Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-06-15
CHAPTER XVIII.

Tnmindful of the human joys with
which it sympathized, or the human
sorrows which it Knocked, the next
days sun rose bright and beautiful
above the grand old city of St. Peters,
burg.
Harry Arkwright, whose eyes had not
closed through the long night, watched
the shadows vanish at it's coming,
While his heart sickened with inetfable
dread.
Look where he would, he saw but the
brilliant beauty of one woman's face,
while in his ear rang the gay mockery
of her musical laugh-a laugh which
failed to hide from him the pain it
meant it to disguise.
What added burden should this day
lay upon her soul? Whatsoever it
might be. it's weight equally would rest
on his-though, alas, it could make it
for her no lighter!
In van he sought to find some means
by which the shedding Of mans blood
might at least be spared. His task was
hopeless.
Yet, perhaps, he thought, ere this her
mood would have changed. He would
appeal to her to see the prince, and ex-
ert the magic for good, that heretofore
she had welded but for evil.
At as early an hour as he dared he
presented himself for admittance at the
door; but as she looked up form the
depths Of 4 great chair in which she
gracefully reclined, and languidly ex-
tended to him one little. soft hand in
greeting, her beauty's f1awlesSneSs de-
flying the bright rays of the sunlight
which streamed into the dainty boud-
Dir. the faint hope died ere he scarce
had acknowledged it's existence,
An indefinable change had taken
place in the few hours which had
elapsed since their parting. He could
not tell where it lay or whence it came,
but it was there.
The evening previous she had feigned
hardness; to-day the hardness was no
feint. 1t seemed to him that this de-
fined the difference; vet he could not
passively accept defeat. 1t was for her
sake that he made the brave struggle
against overwhelming odds.
"Madame," he said Che would not
venture in the future to call her by the
Only name by which he recognized her,
though he still held in his the little
hand she had given him. it is not vet
too late to undo last nights work. Use
but your sorcery, and the prince will
spare his victim. I have come to plead
with you-not with the same plea I
used but few hours past. Perhaps
you may have deemed that selfish; but,
casting all thought of self aside, it may
be that you are ready to accept the
off, M IN
deed, forget myself, when, loving you
with all the strength and soul of my
manhood, ask you, then, to go to him
and plead this boys life as the gift to
his future bride?"s
Each word that he spoke evidenced
the effort that it cost him, but save for
a slight thrill which he once felt run
through the hand which trembled in
his own, she sat silent and unmoved,
the old, hooking smile upon her lips
When she saw that he had finished,
and stood waiting her reply, the smile
deepened into little ripping laugh,
which somehow. reminded him of a
cold mountain stream bubbling up from
depths which have no warmth.
Mon cher captaine." she said then.
81 shall have to wound your vanity,
like that Of Dameroff's, by calling you
boy Who but a boy could conceive
an idea so romantic? Offer to the
prince my heart and hand, that he
may spare another claimant to the
same! Solace his jealousy by feeding
its fires! Besides, how am supposed
to know anything about the matter?
Nor do 1 wish to know anything. I
shall not look in the papers for
month, and I trust my friends will
spare me their garbled version. And
now, my good friend, do turn your elo-
quence into a more agreeable channel!
Stay and breakfast with me, will you
not? feel bored, and I am sure l
shall find in you an entertaining vein.
By the way, 1 have heard among the
late distinguished arrivals in st. Peters,
burg is Monsieur Louis Gervase. Is
he not the man connected with that
scandal in Paris, little more than
year ago."
And as she asked the question her
nOnchalant tone never varied, and the
lovely, laughing eyes We're raised full
to his face.
(To be continued)