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〃There is something fresh in the wind；〃 thought he。
In the course of his forty…miles…an…hour rush through the odors of pine woods； he had time to come to a pretty correct conclusion regarding the business before him； and was thus enabled to adopt the mien most suitable to the contingency when he found himself ushered into the presence of the millionaire and his son。 The set look upon their faces； the ceremonious manner of their greeting； and the low buzzing of the phonograph； audible above the tinkle of a musical box ingeniously intended to drown it； confirmed his guess even before a word had passed。
〃Be seated； Count；〃 said the Silver King； and the Count sat。
〃Now； sir；〃 he continued； 〃I have sent for you； owing； sir； to the high opinion I have formed of your intelligence and business capabilities。〃
The Count bowed profoundly。
〃Yes； sir； I believe； and my son believes； you to be a white man； even though you are a Count。〃
〃That is so；〃 said Ri。
〃Now； sir； you must be awarein fact； you ARE awareof the matrimonial project once entertained between my daughter and Lord Tulliwuddle。〃
〃Once！〃 exclaimed the Count in protest。
〃ONCE！〃 echoed Ri in his deepest voice。
〃Hish； Ri！ Let your poppa do the talking this time；〃 said the millionaire sternly； though with an indulgent eye。
〃ButerONCE？〃 repeated the Count； as if bewildered by the past tense implied； though to himself he murmured〃I knew it！〃
〃When I gave my sanction to Lord Tulliwuddle's proposition； I did so under the impression that I was doing a deal with a man； sir； of integrity and honor。 But what do I find？〃
〃Yes； what？〃 thundered Ri。
〃I find； sir； that his darned my…lordshipand be damned to his titles〃
〃Mr。 Maddison！〃 expostulated the Count gently。
〃I find； Count； I find that Lord Tulliwuddle； under pretext of paying my Eleanor a compliment； has provided an entertainmenta musical and athletic entertainment for another woman！〃
The Count sprang to his feet。
〃Impossible！〃 he cried。
〃It is true！〃
〃Name her！〃
〃She answers； sir； to the plebeian cognomen of Gallosh。〃
〃A nobody！〃 sneered Ri。
〃In trade！〃 added his father scornfully。
Had the occasion been more propitious； the Count could scarcely have refrained from commenting upon this remarkably republican criticism； but； as it was； he deemed it more advisable to hunt with the hounds。
〃That canaille！〃 he shouted。 〃Ha； ha！ Lord Tulliwuddle would never so far demean himself！〃
〃I have it from old Gallosh himself；〃 declared Mr。 Maddison。
〃And that girl Gallosh told Eleanor the same；〃 added Ri。
〃Pooh！〃 cried the Count。 〃A mere invention。〃
〃You are certain； sir； that Lord Tulliwuddle gave them no grounds whatever for supposing such a thing？〃
〃I pledge my reputation as Count of the Austrian Empire； that if my friend be indeed a Tulliwuddle he is faithful to your charming daughter！〃
Father and son looked at him shrewdly。
〃Being a Tulliwuddle； or any other sort of pampered aristocrat； doesn't altogether guarantee faithfulness；〃 observed the Silver King。
〃If he has deceived you； he shall answer to ME！〃 declared the Count。 〃And between ourselves； as nature's gentleman to nature's gentleman； you may assure Miss Maddison that there is not the remotest likelihood of this scheming Miss Gallosh ever becoming my friend's bride！〃
The two Dariuses were sensibly affected by this assurance。
〃As nature's gentleman to nature's gentleman！〃 repeated the elder with unction； wringing his hand。
His son displayed an equal enthusiasm； and the Count departed with an enhanced reputation and the lingering fragrance of a cocktail upon his tongue。
〃Now I think we are in comparatively smooth water；〃 he said to himself as he whizzed back to the castle。
At the door he was received by the butler。
〃Mr。 Gallosh is waiting for you in the library； my lord；〃 said he； adding confidentially （since the Count had endeared himself to all）； 〃He's terrible impatient for to see your lordship。〃
CHAPTER XXVI
Evidently Mr。 Gallosh； while waiting for the Count's return； had so worked up his wrath that it was ready to explode on a hair…trigger touch； and； as evidently； his guest's extreme urbanity made it exceedingly difficult to carry out his threatening intentions。
〃I want a word with you； Count。 I've been wanting a word with you all morning；〃 he began。
〃Believe me； Mr。 Gallosh； I appreciate the compliment。〃
〃Where were you？ I mean it was verra annoying not to find you when I wanted you。〃
