The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09
Maggie, who was busy at the break

Maggie. who was busy at the break
fast table. AA
Eyes" answered the girl. glancing
toward Paul, leaning against the win
dow reading his letters. Yes. always
gay. Why not?"
Karl Steinmetz saw the glance. 1t
was one of the little daily incidents
that one sees and half forgets. He
only half forgot it.
AS she spoke he half turned toward
Paul, as if suggesting that he should
had the effect of putting a stop to the
conversation. Maggie had plenty to
say to Steinmetz but toward Paul her
mental attitude was different. She
was probably unaware OF this little
fact.
"There," she said after a pause, 81
have obeyed Etta's instructions. She
does not want us to begin, l suppose"
NO." replied Paul. "She will be
down i'm minute"
81 hope the princess is not over
tired" said Steinmetz. with q certain
formal politeness which seemed to ac-
company any mention of Etta's name.
mot at all, thank yOu," replied Ell
ia herself, coming into the room at
that moment She looked fresh and
self confident. ION the contrary.
am full of energy and eagerness to ex-
plore the castle. One naturally takes
an interest in ones baronial halls"
With this she walked slowly across
to the window. She stood there look
ing out, and every one in the room was
watching. On looking for the first
time on the same view a few moments
earlier Maggie had uttered a little
cry of surprise and had then remained
silent Eta looked out of the window
and said nothing. 1t was a most sim
gular outlook-w weird, uncouth. prehis
toric, as some parts Of the earth still
are. The castle was built on the edge
of a perpendicular cliff. On this side
it was impregnable. Any object drop
ped from the breakfast room window
would fall a clear 200 feet to the
brawling Oster river. The rock was
black and shining like the topmost
crags of an Alpine mountain where
snow and ice have polished the bare
stone. Beyond and across the river lay
the boundless steppe-a sheet Of vir-
gin snow.
Eta stood looking over this to the
far horizon, where the white snow
and the gray sky softly merged into
one. Her first remark was characteris-
tic, as first and last remarks usually
are.
"And as far as you can see is yours?"
she asked.
"Yes." answered Paul simply, with
that calm which only comes with
hereditary possession.
The observation attracted SteinmetZ's
attention. He went to another window
and looked across the waste critical
~.
-Four times as far as we can see is
hss." he said.
Eta looked out slowly and comp,e
henSively, absorbing it all like long,
sweet drink. There was no hereditary
calmness in her sense of possession.
"And where is ThorS?' she asked.
Paul stretched out his arm. pointing
with lean, steady finger:
"It lies out there" he answered.
Another of the little incidents that
are only half forgotten. Some of the
persons assembled in that room remem-
bered the pointing long afterward.
ut makes one feel very small" said
Eta, turning to the breakfast table
Eat no time a pleasant sensation. Do
you know" she said, after a little
pause, Il think it probable that shall
become very fond of Osterno, but
wish it was nearer to civilization"
Paul looked pleased. Steinmetz had
queer expression on his face Mag
gle murmured something about ones
surroundings making but little differ
ence to ones happiness, and the sub
ject was wisely shelved.
After breakfast Steinmetz withdrew
"Now," said Paul shall show you
the old place, you and Maggie?"
Lltd SlSuIucu ueT TedulIleSS. DuC Mig
gle said that she had letters to write,
that Eta could show her the castle
another time when the men were out
shooting, perhaps.
But" said Eta, 81 shall do it hor-
ribly badly. They are not my an
cestors, you know. l shall attach the
stories to the wrong people and locate
the ghost in the wrong room. You
will be wise to take Paul's guidance"
mo, thank you.' replied Maggie,
quite firmly and frankly. Il feel in
clined to write, and the feeling is rare.
so must take advantage of it."
The girl looked at her cousin with
something in her honest blue eyes that
almost amounted to wonder. Eta was
always surprising her. There was a
whole gamut of feeling. an octave of
callow. half formed girlish instincts of
which Eta seemed to be deprived. If
she had ever had them, no trace was
left of their whilom presence. At first
Maggie had fatty refused to come to
Russia. When Paul pressed her to do
so she accepted with sort of wonder.
There was something which she did not
understand.