him. Bhe grants a brief interview, but refuses) to leve. Tho earranU appear to be in leasee with her, and Bmart is in a quandary. J1" mU her and ie captivated hy her wit and beauty. He finds that the is divorced fmm a worthless and scheming Austrian Count, who was awarded the custody of the lady's child. The Count demands a million dollnrs from Ins rich American father-in-law, whan he would Rive it op. The mother abducts the child and selects the eastla as a hiding place. 8mart fears trouble with the authorities, but decidoa to assist tho fair divorcee, although tho warns him of the dinger. A number of visitors makes it difficult to keep socret the presence of the Countess in the casUe.. One guest, familiar with the castle, almost comes upon Hmart and the Countess unawares. The woman eacapea bui slsms a door behind her. Tho visitor suspects &mart o( an iatrifc-ue with the wile el hie alet. JPUally the party leaves and Smart is rulieved. Tho Count turns up again and aska for a loan of money, but is refused, HOME AND FA TIM MAGAZINE SECTION M A U HUSBANDS are had," I said, "but some are mors pre-eminently evil than others. I am not finding fault with Tarnowsy as a husbsnd. lie did just what wuh expected of him. He did what he sot out to do. lie isn't to be blamed for living up to his crued, There are bad hus bands in America, and had wives. Hut they wont into the game blindly, most of thorn. They didn't find out their mistake uutil after the marriage. The samo statement applies to husbands and wives the world j ever. I hold a brief only against the mar- j riape wherein the contracting parties, their farmlicH, their friends, their enemies, their hankera and (heir creditors know beforehani that it's n business proposition and not a sacred compact. Hut we've gone into all thin beore. Why rako it up again." ''hot there aro many happy marriages be tween American girls and foreign noblemen duxetiK of them that I could mention." "I gnTit you that. I know of a few myself, but 1 think if you will reflect for a moment you'll find that money had no place in the covenant. They married because they laved one another. The noblemen in iii-h pnses are real noblemen, and their Americun wives aro real wives. Thero aro no Count Tamowsya smuiig them. My blood curdles when I think of you being married to a man of the Turnnwsy type. It is that eort of a marriflire that 1 execrate." iho boy and sell kind!" alio said, and her eyes fell. The color had faded from her cheek. "Y. The pretm-dltaled murder type." She looked up alter a amoment. Then was a lilak expression in her even. "ill yon belirvo me if I say to you Utal J went into it Mindly V wwd b!cnR my ntml, J am sore of it," 1 tried earnestly, "You hud never been in love, lmt did not know," "I havo told you llmt I believed mvNeJ to he in li'Tf with Maris. Doesn'tdoesn't that help mutter a little hitf" I looked away. Tho hurt, appealing look . was in her eyes. It had come at lait, find, upon my pouI, 1 wan an little prepared to repel it as when T entered the room hours eijo aft' r having livnl in fear of it for hours before that. I looked nway because I knew that T should do something ranh If I woro to lose my h"ud for n instant. She wan liko an unhappy pleading child, i olemnly affirm that it was tender heartrd neps fhat moved mo in thin crucial instant What man could hare felt otherwise! 1 uPMinied a coldly impersonal tone. "Not a fiiiKlo editorial in any of the papers holds you renpnnftiMfl for what happened in New ork, 1 said. Plie lifRan to colt pet the tendered ncwiv paper elippincn and the type-writ ten tran scriptions. I gnlhered up those in tho corner and laid them in her lap. Her fingers trembled a little. "Throw them in the fireplace, pltne," h laid in a low voice. "1 kept them only for tho purpore nf showinc (hem to yon. Oh, how I hate, how 1 loaihe It allt" When I came hnek from tho fireplace, nho was lying back in the hie. ooinfortahle chair, a enreleKS, mhimKicsl smile on her lips. 81 1 was nn serene nn if she had never known what