The record-union., 1897-03-07

munication in that crowd of curious,
observant young men. She accordingly
put him off in a polite little note But
with the answer to it came the decla-
ration she was lodging. OF course,
wrote Herr Kurt in his beautiful hand
writing and gallant style, he was at her
| command to come or to remain away
as she might list, but she must permit
! him to convey to her herewith what
he had purposed that night to say and
what his full heart could contain no
| longer, which was that his attentions
were serious and that he was preparing
a letter to her honoredr father, to whom
| 1T would crave permission to pay MS
addresses to her. Till that could be
answered he must of course wait to
press his suit but he begged her to
| believe that his heart was hers al
ready, and that he loved her irrevoc-
ably.
| She shrugged her shoulders at this,
| feeling hot and embarrassed, and then
she wondered with a cynicism he him
self had taught her, what the letter to
her father would have to say on the
subject Of settlements; and she burst
into a laugh as she pictured to herself
that good parents wrath.
She tried to laugh at the whole af-
fairA to take it humorously. but she
could not; for marriage, now that it
seemed so near, was still looking the
serious thing it had suddenly become
in the talk with Allan Armstrong on
the river. And marriage with imperious
Herr Kurt? and life in Schloss Drach-
- oil ,.-t- rf,A n
when it should fail to him; but sec
ond even there to him as Herr i'm
Hause. She knew how deeply the idea
thus expressed of the supremacy of the
male and the subordination of the fe-
male was rooted in every man of his
race; SO deeply in him that the shock
she had given to one part of it had
left the mass of it undisturbed-a pro-
found, unyielding, priori conviction
like that with which he clung to his king
as one set over him by right divine.
And she must feel as we'll as see this
sense of supremacy should she become
his wife. To be his wife must be her
all in life, her career-a conventional
and limited existence quite unlike the
large liberty of individual action she
had proposed for herself, and Allan
Armstrong had declared his wife
should have.
She welcomed that young gentleman,
who arrived at this juncture, with more
than usual cOrdiality, gave him the seat
of honor in her German room on the
sofa behind the "Sopha-Tisch."
I'm always so afraid of upsetting the
table or pulling off the cover he said,
laughing, as he slipped into the desig
mated corner.
so am l." she replied. And it really
is an awkward arrangement, but it's
sociable too, and I'm sure when 1 get
back to America I shall want such a
corner in my room"
Then her face fell; perhaps she would
not go back to America, perhaps 1t
would be to North Prussia she would go.
But her guest was claiming her atten-
ton, sitting there looking at her with
what she could not but see was trOu-
bled look on his usually tranquil face.
He had his thesis in his hand and she
suggested that he begin, seating her
self at the same time in one Of the arm
chairs to listen. Once she interrupted
HIM to take down a couple of her fancy
mugs from the shelves over his head
for the Wirthin to bring them in some
beer; and after that they paused every
page or two to sip the refreshing bever-
age which helped them considerably
through the dry technicalities of the
scientific paper He seemed to find it
especially heavy, and he was evidently
distracted, stumbling and hesitating in
his reading, and finally laying down the
.,ff
the rest of it till next day. But she
insisted on his finishing it, and she fol-
lowed him to the end with friendly in
tereSt.
'There!' he exclaimed, with a long
breath of relief, when the last page had
been read and her last suggestion noted.
Thank heaven, that's done, Now there
is something else you have to pass upon,
you know?"
"Yes?" she replied inquiringly, sur
prised to see him looking suddenly pale
and agitated.
You understood of course what ]
meant out on the river last night You've
thought It over-favorably hope?" and
he paused for her to speak. but she
stared at him blankly. Wont you tell
with an unwonted tremor Don't yoa
-think-you can-marry me?"
Marry you! T." she cried, astound
ed. is he out of his mind from over
work? was her thought.
Yes, you. You surely didn't sup
pose I meant ybody else, did you?
have thought about it from the first
day l saw you"
Well you haven't acted much like
it," she exclaimed, recovering some
what from her surprise. You haven't
acted like it at ALL" and she threw her
head back and laughed, laughed from
her heart which seemed suddenly rid of
heavy load.
The young man gazed at her with a
mixture OF feelings showing in his in
genuous face, hurt and a little riled
by her mirth, yet inclined to share it
in his native dislike OF anything ap-
preaching sentimentality.
There was a time when 1 hesitated,"
he confessed with half smile on his
lip. When you seemed so indiffer-
ent to music and art. I am fond OF
them, as you know. I believe an ap-
preciative understanding of them is
necessary part Of culture. And / don't
think l could be completely happy with
woman who hadn't it. You remen-
Der you actually said there once you
were ready to curse Wagner and die
Again Cynthia laughed. well, so
I was though that was putting ii
rather strongly i remember the time.
1t was just after had been driven out
of my pension by the seven conserv-
! atnristinnen and my ears still ached