, 1860-05-11

suspicion. II was strange, indeed, that the love
and harmony Of this household could DO so
easily interrupted; but so powerful was the in
fuence which the base servitor had gained over
his master, that the latter, unhappily, never sus-
pected his honesty of purpose or perfect good
faith
| II was not in the nature Of one so revengeful
as the equerry to delay, when the game lay 50
perfectly in his hands-the duke now being well
worked upon by his constant insinuations, and
bis intended victims wholly unaware Of the dan
gers with which he was surrounding them.
One day, not long after the incident described
above as Robert was riding in the forest, he saw
Conrad fastening towards him on foot, bearing
q scrap Of vellum in his hand. This he pre-
sented to the duke, and folding his arms, awaited
| the result
As the eye Of Robert ran hastily over the lines
written upon the velum, his face grew pale and
bloodless The paper was addressed to the
Lady Elmira, and signed by Fridolin; the con-
tents Of it were such as to draw a cry from the
| lips Of the deceived and unhappy duke.
"Where," he fercely demanded, "did you
obtain this aecursed billet"
my lady dropped It, unthinkngly, as she
was walking upon the balcony, aud | found ii
there, unknown to her." was the unhesitating
response.
With painful groan Robert bowed himselfin
his saddle, cOncealing his quivering face from
the inquisitive eyes Of his servant This reali-
EatiOn Of his worst fears, expected though it
was, at first completely unnamed him; for the
first time In twenty years, great tears Of agony
rolled down his bearded cheeks. But these signs
Of emotion were soon banished; Strengthening
himself in the saddle, be tore the tell-tale paper
TO atoms and scattered them on the ground, and
then, in voice Of terrible stemness he addressed
the equerry:
"Go-rsturn to the CASTLE" he said, "and
upon peril of your life, breathe not a word Of
this to mortal earsl For myself go to prepare
for this boy, this viper, q punishment whose
terrors shall fully equal the blAekness Of his
crime I"
duke spurred his horss into a swift gallop, and
llastened from the spot lis course lay towards
one Of the darkest and least frequented quarters
Of the forest, and, torInented by the desperate
resolve to which his revengeful soul had i'm
PEELED him, he continued to apply both whip
and spur, until the place Of his destination was
reached. This was the forge, or smithy, where
the armor Of himself and yassals was wrought
and repaired Ind here, at all hours Of the day
could be heard the deafening clang Of hammer
and anvils. In the middle Of il was huge cir.
cular chimney, with large square apertures, and
through these could be seen the glcam Of the
ttlCgooAtSlys
night. One could hardly stand and gaze upon
this scene without shudder; the red forks Of
fame seeming like living monsters as they wrthed
and twisted in fiery mass, deyouring the sup
plies Of fuel which were at short intervals thrown
in.
Before this terrible furnace moved to and fro
the presiding genil Of the place, two stalwart
gigantic men, whose appearance was in perfect
keeping with the scene. They were partially
clothed with the hali-dressed skins Of the ami.
mails which fiequented the Forest their matted
hair descended almost TO waistlength, resembling,
in fact, the name Of wild beast; these appear
ances, and above these, the ferocity always ex-
pressed in their faces, caused them to seem
more like demons, whom the duke bad conjured
up to do his bidding in this Wild place, than hu-
man creatures. They were, in fact, Of a race Of
baFbarians inhabiting at this time the shores Of
the Baltic, whom Robert had captured in battle
aud compelled TO serve him IN this manner.
As the sound Of the horses hoofs came nearer,
the two Cyclops suspended their labor, and sui
enly awaited the commands Of their master.
The duke drew rein before one Of the mouths Of
the furnace, and commanding the attention Of
the armOrvrs by movement Of his hand, be
said. 4aa E1
"Listen, Balto-and you, Wayzel- Listen, both
Of You. Heat that furnace, at once, and heat Il
hend me y
with a lauOh such as A damon might send
firth one az the savases held M 4 LONG bar Of
iron the end ~ vh;c5 wss olowine Win bril.
iiant white heat II had iust Been withdraw
irn,, the Ara i7- ~ II
"Master, The furnace can be no hotter" he
replied. aSiuce daylight We have not ceased 70
Nh ana renevr n. Won can hear how the Ares
rosr S snd hiss ~ =
"It 4 we'll" Robert reioined. snow hear
ma carefnllv and bevarp tiat Won fail mai % al
as Snail I'D YOU. Whoever shall come 70 YOU
to-day with these words Hare gou perJ6rmsd
~ 6;,1i;no eTt6. d,,ie y the sneaker nansed