it wan to have, a heart-pang or nn in stant of regret in all her life. 1 could not undnrfltsnd that "ido of her. "And now I hsve some pleasant news for yen," she said. , "My mother will ho here en Thursday. Yon will not like her, of eonmo, heean you are already prejudiced, but I know she will like yon." I knew I thnnld hate her mother, hut of course U would net do to say so. "Next. Thursday!" I inquired. Rhe nodded hr head, "I hope the will like nr" I udd tc feeling that it was necessary, "Indeed." Tho Colingraft family was one f the oldest and most exclusive In New York. I had n vstuo recollection of hnaring one of my fastidious friends at home Bay that It mnst have born a hitter Mow to the Cotingrsfts when, as an expedient, sho mar ried the vulgarly rich Jasper Titus, then of Bt. Paul, Minnesota. It had been a el oar case t marrying the money, not the man. Aline marriage, therefore, was dne 'to hereditary cold handedness and not to covetousnesi, "A fine old name. Countess." "Titun tnggml titles, therefore It has om t to be our family name," the said, with her astir! c smile. "Yon will Ilk my father. He loves me more than any one elso in the world more than all the world, lie (a mak ing the great fight for me, Mr. Bmart, He would buy off the Count tomorrow If I wmild wermlt him to do. Of lata I have born think ing vary icrionsty ef anggewUni 11 to him It would be the simplest way ont ef our tronhles, wouldn't H1 A million tl nothing Id my father. " "Nothing at all, I submit, In view of the tact that It may be the means of saving yon from term In prison for abducting Koeemary I" She paled. Do r reaJly think they wvald put ma In prison t" "Unquestionably," X proootmtwd em phatically. "Oh, dear!" ahe B armored. "ftut they can't leak yon np until they've naght yon," eaifl I reassuringly, "And I will lea to It that they do not eaten you." "I I am depending on yon entirely, Mr. Smart," aho laid suiionsly. "Boss day I ay be In a position to repay you for all lb kittduesn "Please, please I " " and all the risk yon are taking for me," she completed. "You see, yon haven't the excuso any longer that you don't know my name and story. You are liable to he arrested ynurBolf for " There came a sharp rapping on the door at this InRtant a rather imperative, sinister rapping, if one wore to Judge hy the way we started and the way we looked at each other. We laughed nervously. 'Goodness I You'd think Sherlock Holmes himself was at the door," the cried. "See who it Is, please." I went to the door, roependyke was there. lie waa visildy excited. Can you eome down at onen, Mr. Smart!' he said in a voiee not meant to rearrh the ears of the Oountes. "Wha'.'s npV' T questioned sharply. 'The Jig, I'm afraid," he whispered sen- tenlionsly. Peopendyke, being a stenog rapher, never waHted words, lie would have msilo a fine playwright. "Good ljord! Peteetiresl" "o. Count Tarnowsy and a atranger. "Jtn possible!" i he t'ountoCT. nlartnM by our manimr. qoi kiy crossed the room. "what is it? she demand. "Tho Count is downntnirs," T aid. "Don't he alarmed. Nothing can happen. You" She laiiRheil. "V)h, n that all T My dear Mr. Smart, he has rtme to see yon about I ho frewoeB." ' ' Hut I have Insulted him 1 1 ' "Not permanently," ahe said. "I kmw him too well. Ho is like n li-eeh. He har nven yon time to reflect and thereffi-e re tret ynur action nf the nthcr night, down und seo him," I'oopendy1; volunteered further ir,frrmu- lion. "TIito is aim n man down there ehfp lookitig nron who ssys he must see tho C-iinies Tiimowsy at once."' " A middle-act d man wilh the irper Vut- Ion of liiH wuititcmt of! ?" she irski'd nhnrr "T 1 eun'i say ns to the lmtlon." "I :n exjieeiing one of my law yrrs. It mtiut he he. Me wa to luivo n hiitlnn off, ' "I'll look him over auain," said Pne-pen-dyke. "Dn, And he careful tiflt to 1 t the Count ratrh ti flimpse of him'. That would he final." "No dancer nf (hat. Ho went nt o?tre to old Omrad's room." "flood! I hiwl a notn frmn him this mom inn, Mr. Pmnrl. Ho is Mr. llatiKH of Don don. ' 1 Mar I injure, CtuintesH, how vou man aco to havo letters delivered to ymi Iwrr- ? Isn't It extremely dinijreron lo have them go through the mnilH," ' "They are all directed tn the Sclimi'-kt ." sho explained. "They are purred on to me, Now go and see the Oonnt. Don't lend h.tn any money." "1 Klin 11 probably kick him off the cliff," T snid, wilh n srnwl. She In ij her hand upon mv arm. " P rnieful," sho raid very earnestly, "for m sakr. " Poopendyle had alreurly Marled down th tai.'