Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-05-04

Receiving no answer. she looked up
and fixed her searching gaze on the
face Of her companion. Maggie was
looking straight in front of her in the
direction Of the fire, but not with eyes
focused to see anything so near at
hand. She bore the scrutiny without
hinching. AS soon as Catrina's eyes
were averted the masklike stiffness Of
her features relaxed.
"She does not take that trouble now"
added the Russian girl. in reply to her
own question. did you sex her to-
night when we were at the piano? NJ.
de Chauxville was talking to her. They
We're keeping two conversations going
at the same time. l could see by their
faces. They said different things when
the music vas loud. hate her. She
is not true to Paul. NJ. de Chauxville
knows something about her. They
have something in common which is
mo- known to Paul or to any Of us!
Why do you not speak? Why do you
sit staring into the fire with your lips
so close together?"
Because I do not think that we shall
gain anything by discussing Paul and
his wife. 1t is no business of ours"
Catrina laughed-a lamentable. mirth-
less laugh.
THAT is because she is your cousin.
and he-he is nothing to you. You do
not care whether he Is happy or not"
Catrina had turned upon her COM
noninr Aoroolr No~r}o c-1-. o,o,~1
in her chair TO pick up her bracelets.
which had slipped from her knees to
the floor.
you e"xaggerate things" she said
quietly. 81 see no reason to suppose
that Paul is unhappy. 1t is because
like to her"
She took a long time to collect" three
bracelets. Then she rose and placed
them or the dressing table.
DO you want me to go% asked Ca
trina in her blunt way.
No. answered Maggie civilly
enough. But she extracted a couple
Of hairpins rather obviously.
Catrina needed the voice and not the
action.
do you like NJ. de Chauxville?" she
asked.
mo"
Does Paul like himw
81 don't know"
Catrina looked up for a moment only.
Then her eyes returned to the contem-
plation of the burning pine logs.
II wonder why you will not talk OF
Paul." she said in a voice requiring nc
answer.
Maggie moved rather uneasily. She
had her back turned toward Catrina.
II am afraid I am rather a dull peg
to say about anybody"
And nothing about Paul." suggest
ed Catrina.
Nothing. We were talking about NJ.
de Cllauxville."
les. Go not understand VI. de
ChauSville. He seems to me to be the
incarnation of insiuce:ity. he posrs-
even to himself. He il always watch.
Ing for the effect. l woil:c; what the
effect of himself upon himself may
be-"
Maggie laughed. -
"That Is rather complicatca." She
said. ut requires working out. (
think he is deeply impressed with his
W astuteness. If lie were simpler.
he would be %cleverer."
Catrina was afraid Of Claude &c
ChauSville. and because this Was 50
she stared in wonder at the English
girl, who dismissed him from the con-
versation and her thoughts with - few
careless words Of contempt Such
minds as that Of Miss Delahc!d were
quite outside the field Of ID" Charx-
ville's influence. while that Freucnman
had considerable power over highly
strung and imaginative natures.
Catrina Lanovitch had begun by toll
Grating him-had proceeded to make
the serious blunder Of permitting him
to be impertinently familiar and was
now eXaggerating in her own mind tie
hold that he had over her. Size cd
not actually dislike him. 50 few peo-
pie had taken the trouble or found the
expediency Of endeavoring to SYM
patbize with her or understand be-. M
ture that she was unconsciousiy drawn
toward this man whom she now fear
ed.
In ex~aggerating the power he exer-
cised over herself she somewhat nat
urally exaggerated also his jmportanc"
in the world and in the lives Of thoac
around him. She had imagined him
all powerful. and the first person To
whom she mentioned his name dismiss.
ed the subject indifferently. Her own
entire sincerity had enabled her to Dc
tect the insincertty Of her ally. She
had purposely made mention Of the
weak spot which she had discovered In
order that her observation might be
corroborated. And this Maggie hnd
failed to do.
With the slightest announcement
Catrina would have told her colnpan
ion all that had passed. The svmDn.