Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-10-30

if he could understand women now
adays, not these women ut least. In
high dudgeon. he stalked from the
room. In the door he met Brock.
"FOr two CENTS" he declared saw
agely. as If Brock were to blame, "rd
take the next train for Paris"
Brock watched him down the hall.
He drew a handful of small coins from
his pocket, ruefully looking them over
"Two cents" he said. Hang it all,
I've nothing there but pfennigs and
hellers and centimes."
In the course Of his wanderings the
d%isconsolate Freddie came upon Mrs.
Odell-Carney and pudgy Mr.. Rodney.
They were sitting in a quiet corner Of
the reading room. Mr.. Rodney had
had a hard day. He had climbed a
mountain-or, more accurately speak
ing, he had climbed halfway up and
then the same half down. He was
very tired. Freddie observed from his
lonely station that MI. Rodney was
fast dropping to sleep. Notwithstanding
his companions rapid flow Of small
talk. 1t did not take Freddie long to
decide. He was an outcast and a par
1ah and he was very lonely. He must
have some one to talk to. Without
more d he bore down upon the cou-
pie and a moment later was tact
fully advising the sleepy Mr.. Rodney
to take himself off to b~ed-advice
which that gentleman gladly accepted.
And so it came about that Freddie sat
face to face with the last resort, at the
foot of the chaise-longue, gazing with
serene aduladon into the eyes Of a
woman who might have had a son as
old as he-if she had had one at all.
She had been a coquette in her salad
days-there was no doubt Of it. She
had encountered fervid gallants in all
parts Of the world and in all stations
Of life. But it remained for the gal
liant Freddie Ulstervelt to bowl her
over with surprise for the first time
In her long and varied career. At the
end Of half an hour she pulled herself
together and tapped him on the shout
der with her fan. a quizzical smile on
her lips.
my dear Mr.. U%lstervelt, are you
trying to make love to me? You nice
Americans! How gallant you can be!
am quite old enough to be your
mother Believe me. I thank you for
the compliment. I can't tell you how
l appreciate this delicate fattery. You
are very delicious. But" as she arose
g-aciously, "Pd follow Mr.. Rodney's
example IT were you. I'd go to bed"
Then, with a rare smile, which could
not have been more chilling, she left
him standing there.
by Jove" he muttered, passing his
hand across his eyes as if b%ewildered.
What was l saying to her? Good
Lord, has it got to be a habit with me.
Was l making love to-her?" He de-
parted for the American bar.
Mrs. Rodney had but little sleep that
night. She went to bed in a state Of
worry and uncertainty, oppressed by
the shadows which threatened eternal
darkness to the fair name of the fam
lily, however distantly removed. Kath-
crimes secret had in reality been news
to her; she had not paid enough atten-
ton to the Medcrofts to notice any,
thing that they did, so long as they
did not do it in conjunction with the
Odell-Carneys. The Odell- Carneys were
her hor1zon-morning. noon and night.
And now there was likelihood of that
glorious horizon being obscured by a
stckentng scandal in the vulgar fore
ground. Inspired by Katherine's dread
full conclusions, the excellent lady set
about to observe for herself. During
the entire evening she fitted about the
hotel and grounds with all the snoop-
Ing instincts Of a Sherlock Holmes.
She lurked. If that is not putting 1t too
Electrically. From unexpected hooks
she emerged to view the landscape
DER: by devious paths she led her
doubts to the gates Of absolute certain
ty and then sat down to shudder to
her hearts content 1t was all true!
For four hours she had been trying to
get to the spot where she could see
with her own eyes and at last she had
come to 1t. or course she had to ad-
NIT to herself that she did not actually
hear Mr.. Medcroft tell Constance that
he loved her. but it was enough for
her that he sat with her in the semi
darkness for two unbroken hours,
speaking In tones so low that they
might just as well have been whisper
ing SO far as her taut ears were con-
cerned.
Moreover, other persons than her
self had smllingly nudged each other
and referred to the couple as lovers:
no one seemed to doubt 1t, nor to re-
sent 1t. which IL proof that the world
loves II lover when 1t recognizes him
rs one.
Mrs. Rodney also discovered that
Mrs. Medcroft went to her at o