. 1 rain-d Iht hard tu my lip. Titc.i I niFhed away, cnrsinir niyielf for a fuel, an ingrate, a premmptiinns li'iunder. My tmi'iille'l fur n-i had brought a swift fliifh of anger to her cheek. I saw It quit'' plainly ns she lowered her head and dr'W back into thn shadow nf thn rurtnin. lioutiderl That Is whet I was for tiikiiit id vanlage of ber simple trust in me. Sintire to Fiiy, she came to thn bond nf Iho rttarn and watrlhd me until I wan out of biht in (lie hull, helow. Tho Count was wnltinc for me in the lopjis. It was quite warm and ho fanned himnelf Inrily with his broad Ktrnw hul, As I approached, ho loned his eljjnrettr over the wall and hiisloned to meet me. Therv waa A quaint diffident smile on his lip. "It Is good to sen you again, old fel low," he said, wilh an amiability that sur prised me, "I was afraid ynu might hold a grievance against ine. Yon Anierioiins are queer chaps, you know. Our little tilt of the other evening, ynu understand, Blupid way for two grown up men to behave, wasn't IW Of course, the explanation Is simple, W had been drinking. Men do silly things in their cups." Consummate assurance! I had not tou'hed a drop of anything that ntght. "I sssuro you, Co tint Tarnowsy, tho little tilt, ss you are pleaded to call it, was of no ctn sequence. I hsd suite forgotten thai It occurred, fiorry you reminded me of It." The irony was wasted. Hobeamerl, "My dear follow, shall wo not shake hsudsT" There was something Irresistibly winning about him, as I've said before. Hotnethinir boyish, Ingenuous, charming what you will that went far toward accounting for many things that you who have never seen him may consider inoompreheniible. A certain Wariness took posretalon of me. t eould well afford to temporise. We shook bands with what seemed to be genuine fermr. "I suppose yon are wondering hat brings me here," ho said, as wo started toe aid the entrance to the loggia, his srro through mine. "I do not forget a promise," Mr. Hmart You may remember (bat I agreed to fetch ft man from Munches to look over your flue old frescoes and to give yon an estimate, well, he It hers, the very best man ia Europe,' ' 'I am sure I am greatly Indebted to yen, Count," I said, ''hat after thinking It over Don't say that you have already en gaged sorao one to do the work," he eried in horror. "My dear fellow, don't tell me that! Yod are certain to make a dreedfwl mistake if ' you listen -to any one but Schwartsmullcr. He ia the last word in restorations. He is the best bet, you would say In New York. Any one elte will make a botch of the work. Yon will earse tho day you " ' I checked him. "I have virtually decided to let the whole matter aro ever until next aprini;. However, I shall be happy to have Mr. BchwartxmuMer's opinion. . We may be able to plan ahead." A look of disappointment flitted acres his face. Tho suggestion of hard old age crept into his fcatuxt'S fer a second and then die-1 appeared. "Delays are dangerous," he aaid. "My judgment is that tuoee gorgooas paintings will disintegrate more during the coming win ter than in all tho years gone by. They are at the critical stag. If not preserved now wid, 1 cannot bear to think of the eon senueiioes, All, here is Herr Sohwartz muller," s J lint Inside the door, we came upon a pom pous yet servile (ierman who eould not by any uu-ans have been mistaken for anything but the last word rn restoration. I have never bciwi any one in my life whoso ap pearance Huggnsied a more complete stale of rehabilitation, I i b frock coat was new, it