The Mankato free press., 1905-02-10
6us SOWERS
By
HENRY SETON MERRIMAN
CHAPTER |.
coprright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers

"YN this county charity covers no
sinsr
The speaker finished his re-
4 mark with short laugh. lie
was a big, stout man. His name was
Karl SteinmetZ, and it is a name well
known in the government of Tver to
this day. He spoke jerkily, as stout
men do when they ride, and when he
had laughed his good natured. half
cynical laugh he closed his lips be-
meath huge gray mustache SO far
as one could judge from the action Of
a square and deeply indented chin, his
mouth was expressive at that time
and possibly at all times-of humor-
'ous resignation. No reply was vouch-
safed to him, and Karl SteinmeN
bumped along on his little Cossack
horse, which was stretched out at a
gallop.
Evening was drawing on. 1t was
late in October, and a cold wind was
driving from the northwest across a
plain which for sheer dismalness of
aspect may give points to Sahara and
beat that abode of mental depression
without an effort.
Steinmetz looked round over this
cheerless prospect with n twinkle OF
amused resignation in his blue eyes,
as if this creation were little practi-
cal joke, which he, Karl Steinmetz, ap-
preciated at its proper worth The
whole scene was suggestive of immense
distance, of countless miles in all di-
rections. The land through which
these men were riding is the home of
great distances-Russia. They rode,
moreover, as if they knew it, as il
they had ridden for days and were
aware Of more days in front of them.
The companion Of Karl Steinmetz
looked like an Englishman. He was
young and fair and quiet. He looked
like a youthful athlete from Oxford
or Cambridge.
This young mans name was Paul
Howard Alexis, and fortune had made
him q Russian prince. If. however,
any one, even SteinmetZ. called him
prince, he blushed and became con-
fused This terrible title had broodcd
over him while at Eton and Cambridge.
But no one had found him out. He re-
NAMED Paul Howard Alexis so far as
England and his friends We're concern
ed. In Russia, however. he was known
(by name only, for he avoided Slavon-
ic society as Prince Pavlo Alexis.
This plain was his. Half the govern
ment of Tver was his. The great Vol
ga rolled through his possessions. Six
ty miles behind him grim stone cas-
tie bore his name, and vast tract Of
land was peopled by humble minded
persons who cringed at the mention of
his eXcellency.
All this because thirty years earlier
a certain Princess Natasha Alexis had
fallen in love with plain Mr.. Howard
of the British embassy in st. Peters
burg. With Slavonic enthusiasm Cfor
the Russian is the most romantic race
on earth) she Informed Mr. Howard of
the fact and duly married him. Both
these persons were now dead, and
Paul Howard Alexis owed it to his
mothers influence in high regions that
the responsibilities of princedom were
his, but he entirely failed to recognize
the enviability Of his position as be
rode across the plains of Tver toward
the yellow Volga by the side of Karl
SteinmetZ.
This is great nonsense" he said
suddenly. Il feel like a nihilist or
some theatrical person of that sort.
do not think it can be necessary, Stein
metz"
"Not necessary" answered Steinmetz
in thick cultural tones, ''but prudent"
This man spoke with the soft con-
sonants of a German.
Prudent, my dear prince"
"Oh, drop that"
when we sight the Volga I will
drop it with pleasure. Good heavens!
l wish l were q prince. l should have
it marked on my linen and sit up in
bed to read it on my nightshirt"
mo, you wouldn't, Steinmetz." an
swered Alexis with a vexed laugh.
"You would hate it just as much as
do, especially if it meant running away
from the best bear shooting in Eu-
rope"
Steinmetz shrugged his shoulders.
"Then you should not have been
charitable. Charity, tell you. Alexis.
covers no sins in this country"
''Who made me charitable? Besides,
no decent minded fellow could be any
thing else here. Who told me of the
League of Charity, l should like to
know? Who put me into it? Who
aroused my pity for these poor beg
gars? Who but stout German cynic
called Steinmetz."
'Stout. yes; cynic, il you WILL Ger
man, no!''
The words were jerked out of him
by the galloping horse.
"Then what are your"
Steinmetz looked straight in front of
him with meditation in his quiet
eyes which made a dreamy man Of
him.
''That depends"
Alexis laughed