The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-31

ed. by the fact that a greater inter-
est had been brought into his life
in the pleasant form of a prospective
wife. When he was in London With
Eta Sydney Marlborough he did not,
however, forget Ostcrno. He only
longed for the time when he could
take Eta freely into his confidence
and engage her interest in the object
of his ambtion-namcly, to make the
huge Osterno estate into that lump OF
leaven which might in time lcaYen tAe
whole of the empire.
81 think" he said one morning to
Steinmetz, that | will write and tell
Mrs. Sydney scarborough all aboa:
this place
Il should not do that" replied Stein
metz. with leisurely promptitude.
"Why not?" asked Paul.
"On principle. Never tell Il woman
that which is not interesting enough
to magnify into secret"
Paul turned over his newspaper. he
began reading again, then suddenly
he looked up.
Eve are engaged to be married." he
observed pointedly. But l ara not So
ing to leave off. You need not fear
that Only l shall have to tel my
wife. Surely Il woman could help US
in thousand ways. There is slch q
lot that only a woman understands
Yes" grunted Steinmctz. "and only
the right sort of woman"
Paul looked up sharply.
"You must leave that,to no" he said.
my very dear friend, | leave every
thing to you"
Paul smiled.
you don't know Eta" he said half
shyly. "She is full of sympathy ana
pity for these people
Steinmctz bowed graycly.
81 have no doubt of it,
"And yet you say that she must not
be told"
Certainly not A secret is consider
ably strained if it be divided between
two people. Stretching it to three will
probably break it. You can tel her
when you are married. Docs she con-
sent to live in OsternoTs V
"Oh, yes. think
At this moment the door was oDeneJ,
and a servant in bright livery, with
powdered wig silk stockings and q
countenance which might have been
of wood, brought III letter on q silver
tray. gssaaea a. .,agd sgo
Paul took the square .envc,opc ana
turned it over, displaying as he I'D SO
a coronet in black and gold on the co.,
ner, like a stamp. Then he opened the
letter and read il.
"a fresh difficulty" said lie, throw
ing the note across to his vo,npanion.
Steinmetz looked grave while he I'M
folded the thick stationery and read:
Dear PAUL. hear you are at Ostcrho
and that the Moscow doctor is in your
country. We are in great distress at
Thors-cholera, fear. The fame Of your
doctor has spread to my people, and they
are clamoring for him. Can you bring or
send him over? You know your room
here is always in readiness. Come soon
with the great doctor and also Herr Stein
metz. In doing so you will give more
than pleasure to your old friend.
CATRINA LANOVITCH.
P. Smother is afraid to go out of
doors for fear of infection. She thinks
she has little cold.
Steinmetz folded the letter very care
fully. pressing the seam of it refec
lively with his stout forefingcr and
thumb.
Il always think of the lie first" he
said. Its my nature Or my misfor
tune. We can easily write and say
that the Moscow doctor has left. But
then by doing that we leave these
poor devils to die in their-sties. Ca
trina cannot manage them. They are
worse than our people"
Whatever is the best lie to tell"
burst in Paul, "as we seem to live in
an atmosphere Of them, l must so to
Ihors; that is quite certain
"And Catrina will find you out at
once"
"Why?'
SteinmetZ drew in his feet He lean
ed forward and knocked his pipe on
one of the logs that lay ready to light
In the great fireplace.
Because she loves you," he said
shortly. There is no coming the Mos
cow Ioctor over her."
Paul laughed rather awkwardly. He
was one Of the few inen-daily grow
Ing fewer-who hold. that Il womans
love is not thing to be tossed lightly
about in conversation
Then he began. speaking rather
quickly as if afraid that Steinmetz
was going to say more. If he amend
ed, you think she will find out, she
must not see me, that is ALL
Steinmetz reflected again. He was
unusually grave over this matter. One
would scarcely have taken this stout
German for person of any sentiment
whatever. Nevertheless he would
have liked Paul to marry Catrina Ian
ovitch in preference to Eta Sydney
Marlborough. merely because he
thought that the farmer loved him.
while he felt sure that the latter did
not. He kecnly suspected that she was
marrying Paul for his money. for the
position he could give her in the world
1--WE must be earefti.v ;.lessaid. I'VE
must place clearly before ourselves tie
risks that we are running before we
T~ ~