Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-07-06
NINTH l%NsTAlLMENT

Af the broken coin begin.
NINTH lNSTAlLMENT
CHAPTER xxx,ll.
The Trap.
~Mademoiselle. give It to me! Let
M end al this"
The voice OF Count Frederick was
sxitated. For once he had met q sit.
uatiou suficient to shake him from his
calm.
Kitty Gray made no answer, rs she
ehrank back, the coin tightly clasped
In her hand. She cast on him = look
90 full Of womanly anger as might
have scorched him-an anger now de-
void of fear. Gagged. trapped, left with
out resource, helpless in the hands OF
her enemy, still she seemed deadher
than that enemy now.
"wM you not" The mans voice
had in it now something almost OF
pleading. Count Frederick felt some
thing Of shame at his own part in this.
MOI" she answered at length, her
own voice low and even, painting out
the words. mo, I will not. Come and
take it from me II you dare. You have
done that once, why not again?"
He turned away with q sudden ges-
ture, his face red in chagrin over the
Justice Of her tAunt.
You remember that" said he.
.What remainsf Must I be yet more
rude with you? It is not that I like
the part, ma~dernoiselle: be sure OF
that. 1t was not myself but my man
who laid hands upon you that other
time"
HE Is still your man. You yourself
stiIl are willing to prosecute q woman
and q stranger. You are no better
, than he"
Suppose I am not, then. Does 1t
look as though you would gain much
by defying me? Come. now. The coin
n nothing to you; it Is everything to
me. swear It is more than I thought
It ever would be. It is life and death
for me, and more than that, made
moiselle. Would you stand between
me and an ambition such az that! !
would repay you a hundredfold in any
way you needed. il you would but rs
ten to reason. But perhaps q woman
does not know the word for reason"
mo. l do not / remember only one
word, and that Is hate for you! When
my chance comes l shall still remem'
Der that. In turn / will put you be-
hind the bars II ever the opportunity
zones to me. And you shall stay there
always for all Of me. l hate you!"
Count Frederick smiled grimly.
"There is comfort in that word. made
moiselle," said he. Rather that thar
leaden-eyed Indifference, at least. But
as for me, / do not hate you, neither
am / Indifferent toward you. only
at least, mademoiselle, ! try only to
think of the coin and what 1t means
to me-" :.
IF it belonged to you, monsieur, II
would have gone to you long ago. II
you ever owned 1t you would own II
now"
A sudden change came over the face
OF the nobleman as he caught the con
viction in these words. They touched
for him some consciousness long lei
unawakened.
what do you mean?' he asked II
a low voice. What is it that you
mean when you say that?"
when Frederick. Count of Gretz
horen, deserves this coin; when' hi
earns it; when he gains title by virtue
of right thoughts and deeds. then per
haps it will come to him; surely mo-
before. This CON-" she held It now on
before her in her hand, ut will com
eventually to that place where 1t be
longs. 1t Is seeking for that place now
The people really own it. They asl
freedom and justice and liberty. AM
now you ask me why ] cling to It
why it clings to me. suppose 1t II
because something inpels me, com
pels me to do what I have done"
Count Frederick turned to compos'
himself to a situation of greater com
fort. As he did So, and about to sea
himself upon the lower stair, some
thing fell from the pocket Of his coat
something which he had brought wit
him from his room. in the hope that
had not been observed there by thi
woman. 1t fell now face upward o.
the stair between them. and he sa'
that she had seen 1t. He accepted tn
fact, and at first did not attempt u
pick up the little picture, for 1t wa
the little picture which he had brough
with him from his room.
you saw. mademoiselle!" said nc
Il had hoped that you would not"
yes, I see 1t now; I saw 1t Their
in your ROOM" answered Kitty cor
t~emptuously. "You ask why / ventur
into your apartments now and Their
Have I not the right? May ! not CLAIM
my own property? I am not familia
with the laws OF G~retzhonen. Indeed
II seems to me there are no laws L
this land Not knowing how to r.