The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-01-02

tired 10 his bed he lay awake and
thought of the strange face; and all
through the night his dreams were but
startling visions of the Black Monk,
CHAPTER II.
STRANGE PROCEEDING.
When Ruric came down In the morn
ing he found the monk already there,
and breakfast nearly ready. But little
was said duriog the meal The monk
seemed busy with thoughts ofhis own,
and Ruric was wholly engrossed III
STUDYING the strange mans features,
and bordering upon the vsrious.douots
and surmises that had entered his mind
After the meal was over the monk &C.
eompanied The gunmaker to his shop.
and there he spent some time in eSamin-
ing the quaint articles ct machinery
that Were used in the manufacture of
arms,
Ruric was engaged in finishing pa r
of pistols, aud for some minutes The
monk had stood silently by. his side
watching his movements, Al length
the youth stopped i'll his work and laid
the pistol down.
a:'Excuse me, good fa;her," he said,
rather neryously, at the same time
looking his visitor in the face; ''but /
must ask yoa question. Where have
I seen you before?"
Glow should [ know?'' the monk
answered, with smile.
ssWhy." resumed Ruric. with some
hesitancv. Il knew not but chat you
might eDlighten me. / have surely
seen you somewhere"
Aud are there not hundreds whom
YOU have seen i'll this great city-aye,
thousands whom you mi 6 hit recognize
as you recognize me?'
~Ah-it may be so; bot not:l;ke
this. There may be thousand faces
would recolleet 20 have seen, but not
one of them would excite even a pass
ing emotion in my soul Dut your
face calls up some powerful emotion
some starIling memory of the past
which bothers me. Who ere you, good
father? What are you? Where have
we met before2 Was it in Spain?"
No" said Valdimir, with shake
of the head. Aad then, with a more
serious shade upon his face. he added
Let this pass now. | will pot deny to
you that there may be some gouuds foe
YOUR strange fancies;but | assure you
most sacredly that untillast night new
er came iii direct icom Daniooship with
you before; at any rae, not 10 my
Samaritan towards me, aud l hope L
may some time return the favor"
mo. no." quickly responded the youth;
if you return it, then it will be favor no
more. l have only done for you what
every man should do for his neighbor; aud
SO far from needing thanks for my services.
would rather give them for the occasion,
for l know of no source of joy so pure aud
uneont animated as that feeling 10 the soul
which tells US we have done a good act. "
The dark monk reached forth and took
ne ynpa Lf--I -Aian r, = Ia nd and with more
-cnan ordinary emotion, SAID:
'You touch the harp-strings of the soul
with n noble hand, my son; and If any
deed of kindness can give me JOY it will be,
a deed for you. We may meet again, aud
until then L can only say. God bless and
prosper thee"
With ,these words the monk turned
away, and ere Ruric could command pre-
sence 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 return
ed to his bench aod resumed his work
He asked his boy if be had ever seen this
strange man before, bat Paul only shook
his head, and answered obviously.
what do you mean?" the guomaker
asked; looking the boy in the face. do
you think you have ever seen him beiore?'
Il canuot tell. my master. | may have
seen him before. aud | 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
answer n q gazed into Paul's face, and
lie faucied he detected some show of intell~
igence, thereiwhch had not been spoken. But
he resolved tn ask no more questions
at present. He had asked enough. he
thought. upon such a subject. aud he made
up his mind to bother himself no more
about IL, feeling sure that If his boy knew
ANYTHING which would be for his masters
interest TO know 1t would be Com III unicated
in due season. So he applied himself
anew to bis work. and at noon the pistols
were finished.
Towards the middle of the afternoon,
just as Ruric had flushed tempering some
parts of gun-lock, the back door of his
shop was opened and two men entered.
They were young men, dressed 10 costly
furs. and both of them stout and good
looking The Runmaker recognized them
as the Count Conrad Dsmonoff and his
friend Stephen Urzen.
Il think l speak with Ruric Newell" said
the count, moving forward,
You do" returned Ruric. not at all
surprised at the visit, since people of all
classes were 10 the hubis of calling at his
place to order arms.
Fhe count turned shade paler than
before, and his neither lip trembled, but
Ruric thought that might be the result of
coming from the cold into warm at
mosphers However. he was soon unde-
ceived, for the counts next remark was
significant
You are acquainted with the Lady
Rosaliud VALIDATE" he said.
Il am, answered Ruric. now beginning
to wonder.
We'll. sir" resumed Damonoff. with
much haughtiness. perhaps my business
can be quickly aud satisfactorily settled.
1t is my desire to make the Lady Rosalind
my wife"
Ruric Newell started Mt these words and