The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-17

the papers or the Charity league was
known. the recipient of the blood mon
ey had never been discovered. 1t was
large sum, for the government had
been quick to recognize the necessity
Of nipping this movement in the bud.
Education is a dangerous matter to
deal with, for on the heels of educa-
ton socialism ever treads When at
last education makes a foothold in
Russia that foothold will be on the
very step Of the autocratic throne. The
Charity league had. as Steinmetz put
1t. the primary object of preparing the
peasant for education and thereafter
placing education within his reach.
Such proceedings were naturally held
by those in high places to be only Sec
ond to nihilism.
All this and more which shall tran
spire In the course of this narration
was known to Paul. In face of the
fact that his name was prominently be-
fore the Russian ministry of the inte-
rior he proceeded all through the win
ter to ship roadmaking tools. agricul-
tural implements. seeds and food.
Paul had met Mrs. Sydney Bambor-
ough on one or two occasions and had
been interested in her. From the first
he had come under the influence Of her
beauty. But she was then q married
woman. He met her again toward the
end of the terrible winter to which ref
erence has been made and found that
3 mere mountaineering had In the
meantime developed into friendship.
He could not have told when and where
the great social barrier had been sur
mounted and left behind. He only
knew in an indefinite way that some
such change had taken place, as all
such changes do, not in intercourse,
but in the intervals of absence.
That friendship had rapidly develop
ed into something else Paul became
aware early in the season, and, as we
have seen from his conversation, Mrs.
Sydney scarborough. innocent and
guileless as she was. might with all
modesty have OWNED the state of his
feelings had she been less oyershad
owed by her widows weeds.
She apparently had no such suspi-
cion, for she asked Paul in all good
faith to call the next day and tell her
all about Russia-"dear Russia"
my cousin Maggie" she added, sis
staying with me. She is dear girl. I
am sure you will like her."
Paul accepted with alacrity, but re-
served to himself the option of hating
Mrs. Sydney Bamborough's cousin Mag
gle merely because that young lady
existed and happened to be staying in
upper Brook street.
At 8 o'clock the next afternoon he
presented himself at the house of
mourning and completely filled up its
small entrance hall.
He was shown inv the drawing
room, where he discovered Miss Mar
garet Delafield in the act of dragging
her hat off in front of the mirror over
the mantelpiece. He heard a suppress
ed exclamation of amused horror and
found himself shaking hands with Mrs.
Sydney scarborough.
The lady mentioned Pauls name and
her Cousins relationship in that casual
manner which constitutes an introduc-
ton in these degenerate days. Miss
Delafield bowed. laughed and moved
toward the door. She left the room,
and behind her an impression of breezi-
ness and health, of English girlhood
and certain bright cheerfulness which
acts as filter in social muddy waters.
sit is very good Of you to come;
was moping," said Mrs. Sydney Bam-
borough. She was, as matter Of fact,
resting before the work Of the evening.
This lady thoroughly understood the
art of being beautiful.
Paul did not answer at once. He was
looking at large photograph which
stood in a frame on the mantelpiece,
the photograph of handsome man OF
or thirty, small featured,
fair and shifty looking.
"Who is that?" he asked abruptly.
"Do you not know? My husband"
Paul muttered an apology, but he
did not turn away from the photo
graph.
"Oh, never mind" said Mrs. Sydney
scarborough in reply to his regret that
he had stumbled upon painful sub
ject. II never
She paused.
"No," she went on, 81 won't say
that"
But, so far as conveying what she
meant was concerned, she might just
as well have uttered the words.
81 do not want a sympathy which is
unmerited," she said gravely.
He turned and looked at her, sitting
in a graceful attitude. the incarnation
of a most refined misfortune. She rails
ed her eyes to his for moment. a sort
of Photographic instantaneous shutter,
exposing for the hundredth part OF a
second the sensitive plate of her heart.
Then she suppressed sigh-badly.
II was married horribly young" she
said, before l knew what was do
ing. But even if I had known l do
not suppose / should have had. the
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