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

ncT, ~ WdtCu over ucF anu uSHI her
battles for her. 1t was what is called
love. But there is no word in any
spoken language that covers so wide
field. Every day and all day we call
many things love which are not love-
The real thing is as rare as genius, but
we usually fail to recognize it's rarity
That which Paul Howard Alexis felt
at this time for Eta was merely the
chivalrOus instinct that teaches men
their primary duty toward women
namely, to protect and respect them.
But out Of this instinct grows the bet
ter thing-love.
There are some women whose desire
it is to be all things to all men in
stead of everything to one. This was
the stumbling block in the way of Eta
Scarborough. 1t was her instinct to
please all at any price. and her ODE
dience to such instinct was often I'M
conscious. She hardly knew perhaps
that she was trading upon q sense of
chivalry rare in these days, but had
she known she could not have traded
with a keener comprehension Of the
commerce.
II should like to forget the past al
together" she said. "But it is hard
for women to get rid of the past. 1t is
rather terrible to feel that one will be
'The world" she went on rather hur-
riedly, "neyer makes allowances, does
it? He was easily led, l suppose, and
people said things of him that were not
true. Did you ever hear of him in Rus
sia-Of the things they said of him?"
She waited for the answer with sup
pressed eagerness.
"No; never hear Russian gossip. 1
know no one in st. Petersburg and few
in Moscow"
She gave little sigh of relief.
''Then perhaps poor Sydney's delin-
Quencies have been forgotten" she
said. "In six months everything is for
gotten now. He has only been dead
six months, you know. He died in
Russia"
All the while she was watching his
face. She had moved in circle where
everything is known, where men have
faces of iron and nerves of steel to con-
ceal what they know. She could hard
~ believe that Paul Alexis knew so
little as he pretended.
$50 heard a month ago." he said.
In a fash of thought Eta remem-
bered that it was only within the last
four weeks that this admirer had be-
trayed his admiration. Could this be
that phenomenon, an honorable man?
She looked at him with curiosity. with
out, it is to be feared, much respect.
"And now" she said cheerfully. "let
us change the subject. have inflicted
enough of myself and my affairs upon
you for one day. Tell me about your
self. Why were you in Russia last
summer"
81 am half Russian" he answered.
''My mother was Russian. and have
estates there"
Her surprise was triumph of art.
ooh! You are not Prince Pavlo Alex
isY' she exclaimed.
"Yes, am"
IT is to be presumed that Mrs. sgd
ney Bamborough's memory was short.
for 1t was a matter of common knowi-
edge in the diplomatic circles in which
she moved that Mr.. Paul Howard
Alexis of Piccadilly House, London,
and Prince .Pavlo Alexis of the prov
ince of Tver were one and the same
man.
Having, however, fully established
this fact from the evidence of her own
ears. she conversed very pleasantly
and innocently upon matters Russian
and English until other visitors arriv-
ed and Paul withdrew.