Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-06-15
CONTINUED

YOu tIc SdNlUS yUuI IdlUGI l1Oll 0lUG
ria"
Catrina nodded. LAS you put it."
she said, "it is clearly my duty. There
is a sort Of consolation in that, how
ever painful it may be at the time. I
suppose it is consolatory to look back
and think that at all events one did
ones duty"
II don't know" answered Paul SIM
ply. Il supposeso"
"Would father have gone alone?" she
asked, with a very human thrill Of
hope in her voice.
mo-" answered Paul steadily; II
think not. But you can ask him"
They had never been so distant as
they were at this moments cold,
such mere acqua1ntances. And they
had played together in one nursery.
"Of course, If that is the case" said
the girl, my duty Is quite clear"
Paul did not answer at once.
II am sure Of it." he said.
And there the question ended. Ca
trina Lanovftch, who had never been
ruled by those about her, shaped her
whole life unquestioningly upon an
opinion.
They did not speak for some time,
and then 1t was the girl who broke the
silence.
II have a confession to make and a
favor to ask" she said bluntly.
Paul's attitude denoted attention, but
he said nothing.
ut is about the Baron de Chaux-
ville," she said.
"Ahw
ST am a coward" she went on. "I
did not know it before. It is rather
humiliating. I have been trying for
some weeks to tell you something, but
lam horribly afraid of it. l am afraid
fool-worse, perhaps. I knew
that Claude de Chauxville was the sort
Of person he is. l allowed him to find
out things about me which he never
should have known-my own private
affairs, 1 mean. Then 1 became fright
ened, and he tried to make use of me
I think he makes use Of everybody.
You know what he is"
EYES," answered Paul, II know"
"He hates you" she went on. 81 do
not want to make mischief, but 1 sup
pose he wanted to marry the princess.
His vanity was wounded because she
preferred you, and he wanted to be
avenged upon you. Wounds to the van
ity never heal. I do not know how he
did it, Paul, but he made me help him
in his schemes. I could have prevented
you from going to the bear hunt. for I
suspected him then l could have pre-
vented my mother from inviting him
to Thors. I could have put a thousand
difficulties in his way, but l did not. I
helped him. I told him about the peo-
pie and who were the worst-who had
been Influenced by the nihilists and
who would not work. I allowed him
to stay on here and carry out his plan.
AL this trouble among the peasants is
hts handiwork. He has organized a
regular rising against you. He is hor-
fibly clever. He left us yesterday, but
I am convinced that he is in the neigh
borhood still"
She stopped and reflected. There was
something wanting in the story which
she could not supply. 1t was a motive.
a half confession is almost an impos-
BIbnity. When we speak Of ourselves
1t must be all or nothing-preferably
nothing.
IT do not know why 1 did it," she
said. 1T was q sort of period l went
through. l cannot explain. That is the
confession"
He gave a little laugh.
"If none Of US had worse than that
upon our consciences," he answered,
there would be little harm in the
world. De Chauxville's schemes have
only hurried on a crisis which was
foreordained. The progress of human
My cannot be stayed. They have tried
to stay it in this country. They will go
on trying until the crash comes. What
is the favor you have to ask?"
"You must leave Osterno," she urged
earnestly; 1T is unsafe to delay even
a few hours. NJ. de ChauxviIle said
there would be DO danger. I believed
MIN then, but do not now. Besides, l
know the peasants. They are hard to
rouse, but once excited they are uncon-
fpollable. They are afraid Of nothing.
You must get away tonight"
Paul made DO answer.
She turned slowly in her seat and
looked into hts face by the light Of the
wanfng moon.
"Do you mean that you will not go?"
He met her glance with his grave.
stow smile.
@cThere is no question of going" he
answered. you must know that"
She did not attempt to persuade.
Perhaps there was something in his
voice which she as a Russian under
stood-a ring of that which we call
pigheadedness in Others.
"It must be splendid to be a man."
she said suddenly in a ringing voice.
Zone feeling in me made me ask you
the favor, while another was a sense
OF gladness at your certain refusal. !
wish I was a a envy you. You
do not know how ! envy you, Paul"
IF 1t is danger you want. you will