The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-07-27
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY27, 1853

er was no longer there, and she ceased to
think Of him. ra.
Two days afterwards, just as she was
following the countess into her carriage.
she again saw him planted before the
door, his face half hidden by the fur COL
lar of his cloak, but his dark eyes spark
ling visibly. Lizabeta felt afraid, she
scarcely knew why, and seated herself,
trembling, in the carriage. When she re,
turned home, she ran to the window with
beating heart; the officer was at his
old place, fixing upon; her earnest and ar
dent glances. She instantly drew back,
but burning with curiosity, and experienc.
ing for the first time in her life sentiment
Of strange nature.
From that time not day passed with
out the young man coming beneath her
window. A kind of mute acquaintance
at last sprung up between them. While
seeted at her work, she felt that he was
present, and every time she raised her
head, she looked at him more steadfastly.
The officer seemed full of gratitude for
this innocent favor, and with the quick
glance of youth, she saw that the color
mounted in his pale cheeks whenever
their eyes met. At the end of a week she
had learned even to smile upon him.
On the occasion when Tomski asked
his grandmother's permission to present
one of his friends to her, the poor young
girls heart beat strongly; but when she
learned that Naroumof was in the Horse
Gaar's, she deeply ropented having com
promised her secret by making it known
to one so thoughtess as Prince Paul.
Herman was the son Of German es-
tablished in Russia, who, dying, had left
him small capital. Firmly resolved to
preserve his independence, he had made
resolution not to touch his income, but to
live on his pay, without allowing himself
the slightest indulgence. He was ambi
tous, but reserved, and under calm ex-
terror concealed violent passions and inor-
dinate longings; but he was always mas
ter t ... Of himself !e and kept aloof from the
at heart gamester, he had never touched
a card, because he felt (as he said to him
self,) that he must not sacrifice the reces-
sary to acquire the superfuous; and vet
he passed night after night at the playta-
BILE, watching the Quotations of the game
with an anxiety as feverish as if his whole
fate was involved in the result
The anecdote Of the three cards of the
Count de st. Germain had strongly i'm
pressed his imagination, and he could DO
nothing but think of it. "Suppose," said
he to himself 81 could get the old coun-
tess to tell me her secret. Oh, il she would
only tell me the three winning cards 1
must get myself presented, pay my court
to her, and win her confidence but in
the meantime she is eighty-seven years
old, and may die this week, even to-mor-
row. Besides, can there he any truth
in the storyl No: economy, Temperance
and labor-these are my winning cards
with them shall double my capital, and
eventually increase it tenfold. 1t is to
them l must look for independence and
happiness"
Musing in this fashion, he strolled along
till he found himself before large house
in one Of the principal streets Of st. Pc
tersburg. The street was filled with car
riages, which passed one by one beneath
facade splendidly illuminated, and the
company who entered were the elite Of
the city. Herman stopped, and seeing a
watchman in his box close by. asked him
whose house that was. He learned that
it belonged to the Countess Anna Fedo-
tovna.
Hermann started. The story Of the
three cards returned wildly TO his memo
ry; he wandered round the house, think
ing of its owner, of her riches, and Of her
mysterious power. When he went home
to bed, IL was long before he could get to
sleep; and when sleep at last took pos
session Of his senses, his dreams were Of
the gaming-tab of cards, and piles Of
ducats and bank notes. He beheld him
self making paro!: after f>ascs:, always
winning; filling his pockets with gold,
and stuffing notes into his pocket-book.-
When he awoke, he sighed to ,..~ a.at
his fantastic wealth had melted away !;
and, to amuse himself, set out to walk
through the city. He was soon opposite
the house Of the old countess: an invinci-
bic attraction drew him thither. He stopp-
ed, and looked up at the windows. Behind
one Of them he perceived the head Of a
young woman with Rue dark hair. She
vas reading, he thought, or else at work
Presently she raised her head, and he
saw a charming counteHance with large
black eyes. That moment decided his
fate.
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