The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09

pTOleSSlnS kHOWl6uSe Oh french
cuisine without taking any compromis-
ing notice of each other. When the
meal was over Vassili inscribed the
number Of his bedroom in large fig
ures on the label of his bottle of wine
after the manner of wise commercial
travellers in continental hotels. He
subsequently turned the bottle around
SO that Claude de Chauxville could
scarcely fail to read the number, and.
with vague and general bow, he left
the ROOM
Before long a discreet knock at the
door of Vassili's room announced the
arrival of the expected visitor.
"Entrezw cried Vassili. And De
Chauxville stood before him.
"a pleasure" said Vassili behind his
wooden face, "that I did not anticipate
in Tver."
"And consequently one that carries
its own mitigation. An unanticipated
pleasure, my friend. is always mop
perfume. l make no doubt that you
were sorry to see me-"
"On the contrary. Will you sit?"
81 can hardly believe" went on De
Chauxville. taking the proffered chair,
that my appearance was opportune-
on the principle, ha. ha, that a flower
growing out Of place is weed! Gen
tlemen of the-eh-home Office prefer,
know, to travel quietly" He spread
out his expressive hands as if smooth
ing the path of NJ Vassili through this
stony world "Incognito," he added
guilelessly.
Zone does not publish ones name
from the house tops" replied the Rus
sian, with a glimmer of pride in his
eyes, especially If it happen to be not
quite obscure; but between friends, my
dear baron-between friends" >,sfi.
/ Eyes. Nhen what are you doing In.
TverY inquired De. Chauxville, with
engaging frankness.
"Ah. that is long story! But !
will tell you-never fear-I- will fell
you on the usual terms"
Sand they are" inquired the
Frenchman, lighting a cigarette.
Vassili accepted the match with
bow and did likewise. He blew
guileless cloud of smoke toward tae
dingy ceiling.
Exchange, my dear baron, ex-
change"
ooh. certainlyw replied De Chaux-
vile, who knew thai Vassili was in all
probability fully informed as to his
movements past and prospective. 81
f0 tel oil frio nd in,
this government-the Lanovitches, at
Thors."
"Ahw
"You know themY'
Vassili raised his shoulders and
made a little gesture with his ciga-
rette as much as to say. "Why ask?"
De ChauXville looked at his compan-
ion keenly. He was wondering wheth-
err this man knew that he Claude de
Chauxville) loved Eta Howard Alexis
and consequently hated her husband.
He was wondering how much or how
little this impenetrable individual
knew and suspected.
81 have always said." observed Vas
sill suddenly. that for unmitigated i'm
pertinence give me a diplomatist."
"Ah! And what would you desire
that l should for the same commodity
give you now?'
ga woman"
There was a short silence in the
room while these two birds of feath-
er reflected.
Suddenly vassili tapped himself on
the chest with his forefnger.
"It was l." he said, "who crushed
that very dangerous movement-the
Charity league. Now, my dear baron.
listen to me-" The genial Vassili lean
ed forward and tapped with one finger
on the knee of De ChauXville as if
knocking at the door of his attention.
81 am all ears. mon bon monsieur"
replied the Frenchman rather coldly.
He had just been rejecting that, after
all, he did not want any favor from
vassili for the moment. and the man.
ner Of the latter was verging on the
familiar
"The woman = who = sold = me-the
Charity league papers dined at my
house in Paris-a fortnight ago." said
Vassili, with staccatO tap on his
companions knee by way of emphasis
to each word.
"Then, my friend, cannot congrat
ulate-you-on the society-in-which
you move,' replied De Chauxville,
imimicking his manner ~ -.
"Bah! She was princess!" #
"a princess" 81
eyes, of your acquaintance, NJ. lie
Baron. And she came to my house
with her : ell = husband = the Prince
Paul Howard Alexis"
This was news indeed. De Chaux-
vile leaned back and passed his slim
white hand across his brow with
slow pressure as if wiping some writ
ing from a slate-as if his forehead
bore the writing of his thoughts and
he was wiping 1t away. And the
thoughts he thus concealed-who can
count them? The first thought was
that if he had known this three months
earlier he could have made Eta mar
ry him. With Eta for his wife he
might have been different man.
But the news coming. thus too late,
only served an eyl purpose, for in that
fash of thought Claude de Chauxvifle
saw Pauls secrets given to him. Paul's
wealth melted out to him. Paul I'm exile