The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-25

-.' douglas f1OIIlS.
daughter together. '"The Douglas
Homer" Here the girl added, softly: |
"The hero!"
Home blushed beneath his tan. "Of
course I'd no business to-" he said,
lamely. IT was only a correspondent. !
1t vas Ill, Ike my cheek tst to Interfere
engine" said the girl. IT really can
not get this glove on by myself
And you carried Lieutenant Feath-
erstone's body out Of the thick of the
fight, with Boer sharpshooters ping
ing at you all the timer" said the
mother.
please don't talk about it." pleaded
Home. II was in terrible funk"
The girl made a little movement Of
her wrist just as Home had nearly
succeeded in buttoning her glove. He
had to begin all over again. Some
how his hand shook.
"Have I hurt you?" she asked.
"Yes-youre hurting me now"
stammered Home. THAT Isl mean
-" He did not know what he
meant. Apparently the girl did, for
a still lovelier color stole into her
cheeks. Come in when you have
rested" she said, and mother and
daughter left him.
Home fell into a reverie. Whats
my pulse going like this for?" he
murmured. Dashed silly nonsense!
looking so beautiful
A sudden chill ran thru him. An
other girl-this time a dark one
stood regarding him from the door
way Of the ballroom. She was evil
IDENTIFY a Russian, tall, sallow, black
eyed, with that inscrutable look which
comes from dwelling on snowy
steepes. And there was a sheer upon
her handsome lips.
Monsieur Is seeing paradise with
the aid Of his countrywoman? she
asked.
Homes shoulder twitched. With a
rustic of black and amber drapertes,
she foated towards him.
"Oh, you don't know me! You
don't know me! And yet also saved
| your life"
! Home was politely incredulous.
Pardon me, but we have never met
before"
ooh. yes, we have, Mr.. Home. You
were In st. Petersburg when there
was plot to blow up the czar."
I 1.-The czar is always being blown
up" said Home, In tired tones.
"He would have died had 1t not been
| for YOU ..
| "Why, what had T to do with it ?'
| =
him. IT was going to throw the bomb
when caught sight of you close to
the czar's encourage" she said, COM
posedly ~"
"'Well?"
"You were so handsome that II
didn't throw"
what had to do with it?"
! "It was an unusually powerful
bomb. You would have been shat
! tared into little pieceS.o ~
! II am very much indebted to you
for your forbearance."
"You ought to be-" she cried, pas
! sionately. IT knew you were coming
here, and-and awaited your arrival
why? Oh, mon Dieu! You ask
me why? Why does a woman follow
, a man to the ends of the earth? %
The overwhelmed Home murmured
| that he supposed a woman followed a
man to the ends Of the earth because
she ought not to.
The woman gazed at him with gath
ering fury.
"Bah!G 7 ought to have blown you
to pieces you cold, insensible English
man." =. <..-
1T might, perhaps, have saved a
certain amount of trouble" acidly
agreed Home.
IT see how it is. Now that have
made myself known to you"
Pardon me, you haven't"
Oh, I forgot She looked round
and whispered: II am Vera Gotscha-
koff. Now do you know me?"
Home rose frigidly you should
never allow personal considerations to
interfere with your work. Didn't you
get into trouble for not throwing that
bomb,?"
,"Oh, yes; a knife thrust in the side
from one Of our committee. He's In
Siberia now, poor fellow"
The young Englishwoman floated
past the open door, steered by a dex-
ferrous MILDLY, who seemed to have his
heart in his work. Home, clad in
rough tweeds,. sighed.
II suppose I am too late said Vera
was before me-you can't forget that
There is another thing you might also
remember.
"Ye-es?"
1T still have that bomb
ooh, indeed should chuck 1t into
the bay If + were YOU"
"But you are not me-stupid Eng
: lishman that you are!"
"Come-come! 1t was awfully KIND
Of you not to throw that bomb. Lei
us be friends"
YES" she said, apparently soften.
. ing. ''Let us be friends. Only, re-
member that come first If you for
w L
; happen. Something un-plea-
: SAINT! Please take me into the ball
room"
What! Like this 2"
l IT would go with you in anything
anywhere"
Home had to take her into the ball
room. One side Of it was all window
) and the population Of st. Prudoc gath
cred there, noses glued to the glass
: He felt sorry that they should lool
on while others danced, and toll
. Marie, the waitress, to take them GU
{ a couple gallons of cider. Every tim
he gazed at the blue-eyed girl he fel
!, that Vera Gotschakoff watched him
Collecting his energies at last he wen
up to Miss Patton and begged for
= dance.
= my things haven't come out her
= yet" he said. Can you dance wit
9 La bear In tweeds?"
> But his strained arm could not hol
); her sprained wrist. Let us go int
the other room and talk" he suggest
ed, after a few turns. IT have bee
{. wanting to thank you properly eve
: since you came in"
. What for 2"
: Saving my life" ~
:, :, WAS that SO much to you?"
mot until you saved it." s
They went into the other room
Home feeling that the bomb Nigh
y come whirling after, them at any mo
= ment.
= II.