had the unfailing smell of new wool frenhly dyed; his shoos were painfully new; his gloves wero new; his ailk hat was rcsplcnd enily new; his fat jowl was shaved to a j luminous pink; hia gorgeous mouKtaehe was iwiMi'd up ut the eiida to such a degree that I he smiled the pjinls wavered In front j of liii f.vt . ciniHtn? bim to blink with eiUm- ' itluneut, lie was undeniably dretised up for 1 the oeriiMon. My critical eye, however, dis- ! r:iv-red a pair of well-worn Mripd trousors ! n;i4" vlainixl. chphily frayed at the hot tout and hielim d to bug outward at the knee, Perhnps I fliould have suid that he whm dvpssed up from the knee. 'Thin is the preal Herr SHiwartzmuller, of the luijieriat ullej-ies in Mum-lieu," Raid the t'niiiit, inli'odueing ns. Tito strans'T bowed very profoundly and at the aanie time extracted a busineft card from thn uil ptc-ket of hia eat. This he Uilivertd to me wilh a smilo which seemed t.i invito me to participate in a great and i;eriini secret-the secret nf irrr.prunrbaM riMT-'diiig aii an art expert and oouiioisseur. I i'4'iifiH8 to a mistaken linprrHioii eoncern- iig him up to the mnnv-nt he lianded me hn i chmisy l-uf.inefs raid. My sutp'rious had him riwu M a confederate of Conn, 'i'urn'n'i.y, a spy, a secret agent or what ever you cliuohe to consider one who is 1'inpli'Ved In furthering A secret purpne. ftut the liiisinesr. card removed my doubtn and nii-f i vn!;n, It nUiuimmI him for wlml ho rehliy wk there is u mistaking a tier niun v.ho hand you his biiKinpss card. Ho dcftrnyn all possible clixtiro fur disminsion, In three limifuarc the card luinouiieed tlir.l he was "August Pi-liwarlrniullrr, of the hnperinl t:iill-ri't', Munchfii, Ziimpo , k S.Jiw.trif.miilltr, proprietors. Restorations a lMi'isli," 'thero wms much more, but I did not have time to rend all of it. More uMr, thi card was a trifle soiled, as if it hd been uai-d beforij. Thero eould be no doubt as to h'S nt'uuinrjiens, He was an art expert. l ir ton miTint.es T all n wed them to expati ate 011 the iiorili of procrastination in the treiitinriit of raro old canvases aiid pig m,T,i, stid then, having fnrmnlsted my pl.itu., 1-lntidly inquired what the eost wooU he. It appears thst Herr 8chwsrumnl.ler htid exuminvil the froseoea no longer than mx mouths before Nrw York gentlf dithl kd lnv'1 1 He Was unuhlv nume. M snm. "I should hun dred and iVft rhaps lesn," said th eyo upward dome of the Uie Vast 0110 It out In iiHh and Ini.hvs, The Count as watching me with an eager light in His eyes. Ho looked away as 1 shot a quick glance At his fane. Tha whole mat ter becamo as clear as day to me. He was to receive a haudnnma commission If thn eoniTset was awarded. Ne doubt his share wn)d be at least half ef the amount stipu lated, I bad reason to bolters that tin work eould bo performed at a profit for less than half tho figure mentioned by the (jrrman. "Nearly forty thousand dollars, la other words." ssid 1 reflectively. "They srn worth ten times that amount, sir," ssid the expert gravely, I smiled aknpiiDelly. Tha Count took In stant alarm. He realised that I was not such a fool as I looked, perhaps, "Hnhendshl was onos nf feted two hun dred and fifty thousand dollars, Mr. Bmart," he said. "Why didn't h accept Ut" I naked blnntly. "He sold the wools pi see to see, contents Included, for less than half that amount." "It was years ago, before he was rn 4uch dire smuts," be explained sulekly. A terrible suspicion entered my head. I ieU myself turn sold. If the frescoes were t t 1 iaHMLuXu ft' A genuine they were worth all that Schwarta mnllor declared ; that being the case why should Ho h end s hi hsve let them eome to me fer practically nothing when there wesw doaens of collectors who would havo paid the full price 1 1 swallowed hard, but many Aged to control my voice "As a matter ef fact, Connt Tanoery,, I said, resorting to unworthy means, "I have every reason to believe that Huh en da hi sold the origiorfle sometime ago, aud had then replaced on the sailings by clever imitations. They