The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-05-27
and the look was devotion, and the touch :

bISneiiSoo SIViSAts lHy " INV
golden CLINT on his hair, or the sapphire
lustre Of his eyes, rejoicing in his beauty III
All odd, half cynical fashion--or SO it struck
me. Perhaps Jack Morris's dark sayings
had given my thoughts twist out of their
rational groove. seemed to read in the one
handsome face,yanity, instability and treach-
cry, as the features grew under my brush,
and in the other hard, set determination,
and villas immovable as flint. Perhaps it
was the day. 1t was SO cold and gray and
cherries that sincerely rejciced when the
sitting was over.
You freeze in here Is 1t not?" asked NJ.
Nicolas, appearing as l put my things in Or
der. "Ah, well, it shall be remedied You
make good progress" So we all parted to
meet again ut dinner.
thought Jack Morris had quite decided
to ignore the invitation, when at the last
minute he appeared to join me in the ham
som. Nj. Nicolas, of course, we found there
before us, and a nervous old lady-a Bos-
worth connection, come up from the country
to chaperOn two nieces, solid, dairy-fed beau
ties, who sat in their fine gowns side by side,
answering simultaneously when addressed,
and keeping q wary eye on their astonishing
relative, the Princess, like two barn-door
hens on falcon. She troubled herself very
little about them or any one else but Jack
Norris on whom she smiled her sweetest,
and who took her in to dinner. Fercndia's
greeting to his old fricndwas perfect, as also
his attention to the Dowager Lady Bosworth.
There was also to complete the party stray
curate, who looked infinitely pcrplexed by
his surroundings, and a rising young author
css in Worth toilet, who was kind enough
to take notice of me. 1t was singularly I'M
remarkable entertainment, and came to its
end in due course We adjourned to the
smoking room after, where Ferendia and
Jack Morris got upsome animated talk about
old times, to which NJ. Nicolas listened de-
lightedly, and then went up stairs to the
drawing-room just as the first OF the even
ing's guests arrived.
Jack wanted to stay, to my surprise. He
got into a corner and kept NJ Nicolas beside
hir telling him the names of every one.
There were sundry acluaintances of my
own there English chiefly, the smaller fry
of diplomacy, though big fish or two swan
In later on. There WAS a large and miscel-
laneous assortment of foreigners, represent
Ing all nationalities with impartiality; with
few stragglers from other sets in society,
who drfted together and looked about them
curiously. left early, as had another en-
gagement that evening. Getting home in
the small hours, l found Jack sitting alone
In the dark at the open studio window, an
extinct pipe between his lips.
What are you doing there, old man?" !
inquired. 'Moonstruck?"
"rhat's it. Or wish could think So"
he answered, turning his face away fromme.
Jerry, my boy, how long do you mean to
be about that job OF yours?'
~ hardly know. 1 don't think the Prince
means to give me many more sttings."
| Get out of that house with all speed, tell
| you. And ii you find you owe me any graft
| tude for the warning, never betray that l
| gave 1t. It's magazine of internal ma
chimes, and there's an explosion of some sort
not far distant.'
"What on earth are you talking about
Morris, and why need go up in the general
| smashw L asked incredulously. "And
where does your private information come
from?''
Don't ask me. Take me at my word. No,
| I'll tell you this much The last time saw
your Princess she was among the Nihilst
conspirators that saw on trial at Odessa
She was a poor work girl, the craftiest and
busiest of them all. She had acted as go-
between, carried letters, distributed seditious
pamphlets, concealed dangerous goods in
her miserable garret. Imprisonment for the
rest Of her life was the sentence on this
| girl"
doesn't look as if it had been carried
out" interrupted. why isn't she in pris-
on now?'
Listen. happen to know that she never
went there. Don't ask me how. Her trial
was sham, and so was her sentence. She
was spy of spies, plotter among plotters,
and she is at the same work here en- q grand
or scale, I'll swear
"And Fcrcndia?"
81 imagine he's tool, and useful one,
with his good position in English and for
eign society. If you ask how she comes to
have met him and married him, and where
the Ferendia estates lie, or who finds the
money of which they seem so flush, or what
they are all about hcre-l know no more
than do of the component parts of dyna-
mite. only know that when suspect any
to be about | keep uncommonly clear of it."
The Prince does not look the stuff of
which consprators arc made" l hazarded,
thoughtfully. ''And his wife seems to be
devoted to him." running over the improba-
| biities that struck me in Morris's story.
| 'sThc Prince has all the will, if not the
needful brains. Did not tell you he lost
his appointment abroad through selling Gov
| ernment secrets and being fool enough to let
! himself be found out? The company he is
| i'll won't tolerate mistake of that sort, and
| his wife won't save him. Love him? ! dare
say she does, as some women love. She'd
| take his kisses while she knew he had be-
/ traycd her to destruction, or she'd hold him
! tight in n careSs till his enemies overlook
| him, one or the other.
| "I hated him with the hate of hell;
hut loved his beauty passing we'll.
There you have it in another form. Only I
1 say unto thee, Beware!"
II shall have done with them Tomorrow y
l replied, and left him.
CHAPTER Nv.
/ The last sitting was at as late an hour Us
| it could reasonably bel forget forwhat rea-
son. | was first in the studio then in trottcd
NJ Nicolas, and drew my attention proudly
to the brightly burning little stove, which
| had dried ont the damp from the air anu
made the place comfortable. 1t was burn.
| ing same sortof strongly scented wood, a
fancy of the Princcss's rot oppressive even
on that day of so-called Summer, with the
| large window wide open above. NJ. Nicolas
bid me a friendly adieu. lie was going across
to Ostend that night, and was very comic In
his anticipations of the miseries in store for
him. Then in came the Prince and Princess
from some entertainment, gay and laughing
over some small jest, the handsomest, liappi-
est couple in England, any man but Jack
Morris would have said. began to feel my
self ridiculous, as thought over last nights
condolences, and listened to the Princes ac-
count of the way the day had been spent, and
his delight in the admiration excited by his
wife's toilet. can't describe it, except MS
simmer of rose and blue, like pigeons
neck. She never looked handsomer, he told
her, for they were getting embarrassingly in.
different to my presence. She must dress
early that evening, and get my views on hel
latest and lovelicst gown. He was tolerahly
patient Of the sitting to-day, for the weather
was changing rapidly for the worse--cold
and clustering, with drifting showers that
chilled the air but hardly laid the pavement
dust. We had to close the window and stir
up the stove, and the Princess sent for her
either, and sat down on tile rough stage near
her husbands feet, and sang song after song
to us.
"Where did you learn that?" asked Fcrcn-
dia suddenly. "That's a gypsy thing. ]
never knew you understood word of Rus.
slan.'