he exclaimed
〃Tell me； Miss MaddisonI should not have gom to…day？ You did not vish to see me。 Eh？〃
〃I certainly was perfectly comfortable without you； Lord Tulliwuddle；〃 said the heiress tartly。
〃Shall I go avay？〃
〃You have come here entirely for your own pleasure； and the moment you begin to feel tired there is nothing to hinder you going home again。〃
〃You vere more kind to me yesterday；〃 said the Baron sadly。
〃I did not learn till after you had gone how much I was to blame for keeping you so long away from your friends。 Please do not think I shall repeat the offence。〃
There was an accent on the word 〃friends〃 that enlightened the bewildered nobleman； even though quickness in taking a hint was not his most conspicuous attribute。 That the voice of gossip had reached the fair American was only too evident； but though considerably annoyed； he could not help feeling at the same time flattered to see the concern he was able to inspire。
〃My friends！〃 said he with amorous artfulness。
〃Do you mean Count Bunker？ He is ze only FRIEND I have here mit me。〃
〃The ONLY friend？ Indeed！〃
〃Zat is since I see you vill not treat me as soch。〃
Upon these lines a pretty little passage…of…arms ensued； the Baron employing with considerable effect the various blandishments of which he was admitted a past master； the heiress modifying her resentment by degrees under their insidious influence。 Still she would not entirely quit her troublesome position； till at last a happy inspiration came to reinforce his assaults。 Why； he reflected； should an entertainment that would require a considerable outlay of money and trouble serve to win the affections of only one girl？ With the same espenditure of ammunition it might be possible to double the bag。
〃Miss Maddison；〃 he said with a regretful air； 〃I did come here to…day in ze hopeBut ach！〃
So happily had he succeeded in whetting her curiosity that she beggednay； insistedthat he should finish his sentence。
〃If you had been kind I did hope zat you vould allow me to give in your honor an entertainment at my castle。〃
〃An entertainment！〃 she cried； with a marked increase of interest。
〃Jost a leetle EXPOSITION of ze Highland sport； mit bagpipes and caber and so forth； unvorthy of your notice perhaps； bot ze best I can do。〃
Eleanor clapped her hands enthusiastically。
〃I should just love it！〃
The triumphant diplomatist smiled complacently。
〃Bonker vill arrange it all nicely；〃 he said to himself。
And there rose in his fancy such a pleasing and gorgeous picture of himself in the panoply of the North； hurling a hammer skywards amidst the plaudits of his clan and the ravished murmurs of the ladies； that he could not but congratulate himself upon this last master…stroke of policy。 For if instead of ladies there were only one lady； exactly half the pleasure would be lacking。 So generous were this nobleman's instincts！
During their drive to Lincoln Lodge the Baron had hesitated to broach his new project to his friend for the very reason that； after the glow of his first enthusiastic proposal to Eva was over； it seemed to him a vast undertaking for a limited object； but driving home he lost no time in confiding his scheme to the Count。
〃The deuce！〃 cried Bunker。 〃That will mean three more days here at least！〃
〃Vat is tree days； mine Bonker？〃
〃My dear Baron； I am the last man in the world to drop an unpleasant hint； yet I can't help thinking we have been so unconscionably lucky up till now that it would be wise to retire before an accident befalls us。〃
〃Vat kind of accident？〃
〃The kind that may happen to the best regulated adventurer。〃
The Baron pondered。 When Bunker suggested caution it indeed seemed time to beat a retreat； yet those two charming ladies； and that alluring tartan tableau！
〃Ach； let ze devil take ze man zat is afraid！〃 he exclaimed at last。 〃Bonker； it vill be soch fun！〃
〃Watching you complete two conquests？〃
〃Be not impatient； good Bonker！〃
〃My dear fellow； if you could find me one girl even one would content mewho would condescend to turn her eyes from the dazzling spectacle of Baron Tulliwuddle； and cast them for so much as half an hour a day upon his obscure companion； I might see some fun in it too。〃
The Baron； with an air of patronizing kindness that made his fellow…adventurer's lot none the easier to bear； answered reassuringly
〃Bot I shall leave all ze preparations to be made by you； you vill not have time zen to feel lonely。〃
〃Thank you； Baron； you have the knack of conferring the most princely favors。〃
