The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-17

persisted in asking him at the end of ev
cry stanza whether he could change hii
nature and live under water with her?
well, but you are not lorelei, Mis-,
lda," Guerdon explained impatiently
when he had heard this song twice.
| Perhaps l am a pyvie, though" she
answered with a smile.
What is a pyrie?"
"a fre-watch, in the modernized form
girl who delights in firearms, shells, De
troleum and other horrid engines of revo
lutionary warfare" saying which she
laughed with rather forced gayety.
Guerdon made no answer, but hoped
that time might work for him. It thus
befell that he remained two months al
E., seeing Ida every day, and he was
Just beginning to feel dispirited by the
consciousness that his suit made no pro.
gress when Unexpectedly he received a
summons to hurry back to England on &C.
count Of his elder brothers illness. Al
the young son of peer, Charley Guerdor
might be said to have expectations" In
case of his brothers death; but he loved
him too well to think of that, and was, on
the contrary, sincerely grieved at the
news. He fastened to pack his traps and
then said good-by to the Koratlnes. He
found them both in the garden, looking
sad, for he had sent his servant to apprise
them of what had occurred. Ida especially
was pale. and there was Just the slightest
quaver in her voice as she said, ''GoOd- by
Capt. Guerdon; we are sorry to lose you v
"But | shall return" he replied. 81
hope my brother will recover, and then
shall hasten back to E. You will
still no hero will Won mot y"
perhaps" she answered, evasively.
well, but you are surely not going To
leave E-just as the summer season il
beginning. Let me go away with the
hope that we shall meet again"
perhaps" she reioined anew. Then,
as if to take the chill of dependency out
of her words, she plucked a branch Of
May blossoms off tree and handed 1t to
the Englishman. Take that to your
brother, and let it carry health to him.
she said. 81 have the superstition of flow
ers. so you see am net quite a nihilist. "
Guerdon took her hands, and, at an ap-
proving sign from her brother, drew her
to him, and kissed her on the brow. II
was chaste kiss, and hope was rekindled
in his heart as he gave it.
The illness of Charlie Guerdon's brother
turned out to be serious affair. 1t last
ed more than six weeks, and during that
time Charley was unremitting in his at
tendance at the bedside. In such spare
moments as he could snatch he wrote sew.
received an answer from the count with a
got no more replies. Charley had never
hnav, IL
might have gone all wrong without his
glanced at The Field or at one of the mill
tary papers to look for army promotions,
but into The Times he never dipped, and
thus he was kept from learning the grim
reason which prevented his Russian friends
from writing to him. He was not fated to
ascertain it for a long while, for when
Lord Guerdon became convalescent his
doctors ordered him Oft on a yachting
cruise and Charley accompanied him. The
brothers spent two full months sailing
over the seas and receiving no news, till
at length they put in at Cadiz and landed.
1t was in this city that Lord Guerdon, Pc
rusing batch of London papers one NOR
ming, while his brother sat at the open
window looking out listlessly over the wa
tiers of the barber, exclaimed: Il say.
Charley didn you tell me you had friend
called Count Koratine?"
ayes. What of him?" answered Char
lie, turning round with a sudden flush.
why, your friend is going to be be-
headed for an attempt to murder. Read
that!'
Charlie rose, doubling whether he was
awake. He took the newspaper and with
e
tempted political assassination about
which all Europe had been talking for the
last three months. An exalted parsonage
one of the half-dozen who hold the des-
TIMES of Europe in their hands-had come
TO E., and had been shot at by Count
Koratine. Arrested on the spot, along
with his sister, the count was now proved
to be the head of a widespread nihilist and
socialist conspiracy. His bullet had miss
ed its aim, but, as it had killed person
who sat beside his intended victim he was
to be tried for his head, and Countess Ida
too
81 must leave for Germany this day."
faltered Charley Guerdon as the paper
fell from his hand. He was so hoarse
that he could hardly articulate.
His brother gazed at him with conster-
nation. Great heavens!" he said, 'you
don't mean to say this girl is anything to
you. Charley?"
"She is everything to me-" was the
younger brothers answer. Two hours
later Guerdon had left for Cadiz.
The trials of the Koratines had taken
place at D. and Ida had been acquit-
ted, but the count was sentenced to death.
Guerdon heard this as he journeyed, and
he reached D. on the eve of the day
appointed for the counts execution. His |
first step was to repair to the central DO
lice office and inquire where Countess Ida |
lived. He was informed that she was
lodging in a small house near the prison,
with two servants, but that she was under |
orders to leave the country on the morrow.
The Englishman hastened to the house |
indicated with all the dust of travel on
him. 1t was past midnight, but Ida re-
ceived him at once. He found her writ
ing by the tireside in that dismal parlor of |
he- lodging-housa. She was dressed in |
deepest mourning, and her features.
by her grief and long sojourn in /
prison, were as those of statue. But |
she held out her hand to Guerdon as i'll
nothing much had happened since they
had parted.
Give me no condolences" she said, |
the Englishman as he opened |
his mouth to speak. suppose you come
10 me as a friendE'
Can you doubt it?' he faltered. .'Oh.
Ida, God knows what have suffered on
hearing this"
81 want you to render me n service"
she sand, not needing his remarks. You
a. L r