The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-02

AOt
He did not answer her question, and
somehow she seemed to expect no re-.
ply. He stood blinking down into the
fire, while she watched him furtlyely
from the corners of her eyes, her lips
parched and open, her face quite
white.
A few moments before she had pro-
tested that she desired his friendship.
She knew now that she could not brave
his enmity And the one word liver
had done it all. the mere mention OF
a town, obscure and squalid. on the
upper waters of the mighty Volga in
mid Russia!
During those few moments she sud-
denly came face to face with her po-
sitiOn. What had she to offer this
man? She looked him up and down
stout, placid and impenetrable. Here
was no common adventurer seeking
place, no coxcomb seeking ladies' ia
vors, no pauper to be bought with gold.
She had no means Of ascertaining how
much he knew, how much he suspect
ed She could never hope to find out
whether his knowledge and his sus-
picions were his alone or had been i'm
parted to others.
She breathed hard, living through
years of anxiety in few moments OF
time. and she could only realize that
she was helpless, bound hand and foot
In this mans power.
It was he who spoke first.
"1Iy dear lady" he said. 'if you ara
content to take my friendship as 1t Ia,
1t is yours. Hut 1 warn you it Is no
snowy drawing room article. There
will be no compliments, no pretty
speeches, no little gifts of flowers and
such trumpery amenities. 1t will all
be very solid and middle aged, like my
self"
you think" returned the lady, "that
l am fit for nothing better than pretty
speeches and compliments and floral
Oiferings?"
Il do" he said quietly.
"And yet you offer me your friend
ship"
He bowed in acquiescence.
"Why?" she asked.
"For PauPs sake. my dear lady"
She shrugged her shoulders and turn
ed away from him.
"Of course she said, sit is quite
easy to be rude. AS it happens, it is
precisely for Pauls sake that / took
the trouble Of speaking to you on this
matter. / do not wish him to be trou.
bled with such small domestic affairs,
and therefore if we are to live under
the same roof shall deem it favor If
you will, at all events, conceal your
diSapprOval of me-"
He bowed gravely and kept silence
Eta sat with littl&patch of color OH
either cheek, looking into the fire until
the door.Eas opened and Maggie came
In.
Steinmetz went toward her with his
grave smile, while Eta hid a face
which had grown haggard.
Maggie glanced from one to the 9TH
er with frank interest. The relation
puzzled her Of late.
SWELL" said Steinmetz, land what of
ST. Petersburg?'
II am not disappointed, replied Mag
gle. '.It is all l expected and more
Everything interests me-"
1--WE were discussing Petersburg
when you came in" said SteinmetZ,
drawing forward a chair. ''The. prin-
cess does not like it. She complains of
nerves"
Nerves. exclaimed Maggie, turn
ing to her cousin. Il did not suspect
you of having them"
Eta smiled little wearily.
Zone never knows" she answered,
forcing herself to be light, what one
may come to in old age. l saw gray
hair this morning. / am nearly thirty
three. you know When glamour goes.
nerves come"
paul took me out in a sleigh this
morning" went on Maggie, in her
cheerful voice. 81 liked everything
the policemen in their little boxes at
the street corners, the officers in their
fur coats, the cabmen. everybody. There
Is something so mysterious about them
all. One can easily make up stories
about everybody one meets in Peters
burg. 1t is so easy to think that they
are not what they seem. Paul, Eta,
even you, Herr Steinmetz, may not be
what you SEEM"
Yes, that is So" answered Stein
metz, with laugh.
you may be nihilist," pursued
Maggie. you may have bombs con-
cealed up your sleeves; you may ex-
change mysterious passwords with peo-
pie in the streets; you may be much
less innocent than you appear,
"All that may be So" he admitted.
You may have a revolver in the
pocket of your dress coat" went on
Maggie, pointing to the voluminous
garment with her fan.
His hand went to the pocket In ques-
ton and produced exactly what she
had suggested. He held out his hand
with small silver mounted revolver
lying in the palm Of it.
Even that" he said, may be So"
Maggie looked at it with a sudden
curiosity, her bright eyes grave.
''Loaded?" she asked
''Yes"
'Then / will not examine 1t. How
curious. l wonder how near to the
mark | may have been in other ways"
II wonder" said Steinmetz, looking
of Eta 8And nary foil no e,or,o+h,,.,.