Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-06-01
CHAPTER Nj.

"Carlo! What is wrong, dear? You
look so tired this morning. and your
manner is constrained and cold. Has
anything troubled you: and. if so,
would you hesitate to tell me?"
A wistful. anxious look was on the
speakers face--a face whose charm
lay rather in it's expression than any
regularity of feature it might boast.
The eyes were large and brown-eyes
fitted to flash With laughter or melt
into tenderness. 1t was the latter
emotion that was converting them into
liquid wells of love. The mouth. none
too small. was frank and winning; the
teeth even and white
She had spoken in French. but her
slight accent betrayed her an Ameri-
can: and the man before her-the man
whom She addressed-the man who
was her atfianced lover, was no other
than the young lieutenant who had
made the sixth on the preceding even
ing at Madame I'lorence's dinner.
Matter. my dear Beatrce?" he eX-
claimed. Nothing but your fancy.
Really, you expect a man to he as
bright and laxative after Il nights
dissipation as if he had risen from I'M
broken slumberS on Il bed OF down"
The girl made no reply to this. bur
The wistful look deepened in her eyes.
and she negatively shook her head.
Perchance Lieutenant bancroft sue
cecded in deceiving himself. He could
not deceive her. The eyes of love
are very penetrating. and with her
whole soul Beatrice Leonard loved the
handsome young Russian. who had
first won her heart and then the prom
Use of her hand.
And as she loved. so she believed he:
love returned. No doubt or jealousy
crossed her mind or prompted her
questioning. Instinctvely she OWNED
that something was wrong-high play.
perhapS-a gambling debt-and if it
We're an annoyance caused by money,
what was her wealth worth if she
could not pour it forth for his benefit?
Well, when she was his wife, all
these difficulties would be cleared
away. for she was an heiress in her
own right. and that meant that all her
money would go to her brave young
lover, who was one of his majesty, the
emperors guard. as soon as he had
given her his own name wherewith to
sign it away.
Il was only wise enough to be fool
ish then" she said. With her quick,
womans tact. leaning over the back
of his chair. and lightly running her
fingers through his short. thick locks.
''Now, tell me about your dinner last
night. l am so anxious to see this
Madame Florence. All. Carlo. I must
seem like some little brown wren after
her brilliant beauty! l would like so
much to meet her. Will you not intro
duce me some time"
A dark flush rose to the young mans
face, but Beatrice. from where she
stood. only saw that he bent his head
a trifle lower. and hesitated an in
slant before he answered her.
II don't think l should care to pre-
sent you. Beatrice. Madame Flor
ences pcsitiCa is not assured. There
is no such name, | believe in any cap
ital Of Europe: and. at any rate. until
her status is verified. J. prefer you
should not know her.
But is she so niarvelously beauti-
full. so wonderfully fa.scinating2"
More beautiful more fascinating
than any description could give justice
to: but. nevertheless. little girl and
lie put up HIS manu- anu uTeW ueF
around and down on to the arm of his
chair, as he spoke. while he made Il
gesture as if literally throwing off Il
something which burdened him with
Il perceptible Observation-Disclosures l
think my Beatrice may have no cause
for jealousy"
Jealousy? Oh. Carlo" quickly spoke
the girl. DO you think anything so
mean or pitiful as jealousy prompted
my queries? Have you not honorcd
me beyond all honor in the world?"
"And you, could not. then. be jealous
of me-"
with cause. yes. but not foOlishly-
not because you looked on anothers
face and found it beautiful. But l
have such strange feeling about this
Madame Florence. The first time
heard her described and heard her
name felt that some day l should
know ber-some time our paths would
meet-that she was destined to work
some influence on my life. I am a
foolish child, Carlo, and can give no