Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-04-13

| you VIII. at all events, conceal your
disapproval Of me-"
He bowed gravely and kept silence.
Eta sat with Il little patch of color on
either cheek, looking into the fire until
the door was opened and Maggie came
in.
Steinmetz went toward her with his
grave smile, while Eta hid q face
which had grown haggard.
Maggie glanced from one to the 9TH
er with frank interest. The relation
ship between these two had rather
puzzled her Of late.
"Well," said Steinmetz, land what Of
st. Petersburg?"
II am not disappointed" replied Mag
gle. lit is all 1 expected and more.
Everything interests me-"
"We We're discussing Petersburg
when you came in," said Steinmetz,
| drawing forward a chair. THE prin-
cess does not like it. She complains of
nerves."
Nerves. exclaimed Maggie, turn
ing to her cousin. Il did not suspect
you of having them"
Eta smiled a little YEARLY.
Zone never knows" she answered,
forcing herself to be light, what one
may come to in old age. I saw q gray
hair this morning. I am nearly thirty
three, you know. When glamour goes,
nerves come"
"Paul took M out in a sleigh this
/ nNrnino0 wont IN Norr{n in har
cheerful voice. II liked everything
the policemen in their little boxes at
the street corners, the officers in their
fur coats, the cabmen, everybody. There
is something SO mysterious about them
all. One can easily make up stories
about everybody n meets in Peters
burg. 1t is so easy to think that they
are not what they seem. Paul, Eta,
even you, Herr Steinmetz, may not be
what you seem"
eyes, that is So" answered Stein
metz, with a laugh.
"You may be a nihilist,' pursued
Maggie. you may have bombs con-
cealed up your sleeves; you may ex-
change mysterious passwords with peo~
pie in the streets; you may be much
less innocent than you appear"
"An that may be So" he admitted.
"You may have a revolver in the
pocket Of your dress coat,' went on
Maggie, pointing to the voluminous
garment with her fan.
His hand went to the pocket in ques-
ton and produced exactly what she
had suggested. He held out his hand
with a small silver mounted revolver
lying in the palm Of it.
Ever that" he said, may be So"
Maggie looked at it with a sudden
curiosity, her bright eyes grave.
"Loaded?" she asked.
eyes"
Then 1 will not examine it. How
curious. l wonder how near to the
mark may have been in other ways
II wonder" said Steinmetz, looking
at Eta. And now tell us something
about the princess. What do you sus-
pect her Of"
At this moment Paul came into the
room, distinguished looking and grave.
Miss Delafeld," pursued Steinmetz.
turning to the newcomer, lis telling us
her suspicious about ourselves. I am
already as good as condemned to SIDE
ria. She is now about to sit in judg-
ment on the princess"
Maggie laughed.
Herr Steinmetz has pleaded guilty
to the worst accusation she said.
"On the other counts I leave him to
his own conscience
Anything but that" urged Stein
metz. ..
Paul came forward, and Maggie
rather obviously avoided looking at
him.
Tell is of Pauls crimes first" said
Eta, rather hurriedly. She glanced at
the clock. whittier Karl Steinmetz's
eyes had also Travelled.
"Oh. Paul" said Maggie, rather in
differently. Indeed it seemed as if her
lightness OF heart had suddenly failed
her. We'll. perhaps he is deeply in
volved in schemes for the resurrection
that sort"
"That sounds tame put in Stein
metz. II think you would construct a
better romance respecting the princess.
In books it is always the beautiful
princesses who are most deeply dyed in
crime"
9" do not think 1 am" said Eta,
with a shudder. She rose rather hur-
riedly and crossed the room with q
great rustic of silks.
stop her." she whispered as she
passed SteinmetZ.
And the latter did so, and did not be-
tray to Paul the secret Of the theft of
the Charity league papers.
CHAPTER XIX.
7NHE Countess Lanovitch and Ca