The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-17
Ole Sewers
By
HENRY SETON MERRIMAN
Copyright, 1896. by Harper g. Brothers

mirrors to make sure of that fact And
II she wanted further assurance hun
dred men in the room would have been
ready to swear to it. This lady had re-
Gently dawned on London sOciety-a
young widow. She rarely mentioned
her husband; it was understood to be q
painful subject. He had been attach
ed to several embassies. she said; he
had brilliant career before him, and
suddenly he had died abroad. And
then she gave little sigh and bright
smile, which. being interpreted. meant
"Let us change the subject"
There was never any doubt about
Mrs. Sydney scarborough. She was
aristocratic to the tips Of her dainty
white fingers, composed, gentle and
quite sure of herself-quite the grand
lady. AS q matter of fact, Eta Sgd
ney Marlborough came from excellent
ancestry and could claim an uncle
here, cousin there and number Of
distant relatives everywhere should it
be worth the while.
1t was safe to presume that she was
rich from the manner in which she
dressed, the number of servants and
horses she kept, the general air of
wealth which pervaded her existence
That she was beautiful any one could
see for himself-not in. the shop win
dOws, among the presumably self Sc
lected types of English beauty. but in
the proper place namely, in her own
and other aristOcratic drawing rooms.
She was talking to tall, fair French
man in perfect French and was her.
self nearly as tall as he Bright brown
hair waved prettily back from white
forehead, clever, dark gray eyes and
q lovely complexion-one of those COM
plexions which, from a purity Of con-
science or steadiness Of nerve, never
change-cheeks of faint pink, an ex-
pressive, mobile mouth, neck of daz-
cling white-such was Mrs. Sydney
Marlborough in the prime of her youth.
"And you maintain that it Is five
years since we met" she was saying
to the tall Frenchman.
MADAME, it Is SO. Witness these
gray hairs All, those were happy days
In st. Petersburg
Mrs Sydney Marlborough smiled, a
pleasant society smile, not too pro-
nounced and just sufficient to suggest
pearly teeth. At the mention Of st.
Petersburg she glanced round to see
that they were not overheard. She
gave little SILVER.
Don't speak of Russia" she plead
ed. 81 hate to hear it mentioned.
was so happy. 1t is painful to remem.
ber."
Even while she spoke the expression
Of her face changed to one of gay de-
light. She nodded and smiled toward
tall man who was evidently looking
for her, and took no notice of the
Frenchman's apologies.
"Who is that?" asked the young man.
II see him everywhere lately"
"a mere English gentleman, Mr.. Paul
Howard Alexis" replied the lady.
The Frenchman raised his eyebrows.
He knew better. This was no plain
English gentleman. He bowed and
tOOh lCdNC. Ius VIC Sh6uAN VI
the French embassy was watching ev-
cry movement, every change Of ex-
preston, from across the room.
In evening dress the man whom we
last saw on the platform of the rail
way station at Tver did not look SO
Enthusiastically English. 1t was more
evident that he had inherited certain
characteristics from his Russian moth
er, notably his great height, physical
advantage enjoyed by many aristocrat-
ic Russian families. His hair was fair
and inclined to curl, and there the for
eign suggestion suddenly ceased. His
face had the quiet concentration, the
unObtrusive self absorption, which one
sees more strongly marked in English
faces than In any others. His manner
Of moving through the well dressed
crowd somewhat belied the tan of luis
skin. Here was an out of door, ath-
letic youth who knew how to move
in drawing rooms, big man who did
not look much too large for his sur
roundings. 1t was evident that he
did not know many people and also
that he was Indifferent to his loss. He
had come to see Mrs. Sydney Bambor.
ough, and that lady was not insensible
to the fact.
To prove this she diverged from the
path of veracity, as is the way Of some
women.
81 did not expect to see you here"
she said.
You told me you were coming" he
answered simply. The inference would
have been enough for some women, but
not for Eta Sydney Marlborough.
well, is that reason why you
should attend a diplomatic soiree and
force yourself to bow and smirk to q
number Of white handed little dandies
whom you despise"
1.-THE best reason" he answered
quietly, with an honesty which some
how touched her as nothing else had
touched this beautiful woman since
she had BECOME aware Of her beauty.
Then you think it worth the bow.
ing and the smirkingr' she asked
looking past him with innocent eyes
She made an imperceptible movement
toward him as IL she expected him to
whisper. She was of that school.
But he was not. His was not the sort
of mind to conceive any thought that