"
Stepan Lanovitch turned away and sat heavily down. He leaned his two
arms on the table, and his chin upon his clenched hands.
"Why not leave the country now; at all events for a few years?" went on
Paul, and when a man who is accustomed to command stoops to persuade, it
is strong persuasion that he wields. "You can take Catrina with you. You
will be assuring her happiness, which, at all events, is something
tangible--a present harvest! I will drive over to Thors now and bring
her back. You can leave to-night and go to America."
Stepan Lanovitch raised his head and looked hard into Paul's face.
"You wish it?"
"I think," answered Paul steadily, "that it is for Catrina's happiness."
Then Lanovitch rose up and took Paul's hand in his work-stained grip.
"Go, my son! It will be a great happiness to me. I will wait here," he
said.
Paul went straight to the door. He was a man with a capacity for prompt
action, which seemed to rise to demand. Steinmetz followed him out into
the passage and took him by the arm.
"You cannot do it," he said.
"Yes, I can," replied Paul. "I can find my way through the forest. No
one will venture to follow me there in the dark."
Steinmetz hesitated, shrugged his shoulders, and went back into the
room.
The ladies at Thors were dressed for dinner--were, indeed, awaiting the
announcement of that meal--when Paul broke in upon their solitude.
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