The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-27
CHAPTER II.
A STRANGE PROCEEDING.

When Ruric came down in the morning
he found the monk already there, and break
fast nearly ready. But tie was said dur
ing the meal The monk seemed busy with
thoughts of his own, and Ruric was wholly
engrossed in studying the strange mans fea-
lures, and bordering upon the various
doubts and surmises that had entered his
mind. After the meal was over the monk
accompanied the gunmaker to his shop, and
there he spent some time in examining the
quaint articles of machinery that were used
in the manufacture of arms
Ruric was engaged in finishing pair OF
pistols and for some minutes the monk had
stood silently by his side watching his move
ments. At length the youth stopped in his
work and laid the pistol down.
excuse me, good father he said, rather
nervously, at the same time looking his vlsl-
tor in the face; "but / must ask you ques-
ton. Where have l seen you before?"
Glow should know?" the monk answered
with a SMILE
''Why," resumed Ruric, with SEINE hesi-
fancy, 81 knew not but that you might en-
tighten me. I have surely seen you some
Where'
'And are there not hundreds whom you
have seen in this great city-aye, thousands
whom you might recognize as you recog
nize me?'
'Ah-it may be so; but not like this.
There may be thousand faces l would re-
collect to have seen, but not one of them
would excite even passing emotion in my
soul. But your face calls up some powerful
emotion-some startling memory of the past
which bothers me. Who are you, good IA
Their? What are you? Where have we met be-
fore? Was it in Spain?"
''No,'' said Vladimir, with a shake of the
head. And then, with more serious shade
upon his face, he added-"Let this pass now.
I will not deny to you that there may be
some grounds for your strange fancies; but L
assure you most sacredly that until last
night never came in direct companionship
with you before;-at any rate, not to my
knowledge. You have acted the good Sa-
marian towards me, and | hope Imay some
time return the favor"
''No, no." quickly responded the youth;
''if you return it, then it will be favor no
more. have only done for you what every
man should do for his neighbor; and so far
from needing thanks for my services, /
would rather give them for the occasion, for
contaminated az that feeling in the soul
which tells us we have done q 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, my son; and if any deed
Of kindness can give me joy it will be deed
for you. We may meet again, and until then
can only say, God bless and prosper thee"
With these words the monk turned away
and ere Ruric could command presence of
mind enough to follow him he had gone
from the house. The youth wished to say
something, but amid the varied emotions
that went leaping through his mind he could
gather no connected thoughts.
After the monk had gone Ruric returned to
his bench and resumed his work. He asked
his boy if he had ever seen the strange man
before, but Paul only shook his head, and
answered obviously.
''What do you mean? the gunmaker
asked, looking The boy in the face sDo you
think you have seen him before?'
81 cannot tell my master. | may have
seen him before, and l may not. But surely
you would not suppose that my memory
would serve you better than your own"
Ruric was not fully assured by this an
sWer. He gazed into PauFs face, and he
fancied he detected some show of intelli-
gence there which had not been spoken. But
he resolved to ask no more questions at pres
ent. He had asked enough, he thought, up
on such subject, and he made up his mind
to bother himself no more about it, feeling
sure that if his boy knew anything which
would be for his masters interest to know it
would be communicated in due season. SO
he applied himself anew to his work, and at
noon the pistols were finished.
Towards the middle of the afternoon, just
as Ruric had finished tempering some parts
of a 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 Conrad
Damonoff and his friend Stephen Urzen.