Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-06-01
XXXIV.

Al through the small, deeply EN-.
brasured windows, fell on q face at no
time joyous, now tired and worn. He
sat down at his broad writing table
and looked around the room with q lit
tie blink Of the eyelids.
Il am getting too old for this sort OF
thing" he said.
His gaze lighted on the heavy riding
whip thrown on the ground near the
door where he had released Claude de
Chauxville after the terrible punish.
ment melted out to that foe with heavy
Teutonic hand. Steinmetz rose and,
picking up the whip With the grunt of
a stout man STOPPING, replaced it are.
fully in the rack over the mantelpiece.
He stood looking out Of the window
for a few moments.
1T will have to be done,' he sale
resolutely, and rang the bell.
My compliments to the prince" he
said to his servant, who appeared in.
stantly, land will he come to me here"
When Paul came into the room a
few minutes later Steinmetz was
standing by the fire. He turned and
looked gravely at the prince.
II have just kicked De Chauxville
out Of the house." he said.
The color left Paul's face quite sud
denly.
"Why?" he asked, with hard eyes.
He had begun to distrust Eta, and
there is nothing 30 hard to stop as the
growth of distrust.
Steinmetz did not answer at once.
"Was it not my privilege?" asked
Paul, with a grim smile. There r some
smiles more terrible than any frown.
NO." answered Steinmetz, 81 think
not. 1t is not as bad as that. But it is
bad enough, it is bad enough. I horse
whipped him first for myself. How
pleasant that was! And then I kicked
him out for you"
"WhyT repeated Paul, with a white
face.
ut is a long story" answered Stein
metz without looking at him. HE
knows too much"
Paul walked away to the window.
he stood looking out, his hands thrust
into the side pockets of his jacket, his
broad back turned uncompromisingly
upon his companion.
"Tell me the story" he said. "You
need not hurry over it. You need not
trouble to-spare me. Only let it be
quite complete-once for ALL"
Sfoin p,nf1 -;r1aI III l,o-, %l,o Nv
preston of the face that was looking
out Of the window.
"This man has hated me all his life"
he said. cit began, as such things usu-
ally do between men, about a woman.
1t was years ago. 1 got the better Of
him, and the good God got the better
Of me. She died. and De Chauxville for
got her. 1-have not forgotten her, but
l have tried to do SO. 1t is a slow proc
ess, and 1 have made very little prog
ress, but all that is my affair and be-
side the question. 1 merely mention it
grudge against me-
"This is no time for mistaken char
ity," interrupted Paul. do not try to
screen anybody. l shall see through
it,"
There was a little pause. Never had
that silent room been SO noiseless.
"1n after life," Steinmetz went on,
ut was u fate to be at variance sew
eral times. Our mutual dislike has
had no opportunity of diminishing. II
seems that before you married, De
ChauXville was pleased to consider
himself in love with Mrs. Sydney BAN.
borough. Whether he had any right to
think himself i'll used l do not know
Such matters are usually known to two
persons only, and imperfectly by them.
1t would appear that the wound tc
his vanity was serious. 1t developed
into a thirst for revenge. He looked
about for some means to do you harm
He communicated with your enemies
and allied himself to such men as Vas
Sill of Paris. He followed us to Pc
tersburg, and then he had a stroke OF
good fortune. He found out who be
trayed the Charity league"
Paul turned slowly round. In his
eyes there burned q dull, hungerine
fire.
"Ah! He knows that" he sale
slowly.
eyes, God help us, he knows that"
"And who was it?"
Steinmetz moved uneasily from or
foot to the other.
ga woman-you know" said Stein
metz slowly.
Good God! Catrina?
mo, not Catrina."
"Then who?" cried Paul hoarseIy
His hands fell heavily on the table.
"Your wife"
Paul knew before the words were
spoken.
He turned again and stood looking
out Of the window, with his hand:
thrust into his pockets.
SteinmetZ watched Paul's m%otionless
back with a sort Of fascination. He
moved uneasily, as If to break a spell
of silence almost unbearable in it's in
tensity. He went to the table and sal