The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-09
Continued from page 6
Illustrstions by A. We'll

OIISSo duuco, ioOhIuS at ner with the
quietly ready expression of a man
who is willing that his Indifferent
words should be taken to have a spe-
cial meaning if the person to whom
he has spoken chooses, or is able, to
understand them as they may be IN
derstood, but who is quite safe from
oelng suspected of suggesting any
thing if there is no answering word
or glance.
Lady Maud returned his look, but
her handsome face grew rather cold.
do you know of any reason why
the marriage should not take placer"
she inquired after moment
IL / don't give any reason, am /
ever afterwards to hold my peaceo"
asked Griggs, with faint smile on
/ his weather-beaten face. Are you
publishing the bans? or are we think
ing of the same thinge"
Il suppose We are. Good-morning." {"
She nodded gravely and passed on,
gathering up her black skirt a little.
+ Tor there had been a shower He stood
/ still a moment before the shop win
dow and looked after her, gravely ad-
/ mfring her figure and her walk, as he
might have admired very valuable
! thoroughbred. She was wearing
I mourning for her husband, not be-
! cause any one would have blamed her
If she had not done SO, considering
how he had treated her, but out of
/ natural self-respect
( Griggs also looked after her as she
went away because he felt that she
was not quite pleased with him for
having suggested that he and she had
both been thinking of the same thing.
The thought concerned a third per.
son, and one who rarely allowed him.
self to be overlooked; no less a man,
In fact. than Mr.. Rufus Van Torp, the
American potentate of the great
| Nickel Trust, who was Lady Maad's
most intimate friend, and who had
long desired to make the prima donna
his wife. He had bought place ad-
joining Lord Creedmore's, and there
J had lately been a good deal OF quite
! groundless gossip about him and Lady
Maud, which had very nearly become
scandal The truth was that they
were the best friends in the world,
and nothing more; the millionaire had
for some time been interested in an
unusual sort of charity which almost
allied the lonely woman's life, and he
had given considerable sums of money
TO help it. During the months preced-
ting the beginning of this tale, he had
klso been the object Of one OF those
haSrardly attacks to which very rich
Ind important fnanciers are more ex-
oosed than other men, and he had
Actually been accused of having done
.way with his partners daughter, who
aad come to her end mysteriously dur
ng a panic in a New York theater.
But his innocence had been proved in
he clearest manner, and he had re-
eurned to the United States to look
.fter the interests of the Trust.
When Griggs heard the news of
4argaret's engagement to Logotheti,
ne Immediately began to wonder how
tdr Van Torp would receive the intel
lgence; and If it had not already oc-
turred to Lady Maud that the million
lire might make a final effort to rout
lis rival and marry the prima donna
himself, the old authors observation
Suggested such a possibility. Van
tGp was a man who had fought up to
access and fortune with little regard
pr the obstacles he found in his way;
had worked as a cowboy in his
4rly youth, and was apt to look on
s adversaries and rivals in life eth
> as refractory cattle or as danger
Is wild beasts; and though he had
pme of the old-fashioned ranchero's
lnse of fair play in a fight, he had
uch of the reckless daring and ruth
IS savagery that characterize the
kSt-disappearing western desperate.
ILogotheti, on the other hand, was
many respects true oriental, su-
emely astute and superlatively calm,
h imbued, at heart, with a truly
stern contempt for any Law that
anced to oppose his wish.
Both men had practically inexhaust-
.e resources at their command, and
tn were determined to marry the
lima donna. 1t occurred to Paul
Eggs that real struggle between
ch a pair of adversaries would be
rth watching. There was unlimited
ney on both sides, and equal cour>
and determination. The Greek was
more cunning of the two, by greet
Is, and had now the considerable
rantage of having been accepted by
lady; but the American was far
re regardless of consequences to
self or to others in the pursuit of
at he wanted, and. short of COM
ting a crime, would put at least as
ad an Interpretation on the law.
botheti had always lived in a highly
lized society, even In CONSTANT
lie, for 1t is the greatest mistake
imagine that the upper classes of
eks, in Greece or Turkey. are at
deficient in cultivation Van Torp.
the contrary, had run away from
4ization when q half-educated boy,
had grown to manhood in a COM
lity- of men who had little respect