The daily gazette., 1879-12-27

J""" no udu uulSutu bcmDWii
some parts of a gun-lock, the back door
or bis shop was opened and two men en-
Tered. They were young men dressed In
costly furs, and both of them stout and
good-looking. Tho gunmaksr recognized
them as the Count Conrad Damonoffand
DIS friend Stephen Urzen.
81 think l speak with Ruric Newell"
san The count, moving forward.
"You do" returned Ruri:, not at all
surprised by the visit, since people OF all
classes were in the habit of calliDg at his
place to order arms.
The count turned a shade paler than
hefOre, and his neither lip tr. m bled but
Rnric thought that might be the resul. of
coming from the cold into warm at
mosphere. However, he was soon unde-
ceived. Tor the counts next remark was
significa
you are acquainted with the la
Rosalisd Valdai?" he said.
| 81 am,' answered Ruric, now begin
ming to wonder.
| "WeI, SIR" resumed Damonoff, with
much haughtiness, "perhaps my business
can be quickly and satisfactorily settled.
~ is my desire to make the Lady Rosa
lind my wife,
Ruric Newell started at these words,
and he clasped his baLds to hide their
tremulousbess. But hewas not long de-
batting upon an answer.
"And why have you come to me with
this Information, sir?" he asked.
| "1ou should know that already. Do
| you not love the lady?"
"Sir Count, you ask me q strange
question. What right have you to ques
| tfon me upon such a theme?"
"Ihe right that every man has to pave
the way for his own rights" replied
Damonoff. sharply. "But ii you choose
no not ,os to answer, 9s let it pass. I know you
renonnce all claims to her hand"
| "Sir Count, your tongue runs into
strange moods of speech. / renounce
all claims to Rosalind Valdai's hand?--
VAST so you meant?"
| "Aye, sir-precisely So"
| Perhaps you will inform me what
claims | may have in that quarter" Ru-
ric replied, with seme tremulOusness in
his tone, for the very subject was one
that moved him deeply
"Ruric Novel, you shall not say that
did not make myself ful y understood.
| and hence ] will explain" The count
spoke this as speaks man who fee 8
that he is doing a very coDdescending
thing, and in the same tone he proceeded:
"The Lady Rosalind Is of noble parent
age and very wealthy. My own station
and wealth are equal with h ers. Ny
station, at all events. She may possess
than do. But that matters not. 1 love
her and must have her for my wife.
have been to see the noble duke, her
guardian, and he objects not to my suit.
But he Informed me shat there was
one impediment, and that was her love
for you. He knows full well-as know,
and all must know-that she could never
become your wife; but yet he is anxious
not TO interfere loo much against her in-
clinations. So a simple denial from you,
to the effect that you can never claim
her hand, is all that is necessary. You
.,.N. ii a. l. u.
for the fair lady's own good. 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 de-
uaI to show To Rosalind when he an>
nounces his decision. i have a paper
here all drawn up, and all that will be
necessary is simply your signature.
Here-it is only aplaln, simple avowal
on your part that you have 10 hopes nor
thoughts OF seeking the hand of the lady
in marriage"
As the count spoke he drew paper
from the bosom of his marten doublet,
and having opened 1t he handed it to-
wards the gunmaker. But Ruric took it
not. He drew back and gazed the visi-
tor sternly in the tace.
"Sir Count" he cried, in tone full of
noble indignation, 'wbat do you suppose
l am? Do you mean to tell me that
Olga, Duke of Tula, has commissioned
me?"
"Stephen," spoke the count, turning
to his companion, "you heard the in
structions the duke gave me this morn
ing?"
speech to Ruric. 81 dld hear; and you
have stated the case plainly"
81 may be as much surprised as your
self" resumed the count, haughhly, "at
this'strange taste of the duke. Why he
should seek this signal from you 1 can
only imagine upon his desire to call up
no regrets IN the bosom of his fair ward.
He Knows that she was once intimate
with you, and that she now fee Il warm
friendship for you. For her sake he
would have this signal from yon.'
''But how for her sake?' asked Ruric.
"Why," returned DamoEoff, edo you
not see? Rosah nd, in the simplicity of
her heart, may think that you-a-that
you might claim her love; and out of
pure principle grant 1t to you simply
because you were the first claimant"
"But never claimed her love,' said
Rurc, warmly. "If she loves me, she
loves me from her own heart With the.
own noble duke l never spoke but once
and tEen he came here for me to temper
his sword If you would marry with the
lady, do so; and if you seek help In tn g
work, seek it from those who have some
power in the matter
| ~ Ou uliStdkf, SIT, Sdlu Gn6 count,
hotly. al seek not power now. 1 only
seek simple word from one who may
have some InflueDce-even as a beggar,
having saved the life of a king, may
through royal gratitude, WELD an inf1u.
ence. Will you sign the paper?"
Now, all this seemed very strange to
Ruric, and he knew that there was
something behind the curtain which he
was not permitted to know. He knew
the proud and stubborn duke well
enough to know that he never would
have sent such message as this but for
some design more than had yet appear
ed. Ia short, he could not understand
the matter at all. 1t looked dark and
complex; such conduct was in direct
conflict with the nature of the man from
whom it now appeared to have emana-
ted. Ruric pondered upon this few
nome ITS, and he MADE up his mind
that he would on no account yield an
atom to the strange demand thus made
upon HIM.
J "Sir Count" he said, calmly and Fl rms
J ly, "you have plainly stated your pro
! position, and L will as plainly answer.
cannot sign the paper"
: "Ha!' gasped Damonoff, in quick pas
sion. "Do you refuse?"
"Most fatty"
} For a few moments the count gaKed
into Rurlc's face, as though he doubted
, the evidence of his own senses.
alt Is The dukes command ,"he said, al