Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-03-25
Alaric started for the window lead

Alaric started for the window lead
ing into the garden.
Jolly good of you to let him bore
you. l hate the sight Of the beggar
myself. Always looks to me like the
first conspirator at a play"
The door opened, and Jarvis entered
and ushered in "Mr. Brent" Alaric
hurried into the garden.
A few words Of description of Chris
tan Brent might be of interest since
he represents a type that society al
ways has with it.
They begin by deceiving others; they
end by deceiving themselves.
Christian Brent was a dark. tense.
eager. scholarly looking man Of twen-
ty-eight years of age. His career as a
diplomatist was halted at it's outset by
an early marriage with the only daugh-
ter of a prosperous manufacturer.
Brent was moderately independent in
his own right, but the addition Of his
wife's dowry seemed to destroy all am
bition. He no longer found interest in
carrying messages to the various lega-
lions or embassies of Europe or in fill
ing a routine position as some ones
secretary. From being an intensely
eager man of affairs he drifted into a
social lounger-the lapdog of the draw
ing room-where the close breath Of
some rare perfume meant more than
the clash of interests and the conquest
Of a woman greater than that Of a ma
ton.
Just at this period Ethel Chichester
was the especial object of his adora-
ton.
Her beauty appealed to him.
Her absolute Indifference to him
stung him as a lash. 1t seemed to be-
little his powers Of attraction. Conse-
quently he redoubled his efforts.
Ethel showed neither like nor dislike
just a form of liberation. Brent ae-
copied this, as Il dog a crumb, in the
hope of something more substantial
to follow. He had come that morn
ing with a fixed resolve. His man
ner was determined. His voice wooed
Ethel the moment the door closed on
Jarvis.
How are you?" he asked. and there
was a note Of subdued passion in his
tone.
Fair replied Ethel without even
looking at him.
Where is your mother?" suggesting
that much depended on the answer.
Lying down." answered Ethel truth
fully and without any feeling.
And Alaric?'
I'm the garden"
"Then we have a moment or two
alone" Brent put a world OF mean
ing into the suggestion.
VERY likely" said Ethel, picking up
a score of "Boheme" and looking at it
as if she saw it for the first time, all
the while watching him through her
half closed eyes.
Brent went to her. "Glad to see
me?" he asked.
why not?"
Il am glad to see you'-he bent over
her-'more than glad"
"Really?'
He sat beside her. Ethel" he whis-
pered intensely, 81 am at the cross
roads,"
"Ohr' commenced Ethel, without any
interest.
1T came last night"
did it,"
This is the end-between Sibyl and
myself"
"Is it,"
"Yes-the end. It's been horrible from
the first-horrible. There's not a word
Of mine-not an action-she doesn't
misunderstood"
How boring!!' said Ethel blandly.
"She would see harm even in this"
"Why?"
Shed think was here TOTO He
stopped.
"What:" innocently inquired Ethel.
Make love to YOU" And he looked
earnestly into her eyes.
She met his look quite frankly and
astonished him with the question,
well, aren't you"
He rose anXiously. ETHEL"
Don't you always?" persisted Ethel.
HAS it seemed like that to you?"
Yes" she answered candidly; ''by
insinuation, never straightforwardly."
"Has it offended your
."Then you admit it,"
"Oh," he cried ~passionately, II wish
[ had the right to-to''- Again he
wavered.
Eyes" And Ethel looked straight al
him.
-"make love to you straightforward
ly." He felt the supreme moment had
almost arrived. Now, he thought. he
would be rewarded for the long wait.
ing-the endless siege to this marvellous
woman who concealed her real nature
beneath that marble casing of an as.
sumed Indifference.
He waited eagerly for her answer
When it came it shocked and revolted
him.
P0hpn Cn0M Tn npCRNI7E