It Pays to Smile

turning up unexpectedly. And even more remarkable was the way in which he appeared equal to whatever situation he dropped into the midst of, for now it was he who maneuvered my

that I learned what had happened, and th

, and even I had been near by, though, of course, without intention. Obviously I was not in a position to reprove either of them, though I took the greatest pain

r to alibi. Both father and I have played hunches ourselv

wonderful golden smile, which made me feel as if I would do simply anything for him. Then he cou

missions?" he asked. "You might double i

wouldn't gamble for the world! I intend turn

How much is furnished to charity from sources as blind, isn't it? But for that poor gam

took t

the world with its own weapons l

," he

clean profits," I said, rising. "And I believe that no

I did not like having all that cash upon my person; and anyway the

. Pegg. I would have passed o

n, "what was the dope you gave that feller

gnantly. "I know nothing whatever of gambling

u don't," said Mr. Pegg slowly. "But I am disappointe

t whatsoever!" I repeated with dignity. "I am beginning t

ifornia," murmured my employer automaticall

sation regarding the socks I was making, and so I fled to t

by the Duke di Monteventi. It was perfectly apparent that he was going to see something of Peaches-in all likelihood

. But then, Mr. Pegg did not know of the incident of the motion-picture house. Not that there was anything in it to the young man's discredit. But suitable bachelors did not gen

toward Peaches heavily. And yet I longed for a romance. Or at any rate, at least for the spectacle of one. Such a time and such a place demanded it. Through the window of my unhomelike hotel bedroom crept the scent of exotic blossoms on the wings of a gentle breeze which stirred my letter to the minister to a

ly the duke had gone, but Peac

s two inches taller than I am! We measured. And he's the goods-absolutely! Got an old ranch that wa

d her father, his i

t mostly human livestock, I gu

nt hog," commen

nt down t

rue. Love's dream is always young: that is one of the finest things about it. The tenderer emotions have a curious faculty of restoring youth, or at least temporarily renewing it. Even love at secondhand, by observation or by inference as it were, is capable of producing a reformation of the spirit which in its new-found vitality at once questions the body as to its actual ag

it were, taken bodily from the drawings in Godey's Ladies' Book, so incredibly beautiful were

land where flowers were cheap and plentiful, instead of sending a bushel of blossoms, as the average admirer would have done, a small box appeared containing an exquisite cors

e, "that young man is a thoroughbred, take

heerful explanation. "His mother was a Miss Winton, from Cambridge, the

y decent people, my dear; very decent, though not very old. I am sure I remember that correctly. I will write and ask s

king a ride this afternoon. He's got a friend here in the Besseleri and

" said I, recalling what little I knew

e was derived from surmises I had made from pictures I had seen on the subject-pictures, it must be conf

Angeles system-I wondered vaguely if she had not been making game of me in asking my permission and advice. Ordinarily I should have been certain that she w

upon my, or that is to say, Mr. Pegg's sock. How delightful the worl

a hat belonging to one of the officers-a strange hat indeed for a man to have worn at any time, for it was covered with cock's plumes. And Peaches wore it with an air of nonchalance difficult to describe. But it certainly did look very like the pictures to which I hav

music, because when those two young people met in the beautiful hallway there should have been music and flowers, and there were! I have positively never seen anything so handsome as the duke in evening

the duke. "Yo

usty yourself,"

as big as pigeons' eggs in her ears, and very little else. She sailed up like a small sloop, al

come!" she said. "Dear Freedo

g, his eyes riveted upon he

t made me unpleasantly conscious of my own hair, in which I had always heretofore maintained a good deal of pride. And somehow my gray corded silk with the collar of real lace and mamma's cameo pin did not seem quite so lovely as I had always thought

tain crowded sharply, and over which the roses and geraniums and clematis flung abandoned sprays of sweetness, as if the little inclosure were an overflowing bowl of goodies. There were minute statuettes in the garden, veiled and softened by moss and the winter damps of a century, and a littl

diffused by a clever profusion of half-hidden lights, quantities of flowers, sporting prints, magazines galore, for Abby read nothing else, and a general crowding together of old and ne

nothing in the world except live in San Remo each winter and compare it unfavorably with Sussex, to which, however, they seldom returned. They looked a good deal alike and ate heartily. Sir

And no doubt they were-in New York. But in Boston I had never heard of them, though of course Mrs. Poole was familiar with my family and asked a fe

of a distinguished but broken family, I believe. However that may have been, I do not know. But I can vouc

resembled an edible patchwork quilt made out of whole cloth. But it was deliciou

ry one was smoking, in fact, except myself. And Mr. Pegg, sticking his thumbs into the armholes of his black and white striped silk vest, refused to be seated, but strode about the crowded drawing-rooms, asking quest

holder between her artificially reddened lips-"since I come over I sure have had an eye opener about secondhand pictures and furniture

s a great friend of yours!" commented

, the first year. Then I got him a flock of turkeys to keep 'em down and he done better next year. But all the secondhand antiques he had over to his ra

ling up and joining our little tour of inspection-for I was with th

ied Abby quickly. "He is a

hing about this at once; though just what, and about what, I did not quite know at the moment

explained. "Nice feller, but knows

d the duke. "His collection is world-famo

intend to let any branch of knowledge go untouched if I can help

Have you shown him the Mantegn

med; "A genuine Mant

a look!" sai

g to be in private ownership, and of all persons, in Abby's! I sighed and turned, to see a curious look upon the face of the young duke, who towered beside me. Never had I seen anything so amazing as the transformation which had taken place in him. There came into it a look of reverence mixed with a passionate fi

s, Miss Talbot," he sai

behind us. "But I suppose that makes it all the mo

ad turned to him, his ex

red, a deep note in his voice; "though that little painting would easily fetch

Mr. Pegg. "I wouldn't give five dollars

One of our charming hostess' chief claims to distinction is that thoug

ed cha

ian work of art for export," she explained lightly. "And this one, least of all. It came f

aking such things out o

foreigners until it was enforced. We natives feel strongly on the subject, Mr. Pegg. Bu

ceeded in getting the Madonna of the Lamp

masterpiece!" he cried

dn't smuggle it for him, I'm sure! He bought it in New York; why,

. "I beg pardon, Miss Talbot. I didn't mean to be rude, I'm sure. But th

ong while since the Madonna of the Lamp disappeared. It was reported to be in Berlin years ago, but this is the first time it has actually come to light. Very interesting, I'm sure. And if we really s

east, and together they went out through the window into the moon-filled garden. And even as they went Peaches appeared in

the duke. "Come outside, quick! There's an a?roplane fl

elivered by himself, which description lasted for the remainder of the evening. But my thoughts were on

chateau in which he was visiting, until he reappeared at Monte Carlo. But where had he been during that period, and what doing? I puzzled the matter over all the while as we said good night and climbed into our high-

fter Morpheus had claimed her, which hour I occupied in trying on various pairs of her high-heeled French shoes, and finding them less uncomfortable than I had anticipated and certainly more becoming to the foot than my hygiene walkrite footwear. Of

me, my mind was on the duke. I determined to ask Abby all about him, for I deemed it my duty. An