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