The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-03-23

brave should they be In distress. He
asked no money, and he gave none.
But they lived on his charity, and they
were wise enough to know it.
Paul Alexis, half Russian, half Eng
lish, understood these people very
thoroughly He took advantage Of
their ignorance, their simplicity, thei1
unfathomable superstition. He gov.
erned as no other could have ruled
them. by fear and kindness at once. He
mastered thea, by his vitality, the
wholesome strength of his nature, his
infinite superiority. He avoided the
terrible mistake Of the nihilists by
treating them as children to whom ed
ucation must be given little by little in
stead of throwing down before them
a mass of dangerous knowledge which
their minds, unaccustomed to such
strong food, are incapable of digesting.
Paul was q simple minded man. He
was not afraid of the Russian gov
eminent. Indeed he cultivated a fine
contempt for that august body. But he
was distinctly afraid Of being found
out, for that discovery could only
mean an incontinent cessation Of the
good work which rendered his life
happy.
The fear Of being deprived of this
interest in existence should certainly
have been lessened, if not quite allay
ed, by the fact that a greater inter
Lol ;,,+o n
in the pleasant form Of prospective
wife. When he was in London with
Eta Sydney scarborough he did not,
however, forget Osterno. He only
longed for the time when he could
take Eta freely into his confidence
and engage her interest in the object
Of his ambition-namely, to make the
huge Osterno estate into that lump Of
leaven which might in time leaven the
whole Of the empire.
II Think he said one morning to
Steinmetz, that will write and tell
Mrs. Sydney scarborough all about
this place"
Il should not do that" replied Stein
metz, with leisurely promptitude.
"Why not?' asked Paul
con principle. Never tell woman
that which is not interesting enough
to magnify into a secret"
Paul turned over his newspaper. He
began reading again, then suddenly
he looked up.
eve are engaged to be married." he
observed pointedly. But I am not 60
ing to leave off. You need not fear
that. Only I shall have to tell my
wife. Surely woman could help us
in a thousand ways. There is such a
lot that only woman understands"
YES" grunted Steinmetz, "and only
the right sort of woman"
Paul looked up sharply.
"You must leave that to me- he said.
''My very dear friend, leave every
thing to you.''
Paul smiled.
"You don't know Etta," he said half
shyly. ''She is full of sympathy and
pity for these people"
Steinmetz bowed gravely.
II have no doubt of it."
"And yet you say that she must not
be told''
Certainly not A secret is consider
ably strained if it be divided between
two people. Stretching it to three will
probably break it. You can tell her
when you are married. Does she con-
sent to live in OsternoW
ooh, yes. think So"
At this moment the door was opened,
and a servant in bright livery, with
powdered wig, silk stockings and a
countenance which might have been
OF wood, brought in a letter on silver
tray.
Paul took the square envelope and
turned it over, displaying as he did so
a coronet in black and gold on the cor
ner, like stamp. Then he opened the
letter and read it.
"a fresh difficulty" said he, throw
ing the note across to his companion
Steinmetz looked grave while he I'M
folded the thick stationery and read:
Dear PAUL. hear you are at Osterno
and that the Moscow doctor Is in your
country. We are In great distress at
Thors-cholera, I fear. The fame of your
doctor has spread to my people, and they
are clamoring for him. Can you bring or
send him over? You know your room
here Is always in readiness. Come soon
with the great doctor and also Herr Stein
metz. In doing so you will give more
than pleasure to your old friend
CATRINA LANOVITCH.
P. Smother is afraid to go out of
doors for fear Of infection. She thinks
she has little cold.
Steinmetz folded the letter very care
fully, pressing the seam of it ref1ec-
lively with his stout forefnger and
thumb.
II always think of the lie first" he
said. cts my nature or my misfor-
tune. We can easily write and say
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