The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-21

he wished that he had not come, but he
could not endure the self-contempt which
the thought of running away had brought
with 1T; he must face her; the woman
could do no more than abuse him. One
other thought he had for a moment en-
tertained-of Offering to let her stand
in. as Mr.. Shum had let Lady Craigen-
noch; there was hardly any sum which he
would not have been glad to give her.
But long before he reached the house
he had decided that she would not stand
in. by God, l should think not" he
SAID to himself indignantly.
But he had one phrase ready for her.
He reminded her of the paragraphs, the
rrrmors, and the manifesto. I'VE have
by those means felt the pulse of the
public" he said. He paused, she said
nothing. 1.-The result is not-er-en-
corraging," he went ON. The moment
is not propitious."
You promised the money if the prince
signed the manifesto" she said.
Promised? o, well, said I'd"
you promised said Mrs. Rivers.
Whats the difficulty now?
THE state of public feeling" he be-
gan.
Il know that. We want the money to
change it." She smiled slightly. If
the feeling had been with us already we
shouldn't have wanted the money" She
leant forward and asked, Haven't You
got the money? You said You had"
Eyes, I've got it-or l could get it,"
Eyes. Well, then. Why have you
changed your mind?"
He made no answer, and for a while
she sat looking at him thoughtfully. She
did not abuse him, and she did not cry.
Il want to understand" she said, pre-
sently. did you ever mean to give us
the money? 2"
Yes, upon my honor /"
Are you sure?' She forced him to
look her in the face; he was silent. She
rose, took "A japanese fan from side
table and sat down again; the lower
part of her face was now hidden by the
fan; Byers saw nothing but her eyes.
What did you meanY he asked.
You've made us all-the prince and his
friends and me-look very silly. How
did that help you? | don't see what
you could get out of thatT"
She was looking at him now as though
she thought him mad; she could not see
what he had got out of it; it had not yet
crossed her mind that there had been
money to be got out Of it; so ignorant
was she, with all her shrewdness, with
all her resolution.
And / understood that you were such
a clever, far-seeing man." she went on
Lady Craigennoch always told me so;
she said l could trust you in anything.
Do tell me about it, Mr.. Byers.",
1o;, = 10 no.
-You-you wouldn't"
Yes, | should understand it if You
told me-" she insisted.
If he told her he was liar and a
thief, she would understand Probably
she would understand the transac elton if
he used amy less plain language about
it. And that language was not only
hard TO use to her, but struck strangely
on his own head and his own heart.
Surely there must be other terms in
which to describe his part in the trans
action? There were plenty of such in
the city; were there none in Palace Gate?
It's matter of business" again he
began.
She stopped him with an imperious.
wave of the fan. Her eyes grew ami
4ted with a sudden enlightenment; she
looked at him for a moment or two, and
then asked, Have you been making mon
ey out of it somehow" He did not an
swer. How, please?" she asked.
What does that matter?' His voice
was low.
Il should like to hear, please. You
don't want to tell me? But / want to
know. It'll be useful to me to un-
iprstand thin s. like this
1t seemed to Mr.. Byers that he had to.
tell her, that this was the one thing left
chat he could do, the one obligation
which he could perform. So he began to.
tell her, and as he told her, naturally Tor
curiouSly, since natures are eurious) his,
pride in the great coup revived-his pro
fessional pride. He went into it ali
thoroughly; she followed him very intel
ligently; he made her understand wha5
an option was, what differences
what the put" and what the call" He
pointed out how the changes in public
affairs might make welcome changes IN
private pockets, and would have her
know that the secret center of great
movements must be sought in the
bourses, not in the cabinets of Europe;
perhaps he exaggerated here little, as
Finally, carried away by enthusiasm, he
gave her the means of guessing with
fair accuracy the profit that he and his
friends had made out of the transaction.
Thus ending he heaved a sigh of relief;
she understood, and there had been no
need Of those uncivil terms which lately
had pressed themselves forward to the
tip Of his tongue so rudely.
II think I'd better not try to have
any thing more to do with politics." she
said. Tim too ignorant" There was
little break in her tones. Byers glanced
at her sharply and apprehensiveiy. Now
that his story was ended, his enthusi-
assn died away; he expected abuse now.
Well, he would bear it; she was entitled
to relieve her mind.
What q fool I've been! How you
must have been laughing at meat my
poor prince and mer' She looked across
at him, smiling family. He sat twist
ing his hat in his hands. Then she
turned her eyes toward the fireplace;
Byers had nothing to say; he was won
derinp whether he might go now. Gfanc-