The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-10


II from the paper before him and
n scratched his forehead with his
A a forefnger.
Now. wonder" he said aloud,
show many bushels there are in ton.
Ach, how am / to find out? These
English weights and measures. this
English money, when there is a met
rical system"
He sat and hardly looked up when
the clock struck Z. 1t was q quiet
room this in which he sat, the library
of Pauls London house. The noise of
Piccadilly reached his ears as a faint
roar not entirely unpleasant but socia-
Bile and full of life. Accustomed as he
was to the great silence of Russia,
where sound seems lost in space, the
hum of a crowded humanity was q
pleasant change to this philosopher,
who loved his kind while fully recog-
nizing it's little weaknesses.
While he sat there still wondering
how many bushels of seed made ton
Paul Alexis came into the room. The
younger man was in evening dress.
He looked at the clock rather eagerly.
Twill you dine hereY he asked, and
Steinmetz wheeled around in his chair.
81 am going out to dinner" he explain
ed further.
"Ahv' said the elder man.
81 am going to Mrs. Sydney Bam-
borough's. l shall probably ask her to
marry me-"
"And she will probably say yes"
81 am not so sure about that said
Paul, with laugh, for this man was
without conceit. Il do not see why she
should" he went on gravely. He was
standing by the empty fireplace a
manly, upright figure, one who was
not very clever, not brilliant at all,
somewhat slow in his speech, but sure,
deadly sure, in the honesty of his pur-
pose.
Karl Steinmetz looked at him and
smiled openly, with the quaint air of
resignation that was his.
"You have never seen her, eh?" in
CURED Paul.
Steinmetz paused, then he told lie,
a good one, well told, deliberately.
'No."
"We are going to the opera, box F2.
If you come in 1 shall have pleasure
in introducing you. The sooner you
know each other the better. / am sure
you will approve"
plr0hf RI yf1a "
"Why?'
Steinmetz laughed.
"Oh," he answered, because every
body does who can! There is Catrina
LanOvitch--an estate as big as yours
adjoining yours; great Russian fam
lily, a good girl who is willing"
Paul laughed, a good wholesome
laugh.
''You are inclined to eXaggerate my
manifold and obvious qualifications"
he said. 'Catrina is very nice girl,
but l do not think she would marry
me even if asked her.
(which you do not intend to do"
Certainly not"
"Then you will make an enemy Of
her." said Steinmetz quietly. 1T may
be inconvenient, but that cannot be
helped. A woman scorned, you know.
Shakespeare or the Bible, l always mix
them up. No, Paul, Catrina Lanovitch
is dangerous enemy. She has been
making love to you these last four
years, and you would have seen it if
you had not been fool! l am afraid,
my good Paul, you are a fool, God
bless you for itv'
81 think you are wrong" said Paul
rather CURLY; mot about me being a
fool, but about Catrina Lanovitch. If
you are right, however, it only makes
me dislike her instead of being perfect
ly Indifferent to her."
His honest face flushed up finely, and
he turned away to look at the clock
again.
II hate your way Of talking about
women, Steinmetz," he said. You're
cynical old beast, you know"
Heaven forbid. my dear prince! I
admire all women-they are SO clever,
SO innocent, so pure minded. Do not
your English novels prove it, your Eng
lish stage, your newspapers, so high
toned? Who supports the novelist, the
playwright, the actor, who but your
English ladiesT'
Better than being cooks, like your
German ladies'" retorted Paul stoutly.
Better than being cooks"
81 doubt it! very much doubt it,
my friend. At what time shall l pre-
sent myself at box F2 this evening"
About Obs soon as you like
So Paul Howard Alexis sailed forth
to seek the hand of the lady of his
choice, and as he left his own door that
lady was receiving Claude de Chaux-
vile in her drawing room. Tie two
had not met for some weeks-not in
deed since Eta had told the French
man that she could not marry him.
Her invitation to dine couched in the
usual friendly words, had been the first
move in that game commonly called
"bluff" Claude de Chauxville's ac-
ceptance of the same had been the
second move. And these two persons
who were not afraid of each other.
shook hands with pleasant smile of
greeting. while Paul hurried toward
them through the busy streets.
"Am foi.lyen--that l am invited to
n