〃Ach； I am used to do so；〃 said the Baron simply； and then burst out eagerly； 〃Some feat you must design for me at ze sports so zat I can show zem my strength； eh？〃
〃With the caber； for instance？〃
The Baron had seen the caber tossed； and he shook his head。
〃He is too big。〃
〃I might fit a strong spring in one end。〃
But the Baron still seemed disinclined。 His friend reflected； and then suddenly exclaimed
〃The village doctor keeps some chemical apparatus； I believe！ You'll throw the hammer； Baron。 I can manage it。〃
The Baron appeared mystified by the juxtaposition of ideas； but serenely expressed himself as ready to entrust this and all other arrangements for the Hechnahoul Gathering to the ingenious Count； as some small compensation for so conspicuously outshining him。
CHAPTER XXIV
The day of the Gathering broke gray and still； and the Baron； who was no weather prophet； declared gloomily
〃It vill rain。 Donnerwetter！〃
A couple of hours later the sun was out； and the distant hills shimmering in the heat haze。
〃Himmel！ Ve are alvays lucky； Bonker！〃 he cried； and with gleeful energy brandished his dumb…bells in final preparation for his muscular exploits。
〃We certainly have escaped hanging so far；〃 said the Count； as he drew on the trews which became his well…turned leg so happily。
His arrangements were admirable and complete； and by twelve o'clock the castle lawn looked as barbarically gay as the colored supplement to an illustrated paper。 Pipes were skirling； skirts fluttering； flags flapping； and as invitations had been issued to various magnates in the district； whether acquainted with the present peer or not； there were to be seen quite a number of dignified personages in divers shades of tartan； and parasols of all the hues in the rainbow。 The Baron was in his element。 He judged the bagpipe competition himself； and held one end of the tape that measured the jumps； besides delighting the whole assembled company by his affability and good spirits。
〃Your performance comes next； I see；〃 said Eleanor Maddison； throwing him her brightest smile。 〃I can't tell you how I am looking forward to seeing you do it！〃
The Baron started and looked at the programme in her hand。 He had been too excited to study it carefully before； and now for the first time he saw the announcement （in large type）
〃7。 Lord Tulliwuddle throws the 85…lb。 hammer。〃
The sixth event was nearly through； and there there evidently was the hammer in question being carried into the ring by no fewer than three stalwart Highlanders！ The Baron had learned enough of the pastimes of his adopted country to be aware that this gigantic weapon was something like four times as heavy as any hammer hitherto thrown by the hardiest Caledonian。
〃Teufel！ Bonker vill make a fool of me；〃 he muttered； and hastily bursting from the circle of spectators； hurried towards the Count； who appeared to be busied in keeping the curious away from the Chieftain's hammer。
〃Bonker； vat means zis？〃 he demanded。
〃Your hammer；〃 smiled the Count。
〃A hammer zat takes tree men〃
〃Hush！〃 whispered the Count。 〃They are only holding it down！〃
The Baron laid his hand upon the round enormous head； and started。
〃It is not iron！〃 he gasped。 〃It is of rubber。〃
〃Filled with hydrogen；〃 breathed the Count in his ear。 〃Just swing it once and let goand； I say； mind it doesn't carry you away with it。〃
The chief bared his arms and seized the handle； his three clansmen let go； and then； with what seemed to the breathless spectators to be a merely trifling effort of strength； he dismissed the projectile upon the most astounding journey ever seen even in that land of brawny hammer…hurlers。 Up； up； up it soared； over the trees； high above the topmost turret of the castle； and still on and on and ever upwards till it became a mere speck in the zenith； and at last faded utterly from sight。
Then； and not till then； did the pent…up applause break out into such a roar of cheering as Hechnahoul had never heard before in all its long history。
〃Eighty…five pounds of pig…iron gone straight to heaven！〃 gasped the Silver King。 〃Guess that beats all records！〃
〃America must wake up！〃 frowned Ri。
Meanwhile the Baron； after bowing in turn towards all points of the compass； turned confidentially to his friend。
〃Vill not ze men that carried it？〃
〃I've told 'em you'd give 'em a couple of sovereigns apiece。〃
The Baron came from an economical nation。
〃Two to each！〃
〃My dear fellow； wasn't it worth it？〃
The Baron grasped his hand。
〃Ja； mine Bonker； it vas！ I vill pay zem。〃
Radiant