The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-06-09

bCSll ~ ll1tiA
coming to the point in his blum way
"that you are a sort OF beautlfui 30
nah, a graceful stormy petrol, a ran
| Wandering Jewess. There is always
trouble where you CO.
She glanced at his broad face anc
read nothing there.
go on" she said. "What have
been doing now? How you do nate
me, Herr Steinmetz." .
perhaps it is safer than loving you
he answered, with his grim hunlor.
"You are horribly grave" she said.
1.-THE situation" he replied. SIS hor'
ribly grave"
Eta looked up at him as he stood
before her, and the lamplight, falling
on the perfect oval of her face, showed
It to be white and drawn.
She sat looking up into his strong
grave face, and during all that followed
she never moved.
~ know you" he said, "to be cour'
ageous, and must ask you to believe
that l exaggerate nothing in what ]
am about to tell you. l tell it to you
instead of leaving Paul to do so be-
cause I know his complete fearlessness
and his blind faith in a people who are
unworthy of it. He does not realize
the gravity of the situation. They are
his W people. A sailor never believes
that his own ship is unseaworthy."
"Go f,h," said Eta, for he had paused.
"Thts country" he continued, lis IN
settled. The people Of the estate are
on the brink of a revolt. You know
what the Russian peasant is. 1t will be
no Partisan uprising--half noise, half
laughter. We cannot hope to hold this
old place against them; we cannot get
away from it; we cannot send for help,
because we have no n to send. Prin-
cess, this is no time for half conf
dences. l know-for l know these peo-
pie better ven than Paul knows them
Il am convinced, that this is not the
outcome of their own brains. They
are being urged on by some one. There
Is some u at their backs. This is no
revolt of the peasants, organized by
the peasants. Princess, you must tell
me all you know"
"I-I," she stammered-"I know moth
ing!!"
And then suddenly she burst into
tears and buried her face in a tiny,
useless handkerchief. 1t was so unlike
har on6 ca sudden +bo+ Sta;,,,ot, -,o
startled.
He laid his great hand soothingly on
her shoulder.
9" know" he said quietly-"l know
more than you think. l am no saint,
princess, myself. l, too, have had my
difficulties. l have had my temptations,
and l have not always resisted. God
knows it is difficult for men to do al
the right thing. 1t is a thousand
times more difficult for ONE When
spoke together in Petersburg and l
offered you my poor friendship l was
not acting in the dark. l knew as
much then as l do now. Princess, /
knew about the Charity league papers,;
knew more than any except Stepan
and it was he who told me-"
he was %stroking her shoulder with
the soothing movements that one uses
toward a child in distress. His great
hand, broad and thick, had a certain
sense of quiet comfort and strength in
It. Eta ceased sobbing and sat with
bowed head, looking through her tears
INTO the gay wood fire. 1t is probable
that she failed to realize the great char
lty of the man who was speaking to
her.
as that all he knows?" she was won
The suggestion that Sydney BAN
borough was not dead had risen up to
all other fear in her mind. In
part her thought reached him.
Il know so MUCH" he said, that it
Is safest to tell me more. l offered you
my friendship because 1 think that no
could carry through your diff
culties unaided. Princess, the admira-
tion of Claude de Chauxville may be
pleasant, but I venture to think that
my friendship is essential"
Eta raised her head a little. She
was within an ace of handing over to
Karl Steinmetz the rod of power held
her by the Frenchman.
II have known De Chauxville TWEEN
ty-fve years." he went on, and Eta
deferred her confession. I'VE have
never been good friends, l admit. l am
40 saint, princess, but De Chauxville
Is a villain. Some day you may dis
cover when it is too late that it would
have been for Paurs happiness, for
your happiness, for every ones good, to
have nothing more to do with Claude
de ChauXville. l want to save you
that discovery. Will you act upon my
advice? Will you make a stand now?
Will you come to me and tell me all
that De Chauxville knows about you
that he could ever use against you?
Will you give yourself into my hands
give me your battle to fight? You can
not do it alone. Only believe in my
princess. That is all l ask"
Eta shook her head.
II think not" she answered in q
voice too light, too superficial, too hope
lessly shallow, for the depth Of the mo-
ment. She was thinking only of Sgd
ney scarborough and Of that dread Sc
cret. She fought with what arms she
welded best-the lightest, the quick
est, the most battling.