The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-27

4
"iOu touch The haFp-stFings Of the soul
with Il uobls hand, my sont and II any
deed oil kindness can give me Joy, II will
be deed Tor you. We may meet again,
and until then can only say, God bless
aud prosper thee"
With these words tile monk turned
away, and ere Ruhe could command
presenceOl mind enough 10 follow him he
had gone from the house. The youth
wished TO say Something but amid the
varied emotions that went lORplng through
his mind he could gather no connected
thoughts.
Alter the monk had gone RuFlG return.
ed to his bench and resumed Ills work.
He asked his boy II he had ever seen tho
strange man before, but Paul only shook
his head, and answered obviously.
"WhAt do you meanY" the Runmaker
asked, looking the boy In the iac0. "Do
You think you have seen him bOtoToW
vi cannot tell, my master / may have
seen him before, and may not. but
surely you would not suppose that my
memory would serve you better than
your own"
Ruhc was not fully assured by this ans
wer, lie gaEed into Iaul's face, and he
tanCied he detected some show Of intelli.
gence there which had not been spoken.
But he resolved 10 AJAX no more questions
at present. lie had asked enough, be
thoughtupon such subject, and he made
up his mind 10 bother himself no more
about Il, feeling sure that Il his boy knew
anything which would be for his mas
ter's Interest to know II would DO coin.
munlcated In due season. So he applied
himself anew to his work, and at noon the
pistols were finished.
Toward tho middle Of the afternoon,
jlStas Rufic had finished tempering some
parts OF gun.lOck, the back door Of his
shop was opened and two men entered.
They were young men, dressed In costly
luts, and both oil them stout and good.
looking, The gunmaker recognized them
as the Count Conrad Danon0lT and his
friend Stephen UfEen.
~ think | speak with RuFic Novel;"
said the count, moving forward.
"iou do" returned Ruric, not al all
surprised by the visit, since people Of all
classes were In the habit Of calling at his
place to order arms.
The count turned ashade paler than he.
lore, and his neither lip trembled; but
Ruric Thought that might be the result Of
coming from the cold into warm atmos.
phere. However, he was soon undeCeiyed,
for the counts next remark was siHniR.
cant.
"You are acquainted with the Lady 10.
salind VAldAi?' he said.
III am, answered Guric, now beginning
10 wonder
swell, sir, resumed Damonolf, with |
much haughtiuess, perhaps my business
can be quickly and satisfactorily settled,
II Ia my desire to make the Lady Rosalind |
my wife"
Ruric Newell started at these words, and
he clAsped his hands to hide their tremu.
lousness. But lie was not long debating
upon an answer.
"And why have you come to me with
this information, sir?' he asked.
lyon should know that already. DO
you not love the ladyY'
"Sir Count, you ask me a strange cues.
ton. What right have you to question
me upon such a theme?"
"The right that every man has 10 pave
the way for his own rights" replied Da-
mOnoH, sharply. "But Il you choose not
TO answer, let Il pass. know you do love
the lady. And now ask you to renounce
all claims 10 her hand.n
"Sir Count, your tongue runs into
strange moods oil speech. ] renOunce all
claims to Hosalind Valdai's hand?-Wm't
so you meAnt?"
aye, slr-preCisely so"
Perhaps you will inform me what
claims may have In that quarter" Ruric
replied, with some tremulousness In his
tone, for the very subject was one that
moved him deeply.
"Ruhc Newell, you shall not say that
did not make myself fully understood, and
hence ! will explain" The count spoke
this Us speaks man who feels that be Is
doing very condescending thing. and In
the same tone be proceeded; "The Lady
ltosalind Is OF noble parentage and very
wealthy. Ny own station aud wealth are
equal with hers. My station, al all events.
She may possess the undivided right to
more property than do. But that mat
ters--nOt. | love her, and iilust have
her for my wife. l have been to
see tho noble duke, her guard.
ian, 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 well-as know,
aud as all must know-that she could
never become your wife; but vet he Is
anxious not 10 interfere too much against
her inClinatiOns. So q simple denial from
you, 10 the elect that you can never claim
her hand, Is all that Ia necessary. You
und ersland me, ! trust. We seek this
only for tho fair lady's own good. OF
course, you must be aware that the duke
would never consent 10 her union with
you; and yet he would wish 10 have your
denial 10 show to RoSallnd when he an
nounces his decision. have paper
here all drawn up, aud all TINT will be
necessary is simply your signature, Here
1T Is only plain, simple avOwal on
your part that you have no hopes nor
thoughts Of seeking the hand OF the lady
in marriage
As tho count spoke he drew q paper
from the bosom Of his marten doublet,
and having opened 1t hd handed II 10.
wards the gunlnaker. But Ruric took il
not. lie drew back and gazed the visitor
sternly in the face.
"Sir Count" he cried, in a tone full OF
noble Indignation, "what do you suppose
lamp Do you mean 10 tell me that Olga,
Duke OF Tula, has commissioned you 10 /
obtain such remuneration OF me?"
Stephen spoke the count, turning TO
his companion, "you heard the instruC.
tons the duke gave me this morning."
AYE" returned Urzen, directing his
speech to RuriC. "a did hear; and you
have stated the case plainly"
~ may be 90 much surprised as your.
sell, " resumed the count, haughtily, "at
this strange taste oil the duke. Why he |
should seek this signal from You / can
only imagine upon his desire 10 call up no
regrets In the bosom oil his fair ward. He
knows that she was once intimate with
you, and that she now feels a warm friend.
ship for you, For her sake he would have
this signal from you.h -.i|f1L
"Bnt how for her sake?" asked Rnric.
why" returned DamonOE, 'do YOU
not sec? RoSalind, in the simplicity Of
her heart, may think that you -a-thet
you might claim her love; and out Of pure
principle grant II 10 you simply because
you were the first claimant"
"But | never claimed her love-" said |
lsuric, warmly. III she loves me, she
hsNAAA tSt bHh W lkll kllB
noble duke l never spoke but once, and |
then he come here for me 10 temper his
sword: II you would marry with tho
lady, do so, aud II you seek help in tho
work, geek 1t from those who have some
power in the matter"
"iOu mistake, SIR" aid the count, 7
holly. II seek not pOrrr now, | only
seek simple word from one who may
have some lnAuence-even as a begvar,
having saved the life Of a king. may,
through royal gratitude WELD an inhu.
enGe. Will you sign the pAper?"
Now, all this seemed very strange 10
Ruric, and he knew that there was some. |
thing behind the curtain which he was not
permitted to know. He knew the proud |
and stubborn duke we'll enough to know
that he never would have sent such |
message as this but for some design more
than had yet appeared. IN short, he |
could not understand the matter at all. II
looked dark and complex; such conduct
I'll In ItFa,,f NnnfltnN ,rftk A.