Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-07

| >-,. i1d they consider him, Peter
Nichols, iumberjack extraordinary, as
! ~ ssiDle future claimant to the throne
y. nussiaE Peter smiled grimly. They
lowing the camel"
Il, And II they feared him. WHY didn't
tney strike? The stranger hnd already
nad ample opportunity TO murder him
ne had been so disposed could still
ao during Peters daily rides back
an1 forth from the cabin to the camp
una TO the upper reserve.
All OF these thoughts percolated
Slowly, as result Of the sudden inspi-
ration at the bunkhouse which had lib
Grated a new train Of ideas, beginning
with the Identification of the RUSSIAN
cnaracteristics Of the new lumberman,
Wnirh were more clearly defined under
tne beard and workman's shirt than un
uer tne rather modish gray slouch hat
ana American clothing in which Peter
had seen him earlier. And Peter had
merely let the man 20. He had no
proof of the fellows purposes. and il
ne had even discovered exactly what
those purposes were, there was no re-
course for Peter but to ask for the pro-
lection of Washington, and this he had
no desire to do.
| II the man suspected from the quickly
spoken Russian sentence that Peter now
| guessed his mission, he had given no
sign OF it. But that meant nothing.
The fellow was clever. He was doubt
less awaiting instructions. And unless
Peter took his case to the Department
or Justice he could neither expect any
protection nor hope for any security
other than his own alertness.
AT the cabin Beth was waiting for
| pf Al.
were now as much a part of Peters
day as his breakfast or his dinner. And
he had only failed her when the pres
sure of his responsibilities was too great
to permit of his return to the cabin.
The hour most convenient for him was
at the close Of the day, and though
weary or discouraged, Peter always
came to the end Of this agreeable hour
rested and refreshed, and with a sense
of something definitely achieved For
whatever the days brought forth Of
trouble and disappointment, down at
the logging camp or the mills, here was
Beth waiting for him. full of enthu-
siasm and self confidence, a tangible
evidence of success.
The diligence with which she applied
his instructions, the ease with which she
advanced from one step to another,
showed her endowed with an intelli- j.
gence even beyond his early expecta
tions. She was singing simple ballads
now, English and French, and already
evinced a sense of Interpretation which
showed the dormant artist. He tried at
first, of course, to eliminate all striv-
ing for effect, content to gain the pur-
ity of tone for which he was striving,
but she scared beyond him sometimes,
her soul defying limitations, liberated
into an empyrean of song. II anything,
she advanced too rapidly, and Peters
greatest task was to restrain her opti
mism and self confidence by imposing
the drudgery Of fundamental principles,
And when he found that she was prac-
tiCfng too long, he set her limits OF
half hour periods beyond which she
must not go. But she was young and
strong and only once had he noted the
slightest symptom of wear and tear or
her vocal chords. when he had CLOSED
the piano and prohibited the home worl
for forty eight hours.
As to their personal relations, Peter
had already noticed difference In hi
own conduct toward Beth, and in her.
toward him-a shade Of restraint ir
Beth's conversation when not on thu
topic of music, which contrasted rather
! strangely with the candor of their first
meetings. Peter couldn't help smiling
at his memories, for now Beth seemed
to be upon her good behavior. repayinG
him for her earlier contempt with kind
of awe at his attainments. He caught
her sometimes in unguarded moments
looking at him curiously, as though ir
wonder at a mystery which could moi
be explained. And to tell the truth
Peter wondered a little, too, at his com
nlete ABSORPTION in the task he had SCI
himself.
He tried to believe that It was only
the music that impelled him, only the
love of an accomplished musician In
the discovery Of budding artist, but
he knew that It was something more
than these. For reducing the theorem
to different terms, he was obliged to
confess that If the girl had been any
one but Beth, no matter how promis:.
ing her voice, he must have been bored
to extinction. No. He had to admit
that 1t was Beth that interested him,
Beth the primitive, Beth the mettle-
some. Beth the demure. For II now
demure she was never dull. The Pc
culiarity Of their situation-of their
own choosing--lent a spice to the rela-
tionship which made each of them
aware that the other was young and
desirable-and that the world was very
far away.
However far Beth's thoughts may
have carried her in the contemplation
of the personal pulchritude of her music
master (somewhat enhanced by the ex =
tirpation of the Hellion triplet in her
own behalf it was Peter Nicholae-
witch who made the task Of Peter Mich
OILS difficult. 1t was the Grand Duke
Peter who wanted to take this peasant
woman in his arms and teach her what
other peasant girls had been taught by
Grand Dukes since the beginning Of the
autocratic system of which he had been
a part-but it was Peter Nichols who
restrained him. Peter Nicholacvitch
feared nothing, knew no restraint. lived
only for the hour-for the moment.
Peter Nichols was coward-or a
gentleman--he was not quite certain
which.
When Peter entered the cabin on the
evening after the appointment OF Jesse
Brown as foreman at the lumber camp,
Beth could not help noticing the clouds
of worry that hung over Peters brows
you're tired" she said. "Is any
thing wrong at the camp?"
But he only shook his head and sat
down at the piano. And when she qucs-
toned him again he evaded her and
went on with the lesson. Music always
rested him, and the sound of her voice
soothed. 1t was the "Elegie" of Mas
senct that he had given her, foolishly
perhaps, u difficult thing at so early n
stage, because Of it's purity and sim
plicity, and he had made her learn the
words of the French-like parrot
written them out phonetically, because