The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-03-27

month. The viriIe. confident American
had conquered where countless sup
plants of more or less noble char
acter had gone down to defeat.
He asked but one question OF her.
she asked none OF him. The fact that
she was the intimate friend and asso
clate OF the woman in whose home he
met her. was sufficient proof OF her
standing In society, although that
would have counted for little 50 far as
Brood was concerned.
She was the daughter OF a baron;
she had spent much OF her life In
| Paris. coming from 81 Petersburg
when young girl; and she was an
orphan with an independent fortune OF
her own. Such common details as
these came TO Brood In the natural
way and were not derived from any ef
Fort on his part 10 secure information
concerning Mademoisellc Lestrange,
Like the burnt child. he asked ques
ton which harked back TO an unfor
eot'ea pein-
eHave you ever loved a man deeply.
/ devotedly. Yvonne--so deeply that
there is pain in the thought OF him?"
She replied without hesitation.
There Is no such man. James. You
may be sure OF that
Il am confident that l can hold your
love against the future. but no man is
vital enough 10 compete with the past.
Love doesn't really die, you know. II
man cannot hold a woman's love
against all newcomers, he deserves to
| lose II. II doesn't follow. however. that
he can protect himself against the
man who appears out Of the past and
claims his own"
.You speak as though the past had
played you an evil trick" she said.
He did not mince words Years
ago a man came out OF the past and
took from me the woman ! loved and
cherished"
"Your-your wife?" she asked in a
voice suddenly lowered.
Eyes" he said quietly.
She was silent for long time. Il
wonder at your courage In taking the
risk again." she said.
II think / wonder at II myself" said
he. mo. am not afraid" he went on,
as If convincing himself that there
was no risk. Il shall make you love
me TO the end. Yyonne am not
afraid. But why do you not ask me
for all the wretched storyT
at is pot unlike all stories OF its
kind, my dear" she said with an In
difference that amazed him. "They
are all alike. Why should | ask? No
do not ask you for your story, james
Sometime you may tell me, but not to
day. shouldn't mind hearing Il II II
we're an original tale, but God knows
Il Isn't. It's as old as the Nile. But
you may tell me more about your son
Is he like you, or like his mother"
Broods lips we're compressed. =
can't say that he is like either OF US
he said shortly She raised her eye
brows slightly.
"Ah." she said THAT makes quite
/ difference. Perhaps, after all, shall
be interested In the story Her man
ner was so casual. so serenely matter
offact that he could hardly restrain
the sharp exclamation OF annoyance
that rose 10 his lips.
He bit his lip and allowed the franl
insinuation 10 go unanswered. IA
consoled himself with the thought tina
) she must have spoken In jest, with
out intention He had the uncomforl
G able feeling that she would make ligh
y OF his story. too. when the time cam
O for revelations. A curious doubt tool
root in his mind; would he ever b
!. able 10 understand the nature OF thi
woman whom he loved and who az
o peared 10 love him so unreseryedly
Y AS time went on, the doubt became
conviction. She was utterly beyon
G comprehension.
The charm and beauty OF the ne'
I mistress of James Brood's heart an
,. home were to become the talk OF Tn
town. Already, IL the first month {
e her reign, she had drawn TO the oil
house the attention not only OF Ia
| parasites who feed on novelty, but {
families that had long since given u
o Brood as representative figure In ia
3, circle into which he had been born.
The restoration was slow at first,
Il naturally would be. The new I
e Brood came upon the scene as
AZ strange star appears suddenly In Il
skies to excite and mystify the unsu
pecting world She seemed to haS
come from nowhere. and yet like q
new planet. she suddenly filled an a
pointed spot In the armament
II cannot be said that she conquere
for that would be TO imply design
10 her part Possibly she considered q
ne game unworthy OF the effort. She T
~ garded herself as superior to all the
'n people. surviving estimate Of theI
~ selves that most Europeans EMO.