The merchant was so evidently divided between anxiety to blurt out his mind while it was yet hot from the making up； and desire not to affront a guest and a man of rank； that the Count could scarcely restrain a smile。
〃It is equally annoying to myself。 I should have enjoyed a conversation with you at any hour since breakfast。〃
〃Umph；〃 replied his host。
〃What can I do for you now？〃
Mr。 Gallosh looked at him steadfastly。
〃Count Bunker；〃 said he； 〃I am only a plain man〃
〃The ladies； I assure you； are not of that opinion；〃 interposed the Count politely。
Mr。 Gallosh seemed to him to receive this compliment with more suspicion than pleasure。
〃I'm saying；〃 he repeated； 〃that I'm only a plain man of business； and you and your friend are what you'd call swells。〃
〃God forbid that I should！〃 the Count interjected fervently。 〃 'Toffs；' possiblybut no matter； please continue。〃
〃Well； now； so long as his lordship likes to treat me and my family as kind of belonging to a different sphere； I'm well enough content。 I make no pretensions； Count； to be better than what I am。〃
〃I also； Mr。 Gallosh； endeavor to affect a similar modesty。 It's rather becoming； I think； to a fine…looking man。〃
〃It's becoming to any kind of man that he should know his place。 But I was saying； I'd have been content if his lordship had been distant and polite and that kind of thing。 But was he？ You know yourself； Count； how he's behaved！〃
〃Perfectly politely； I trust。〃
〃But he's not been what you'd call distant； Count Bunker。 In fac'； the long and the short of it is just thiswhat's his intentions towards my Eva？〃
〃Is it Mrs。 Gallosh who desires this information？〃
〃It is。 And myself too； oh； I'm not behindhand where the reputation of my daughters is concerned！〃
〃Mrs。 G。 has screwed him up to this；〃 said the Count to himself。 Aloud； he asked with his blandest air
〃Was not Lord Tulliwuddle available himself？〃
〃No； he's gone out。〃
〃Alone？〃
〃No； not alone。〃
〃In brief； with Miss Gallosh？〃
〃Quite so； and what'll he be saying to her？〃
〃He is a man of such varied information that it's hard to guess。〃
〃From all I hear； there's not been much variety so far；〃 said Mr。 Gallosh drily。
〃Dear me！〃 observed the Count。
His host looked at him for a few moments。
〃Well？〃 he demanded at length。
〃Pardon me if I am stupid； but what comment do you expect me to make？〃
〃Well； you see； we all know quite well you're more in his lordship's confidence than any one else in the house； and I'd take it as a favor if you'd just give me your honest opinion。 Is he just playing himselfor what？〃
The worthy Mr。 Gallosh was so evidently sincere； and looked at him with such an appealing eye； that the Count found the framing of a suitable reply the hardest task that had yet been set him。
〃Mr。 Gallosh； if I were in Tulliwuddle's shoes I can only say that I should consider myself a highly fortunate individual； and I do sincerely believe that that is his own conviction also。〃
〃You think so？〃
〃I do indeed。〃
Though sensibly relieved； Mr。 Gallosh still felt vaguely conscious that if he attempted to repeat this statement for the satisfaction of his wife； he would find it hard to make it sound altogether as reassuring as when accompanied by the Count's sympathetic voice。 He ruminated for a minute； and then suddenly recalled what the Count's evasive answers and sympathetic assurances had driven from his mind。 Yet it was； in fact； the chief occasion of concern。
〃Do you know； Count Bunker； what his lordship has gone and done？〃
〃Should one inquire too specifically？〃 smiled the Count； but Mr。 Gallosh remained unmoved。
〃You can bear me witness that he told us he was giving this gathering in my Eva's honor？〃
〃Undoubtedly。〃
〃Well； he went and told Miss Maddison it was for her sake？〃
〃Incredible！〃
〃It's a fact！〃
〃I refuse to believe my friend guilty of such perfidy！ Who told you this？〃
〃The Maddisons themselves。〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 laughed the Count； as heartily as he had laughed at Lincoln Lodge； 〃don't you know these Americans sometimes draw the long bow？〃
〃You mean to say you don't believe they told the truth？〃
〃My dear Mr。 Gallosh； I would answer you in the oft…quoted words of Horace'Arma virumque cano。' The philosophy of a solar system is some times compressed within an eggshell。 Say nothing and see！〃
He shook his host heartily by the hand as he spoke； and Mr。 Gallosh； to his subsequent perplexity； found the interview apparently at a satisfactory conclusion。
〃And now；〃 said the Count to himself； 〃 'Bolt！' is the word。〃
As he set about his packing in the half…hour that yet remained before luncheon； he was surprised