The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-27


/ have seen in this great city-aye. tnou-
tssad whom sns1smighs rec0znixcaas you
fYec0ensze me ~. :. 5ssa .,.:a
There may be thousapd faces Wo ,,..sao,
collect to- have seen, but NOT one % .lhenl
would excite even passing emotion 10 my
ami Rut your face calls up some power
fui emctfon--some startling memory Oh the
past-ssshicfi bothers me. Who are you.
good father2 i ~ nat resyonfs. Wnere nave 9
ge met before Was tin Spain -. =.
MOI sstd Vladimir, with shake OF the
head. And then, with more serious snnae
mon. bfs face, he added /. Let. this pass
now Z viii not denYto you that there may
ne sorr,e grounds Tor your strange fancies!
mt + assure you moot sacredly thai nntli
1asf night never came in direct compan-
iou,s11ip will YOU before at any rate, NOT 70
nv KNOWLEDGE. . You have" acted the Gooo
samaritan ,towardssmec and 4 hope may
some tine return the FAVOR : al
ID No, no, y salickly responded the YOUTH
lSif you return fl, thsn IT viii De a favor no
more. have. only done for Yon what every
man should do for bis neighbour ana so iar
from. needing thanks for my services, 1
would rather give them FOL: the occasion,
for know. Of no source OF Joy SO pure ana
which tells us we have done good act.
The dark monk reached forth and took
the youthful artisans hand, and, with more
Than ordinary emotion, said:
"You touch the harp-strings OF the soul
with noble hand, ny SOD; and il any deed
OF kindness. can give me joy, it Will be a
deed for You, We may meet again, and
until then'I can only say, God bless and
prosper thee" ri
With these words, the moSk turned
away, and ere Ruric could command pre-
sence OF mind enough to follow him be had
gone from the house. The youth wished to
say something, but amid the varied emo
ltions that went leaping through his MIND
| he could gather no connected thoughts. :,
| After the monk bad gone Ruric returned
| to his bench and resumed bis work. He
asked his boy II he had ever seen The strange
man before, but Paul only shook bis head,
| ana answered obviously.
I" What do you mean Z" the gunmaker
asked, looking the boy in the face. "Do
you think you have seen him before 7"
81 cannot tell, my master. may nave
seen him before, and may not. But sure
IL YOU would not suppose that my memory
would serve you better than your own"
Ruric wos not fully assured by this an
swer. He gazed into PauPs face. and he
fancied he detected seme show OF inieiIl-
gence there which bad not been spoken.
But he resolved to ask no more questions at
present. He had asked enough, hethougbt,
upon such subject, and he made up MS
mind to bother himself no more about It,
feeling sure that II bis boy knew anything
which would be for his masters interest to
know it would be communicated in due
season. So he applied himself anew 10 MS
work, and ut noon the pistols were finished.
Towards the middle Of the afternoon, just
az Ruric had finished tempering some parts
of q gun-lock, the back door OF his shop was
opened and two men entered. They were
Young men, dressed in costly furs, and both
OF them stout and good-looking. The gun
maker recognized them as the Count Con-
rad Damonotf and bis friend Stephen Urzen::
"I think speak with Ruric Newell" said
the Count, moving forward.
"You do" returned Ruric, not at all sur
prised by the visit, since people OF all classes
wei in the habit OF calling at his place 10
order arms.
The Count turned shade paler than be-
fore, and his neither lip trembled; but Rurlc
thought that might be the result OF coming
from the cold into warm atmosphere.
However, be was soon undeceiyed, for the
Counts next remark was significant.
"You are acquainted with the Lady Ro-
salind Valdai ?" he said.
II am," answered Rurtc, now beginning
to wonder. r. .,
"Wel!, SIR" resumed Damonof, with
much haughtiness, "perhaps my business
can be quickly and satisfactorily settled. 1t
| il nv desire to make the Lady Rosallnd my
wife," ...- %
Ruric Newell started at these words, and
be clasped his hands to hide their tremu-
lousness. But he was not long debating
upon an answer.
"And why have you come to me with
this information, sir?" be asked.
| "You should know that already. Dc
you not love the LADY,"
"Sir Count, you ask me strange ques-
ton. What right have you to question me
upon such theme"
1.-THE right that every man has to pave
the way for his own rights" replied Da-
monofI, sharply. 'But il you choose not
to answer, let it pass. l know you do love
the lady. And now ask you to renounce
all claims to her hand"
"sir Count, your tongue runs into
strange moods OF speech. L renounce all
so you meant?"
| aye, sh-liCSiSSiJ So'
"Perhaps you will inform me what
claims l may have in that quarter" Rurlc
replied, with some tremulouSness IN his
tone, for the very subject was one that
moved him deeply.
"Ruric Newell, you shall not say that
did not make myself fully understood, and
hence l will explain" The Count spoke
| this as speaks man who feels that he is
doing a very condescending thing, and in
the same tone he proceeded: "The Lady
Resalind is OF noble parentage and very
| wealthy. Ny own station and wealth are
| equal with hers. MY station, at all events.
! She may possess the undivided right to
more property than l de-. But that matters
not. l love her, and must have her for
nv wife. I have been to see the noble
duke, her guardian, and he objects not
TO my suit. But he informed me that
there was one impeachment, and that
was her love for you. He knows
full weII--as I know, and as all must
know-that she. could never become your
| wife; but yet he is anxious not to interfere
| too much against her inclinations. SOFA SIM
pie denial from you, to the effect that you
can never claim her hand, Is all that Is ne
cessary. You understand me, I trust. We
seek this only for the fair iady's own good.
1 OF course you must be aware that the Duke
would never consent to her union with
you; and yet he would wish to have your
denial to show to .Rosalind when he an
nounces his decision. / have papers here
all drawn up, and all that viii be necessary
Is simply your signature. Here-it is only
plain, simple avowal on your part that
l Won have no hones nor thoIIUhts NJ seeking