The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-06-25
BY ALIX JOHN

hardly likely To meet three people who
would understand thar the difference be.
tween Calgary and Montreal was any
greater than the difference : t~ecn ply
mouth and London. And another thing
that | have been thinking Of" he wen,
| on, ~that III would only br creating use-
less difficulties for yourself 10 attempt to
| play the role Of" be heslta It'd, .of thu,
iiahi;ant woman. ] have had no reaso
from their letters, TO think that they had
the falntesf idea Of what she really was
! ara sure that the letters could not have
been 50 cordial ii they had. OF course,
| the intelligence Of the hedgedsi in country
dA me. only a stage or 10 Irxs hucolic thar
the peasant. will have diligently In grasp
Ing the fact that a Canadian can be a
more cultivated woman OF the world than
herself. but she might rs well have DIFF
deulty over that as anything else. Your
French descent will afford enough exotic
material To feed her fancy on. Bye-the
bye. should you mind telling me your
Christian manner"
Miss Thorne started II was Just what
she had been trying to make up her mind
TO inform ham.
MY name Is Mathilde." she answered.
bending an absorbed scrutiny upon her
work.
OH Then there vas a pause be-
fore he asked In a %gentler tone than US
uai. DO you mind IL all so very muchy"
Her silk had knotted. and she pulled n,
it impatiently.
What does II matter what | mind, If
| am determined to 90 through with it?"
she retorted.
Then, as he remained silent, she looked
up with repentance for her rudeness.
Please don't mind me. l did not mean
10 be so disaSreeable. It's only tina, | re,
a bit nervous"
lie made a movement as If 10 lay his
hand on hers, but she drew il bach too
quickly.
"Oh. l understand" he answered.
But. IL you don't mind, l should like to
talk about our immediate plans. I think
Il would be better to LEI no hint of our
intentions get about on board. dom,
yonT'
Most certainly" she agreed with alac-
rity.
We'll, then, may | ask what were your
plans on first landingtr
How strange Ii seemed that those care
FULLY thought-out plans of hers should al
ready loom so vague and unreal. She
realized that. already, she was cut adrifr
from her old life.
Il had written to some lodgings thar |
know of al Chelsea. l had meant 70 stay
there for a week to do some shopping,
which Is cheaper done in London, and
then go over 10 Paris. where my friend
expects me-"
is she an ardent friend? Will she
want TO know all about everything?"
Mathilde smiled with a vision OF the
sharp face, and the somewhat grim phi
losophy of its ewner.
She Is hardly to be called a friend at
all. We were to have joined forces from
motives OF economy that is ALL"
: much the better. Well, suppose
you go TO your Chelsea lodgings a. you
planned. | won't communicate with my
people. and they don't know when | am
due in England. We can be married by
special license and spend a few days at
la hotel, writing home then. when to &c
pect US. DO you think that would do"
Mathilde sat listening TO these detail
ed plans with much the same sensations
as the general of a threatened army, who
$3.50 AshH~'tt NiaAuabs anu luBNlAaDiy
surrounded and outnumbered. Were.
what had seemed but 4 moment before.
such vague and visionary projects. really
so practical and imminent? She all but
started mp with an impulse to cry out.
Oh. l cannot! II is impossible - But a
second thought came quickly T., check
her. What was there on the osher hand
for her TO turn to? Wounded pride ami
the instinct of getting 10 shelter to hide
her sorrows had supplied A strong enough
| face to bring her away from home. but
day by day of that winter voyage had
been sappin- her courage for the SOLITARY
struggle ahead. SO that now. if ONLY from
having d~roppcdtthe plan for a few hour.
she felt the lnlossibilty OF returning To
II, She bad no strength To struggle nov
let the curren; Of fate carry hS wherever
1t would.
Stewart sas watching her unveiled agi.
tailaa with a not nnkindly smile.
Does II seem very formidable at pear
sight: Meter mind. there Is really moth
ing 10 be afraid OF. | promise yon. i
won't bother you IN any way. You shall
be IS free as yon have ever BEEN
And for all her shrinking. sle could
not but feel the genniaeness in his words.
In the next two days there were many
such talks and discussions be- ween them.
Almost to her owu surprise. Aathilde
found herself growing In some measure
accustomed 10 the project. although. In e
fashion keeping up the defensive attitude
which she had almost involuntari.y as
sa med In Mr. Stewards society.
CHAPTER VI.
II was on one Of the last days OF this
yoyay. that Captain Kerr. fndIn, Nfs-