The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-24
" on his heels and faced Mrs. Sydney

"For your inquired Mrs. Sydney
Marlborough.
The baron shrugged his shoulders.
possibly. One can never tell. She
conceals 1t very well If 1t exists. How
ever, 1 am Indifferent. The virtue Of
the violet is its own reward perhaps,
for the rose always wins"
Eta smiled, almost relenting She
was never quite safe against her own
vanity. Happy the woman who is, and
rare.
II suspect that the violet Is innocent
Of any desire to enter into cOmpeti-
tion," said Eta.
knowing" suggested De Chaux-
Vile, ''that. although the race Is not
always to the swift, 1t is usually so.
Please do not stand. 1t suggests that
you are waiting for me to go or for
some one else to come"
"Neither."
"Then prove it by taking this chair.
Thus. near the fire, for it is quite an
English, spring. A footstool. Is 1t
permitted to admire your slippers
what there is of them? Now you look
comfortable"
He attended to her wants, OWNED
them and perhaps created them, with
a perfect grace and much too intimate
q knowledge. AS carpet knight he
was faultless. And Eta thought Of
Paul, who could do none of these
things or would do none of them-Paul.
who never made her feel like doll.
"Will you not sit down" she said,
indicating a chair, which ne did not
take. He's selected one nearer to her.
81 can think Of nothing more desira-
BILE"
Than whatT' she asked. Her van
lily was like hungry fish. 1t rose to
everything"
"a chair In this room"
"A modest DESIRE" she said. "Is
that really all you want in this world"
NO" he answered, looking. at her.
:. She gave a little laugh and moved
rather hurriedly.
III was going to suggest that you
could have both at certain fixed peri
ods-whenever-I am out"
II am glad you did not suggest it"
"WhyT' she asked sharply.
Because l should have had to go
into explanations. did not say ALL"
Mrs. scarborough was looking into
the n-e, only half listening to him.
There was something in the nature Of
duel between these two. Each
thought more of the next stroke than
Of the present parry.
'.Do you ever say all, NJ. de Chaux-
villeT she asked.
The baron, laughed. Perhaps he was
vain of the reputation that was his,
for this man was held to be finished
diplomat1st. A finished diplomatist,
be it known, is one who is danger
Gus foe and an unreliable friend.
Perhaps, now that reflect upon
It." continued the clever woman, dis
liking the clever mans silence ''the
person who said all would be intoler-
able" lr"
.sThere are some things which 60
without it," said De Chauxville.
He was cautious, for he was fighting
on field, which women may rightly
claim for their own. He really loved
Eta. He was trying to gauge the
meaning of q little change in her tone
toward him-a change SO subtle that
few men could have detected 1t. But
Claude de Chauxville, accomplished
steersman through the shoals Of 'hu-
man nature, especially through those
| very pronounced shoals who call them
selves women Of the world-Claude de
Chauxville knew the value Of the
slightest change Of manner should that
change manifest itself more than once.
The ring of indifference or some
| thing dangerously near it in Etta's
voice had first been noticeable the pre-
vious evening, and the attache knew it.
1t had been in her voice whenever she
spoke to him then. 1t was there now.
"Some things" he continued. in
voice she had never heard before, for
this man was rinnately artificial,
(which woman usually knows before
they are told to her."
"What SOFT of things. NJ. lie Baron"
He gave little laugh. 1t was so
strange thing to him to be sincere
that he felt awkward and abashed. He
was surprised at his own sincerity.
THAT 1 love you. You have known it
longT
The face which he could not see was
not quite the face of good woman
Eta was smiling.
| "No-o." she almost whispered.
! 81 think you must have known it."
he corrected suavely. Twill you do me
the honor of becoming my wife?'
1t was very correctly done. Claude
de Chauxville had regained control
over himself. He was able to think
about the riches which were evidently
hers. But through the thought he loved
the woman. ~ =:
The lady lowered the feather screen
which she was holding between her
face and the fire. Regardless of the i'm
mediate danger in which she was plac-
ing her complexion. she studied the
glowing cinders for some moments,
weighing something or some persons
| in her mind.
mo. my friend" she answered In
French at length.