ore not worth the canvas they ax painted en." He started. I intercepted the swift look of apprehension that psssed from him to the stolid Bchwartsmuller, whose face tnrne shade redder. "Impossible!" eried Tarnowsy sharply. "By ne meant impossible," I said eaten ly, mow sure ef my ground. "To be per fectly frank with you, I've known from Che beg i unit) g that they were fakes, Your friend, Oonnt Hohendahl, is nobler than yon give hhn credit for being. He cent eased to aae at the time our transaction took place thai the frescoes were very recent reproduction. The originals, I think, are in London 01 New York." I saw guilt in the face of Hear HehwartMnullcr. FLia moustaches .drooped with the com rs of his mouth; he did not seem to bo filling out the frock oat quite so completely us when i first beheld hisn, A shrewd suspicion impelled me to take obamui on a direct accusation. I looked straight into tho German's eyes and said; Now that I eome to think ef 11, 1 am sore he mentioned tho name at bchwartsmuilsc in connection with the" It Is net' true It Is not trust" roared the expert, without waiting for me to fin iah. "Ho lied I you, we the great linn of Zumpe S eh w art mailer we could nay he 1 e.mp tl with millions to do such thing." I went a step fsrthor in my deduction, Somen. iw I had graspc-d the truth this pair deliberately hoped to swindle me out of forty (.houMind dollsrs. They knew tha frescoes wete imiiutions and yet they ware urging me to spend a hnge sum of money in re storing canvahvf that had been purposely made to look old and flimsy in 01 dor to de ceive a nioro cautious purchaser than I. Dot, nt I say, I wont a stop farther and de liberately accused Oonnt Tarnowsy. "Moreover, Count Tarnowsy, you are fully aware of all this.'' "My dear fellow " "1 11 not wuute words. You are a damned scoundrel!' He measured the distanea with bis eye and then sprang swiftly forward, striking blindly at my fuce. BchwAriniiuller was near Iho door, look ing over his shoulder as he frit for the fireal brans knob. "Mem Until" be bellowed. "Stupl" 1 shouted. "Owno back here and tako this fallow away with you!" Tarnowsy was sitting up, looking About him in a daxed, WewiWered manner. At that Tnomnnt, ljopendyke came run ning down the stairs, attracted by tho loud vomes. He was fed In wed elosely by three nr four wide-cyi-d glksiers who wore work ing nn tho second floor. "In tho name of heaven, sir! " "I've hmisi'd my knuckles horribly," was all that 1 Raid. 1 seemed to bo in a sort of a dare myself. I bad never knocked man down before in my life. H was an amaiiugly easy thing to do. 1 could hardly believe thai 1 had done It Tarnowsy struggled to bis feet and faced me, n ui verin g with rs ge, I w as dumb founded to sire that be was not covered with blood. Hot he was ef a light, yellowish green. 1 could scarcely believe my eyes. "You shrill pay for thisl" ho cried. The tears rushed to bis eyes, " Coward 1 llciutL To strike a defenceless muni" Ills hand went swiftly to his breast pocket, and an Instant Inter a Email revolver flashed into view, It was then, that I did another stianve and inooniprnhenaibta thing. With the utmost coolness I stepped forward and wrested it from his hand. I any strange end Incomprehensible for the reason that be was nointinc It directly at my breast ano yet I bad not the slightest sennation nf fear. He ennld have shot me line a aog. 1 never even thought of thst. "Hons ef instl" 1 enea nnarpiy. - inow, will yon be good enough te fxt out of thin hnuse and stay null" 'My eecnndK will ceil en you--' 'And they will receive just what yon hare received. If ynu or any of your friend presume to trespass on the privacy nf these grounds ef mine, I'll lack the wholo lot ef you Into the Dsnnbe. Uawkesl Klthet show or lesd Otmnt Tamnwsy to the jutee. An for yom, Mr, Bcbwartameller, I aha 11 ex- Hut tha last word in restorations had de parted. (To lie Continued,) CANCER and Chronic iieaies cured without drugs or knife NATURAL SANATORIUM 178 E.t 6OU1 Strl, PrUd, Ongvm
