Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-12-24

CHrlSLmaS, ana the lady concluded 20
have one sent in from restaurant. A
few minutes before it was served she
sent her daughter into the dining room
to see that all had been provided as
ordered. One of the walters was about
to place dish upon the table and. at
seeing Miss Rathbone. started and
dropped it on the floor.
The eyes of the waiter and those of
Miss RathbOne met The man turned
red as a peony; the girl preserved her
equanimity. But for few moments.
which seemed to both brief eternity,
neither spoke
/ 1t would be difficult to imagine more
embarrassing meeting than occurred
between Winifred Rathbone and this
man, who was none other than Count
Caspar Gotwald, whom she had met
several years before in the court social
circle at Berlin. But Winifred was
equal to the occasion.
Remove it," she said with the ut
most GOODNESS.
The waiter retired to the kitchen to
get the wherewithal for the removal of
the wreckage, but returned in a few
moment. apparently having recovered
his equanimity. He gave no other in
dication after the dropping of the dish
that he recognized Winifred, and she
gave no sign that she recognized him.
1--WE must know the names of our
WATERS" she said to him. "What shall
call you?"
"Caspar"
every well, Caspar. You may re-
main after the dinner is over and the
dishes are put away. | would like to
speak with YOU"
There was something in her tone. be
it sympathy or more than sympathy.
that enabled this scion Of noble house
to do his duty as a servant in the house
Of the girl he had met and loved in a
far different situation with composure.
When Mrs. Rathbone entered the din
ing room with her guests both Wini-
fred and the count fixed an anxious
eye upon her, dreading lest she recog-
niZe the nobleman in the waiter. How
ever, she was too preoccupied with her
duties as hostess to notice him. Once
during the dinner Winifred saw her
mother looking at the waiter with
puzzled expression, but it was plain
that she failed to place him.
Winifred treated the count as serv
ant, though her directions were spoken
rather as requests. When the dinner
was finished she arose with the others,
but remained in the dining room and
when there alone with the count said
to him:
"Come tomorrow at 3"
There was no change from the tone
in which she had spoken to him be-
fore. He bowed without speaking and
was retiring from the room when she
added:
"You will come, will you not?'
Their eyes met. Winifred saw that
without some insistence she would not
see him again and put pleading in
her look.
Eyes, fraulein." he said at last, Il
will come"
Fraulein is the word by which he
had been used to address her in Ber
lin.
The next day when Count Caspar
Gotwald made his toilet before calling
on Winifred Rathbone he took out a
suit Of clothes that he had not worn
since he reached America. They were
not in the latest fashion, but were in
the height of fashion at the time they
were purchased.
Count" Winifred said to him when
he appeared, father did not recognize
you. and mother only fancied she had
seen some one very like you. Will you
tell me what happened to effect this
outward change in you?"
He told her what she did not know
before-that he had inherited an estate
which had been exhausted by his an
cestors and that he was enjoying a
respite before going out into the world
to accept what fate would provide for
him. Winifred, who knew that he had
been beset by women in high life in
Berlin, some of whom were rich. ask
ed him why he had not married for
tune. as was customary in mis- cOun
try.
Because. fraulein," be replied. II
loved one who would inherit great
wealth, in whose country honorable
men who are impoverished would not
offer marriage under such circum
Stances
A brief silence followed these words.
which was broken by the young lady.
$50 you took it upon YOURSELF she
said, Ito decide for her"
IT could do nothing else," was the
reply. without demeaning myself"
WAS not an injustice to her de
meaning yourself?" she asked.
He made no reply. The two stood
regarding each other for a moment:
then Winifred put out her hands.
From this point the romance OF this
story must remain untold. There is a
lady in Chicago who is entitled to be