The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-02-02

since the oaths that the count had
thundered forth with his blow. There
was not sound save little gasp from
the young girl, and afterward muffied
sob.
"Vera, what do you mean pin a
stern voice. "Look at me-"
The girl unwillingly turned her face
toward him-a sweet face, with the
color gone, and lips that quivered a
little, and eyes that met his own un-
dauntedly, though they were as misty
as the blue of showery skies.
Gle had good face, papa, and
looked poor and cold"
Bah-the beggar! Well, I warmed
him o bitl Besides, I've a shrewd
idea that he was sham beggar, after
all-not but what he would have been
rightly served If he'd been genuine
There's work enough in the empire for
all. Only with this man I've happened
to notice one thing-for the last month
we have met him every dayl 1 fatter
myself we will not meet him again"
"But why should he sham beggary p
asked the girl, wonderingly.
She was very young, only sixteen,
and sho did not dream that it was her
own sweet face that had made the poor
youth mad and blind.
Her father gave her penetrating
glance. Ho would have been wise to
! have spared her, but he was too angry.
Il thought women were keen enough
to see these things" he said, scornfully.
6 It's my idea that he wanted to attract
your attention at any price But if he
comes in my way again I'll set the dogs
on him"
At these words quick flush mounted
to the fair face of the girl. 1t was the
first time thought of her power over
any other heart had been projected into
her mind, and she could not help think
ing little of this mGn-this first lover,
who had dared so much for one look
into her eyes. He must be very roman
tic, then. this poor young man and
her heart softened a little as she re-
membered his dark, eloquent eyes, with
their appealing glance.
1t was not strange that the thought
of this young man took possession Of
her farcy for few days. She longed
to let him know that her fathers bar.
barous blow had wounded her as we'll
to show him that her hesrt was not
so Gard-that she had not inherited the
cruel preiudices of caste. She found
out his name from her maid, who knew
the people of the village; and she
heard that he was educated and ambi-
tious. Day by day she watched the
roads as the sleigh skinned along, but
she never saw the face she half-feared,
half-longed to see. After time stern
realities took her away from these
dreams. Her ambitious father had a
suitcr for her-a contemporary of his
own-against whom her whole soul re-
volted. Count Semiloff found to his
surplis that his daughter had inherited
one thing from him-namely, his iron
will. She dared to rebel against paren-
tai authority-to vow that she would
never say the fateful words Of assent,
even if she were dragged TO the altar.
"You are my only child" said the
count in his hardest voice; "bUt Gs
sure as there is God in heaven will
cast you off-you shall be as a stranger
I will forget that you live--unless
YOU obey me in this thing"
$50 be it," answered Vera, with o
white face, and eyes full as cold as his
own.
He did not dream of the sell. lf.contained
power in the girl. He had seen hel
among her flowers and birds, singing as
carelessly as bind herself, and so he
had not fathomed the depths of being
the possibilities of passion and pain, ol
fortitude and high resolve, that were in
her.
Only, the next day, when they came
and told him she was gone, no one knew
where, it was terrible shock to him
He had been quite capable of disowr-
ing her, but that she should be the frst
to cast off her allegiance was an mex
pliclble thing and terrible blow. AL
day the Lonely old man sat silently a:
one who has been sore smitten. Ht
wondered that his heart had such ca
pacities of pain in it, and he was sur
prised at his utter desolation without
Vera. Now that she was gone he re
allied for the first time how much ht
loved her, and that life was an aimles!
thing with out her. 4 girl OF eightee1
only, how could she battle with life
But the 81 ow days came and went ant
she made no sign, and at last the COun
Semilofi went forth with hope in Iii!
heart-a hope that failed day by day
For the days grew into months and the
months to years-yes, four years-ant
he had not heard from her, not ont
word.
So as balm for an aching heart tht
count threw himself into hard work
His old prejudice grew strong again
and with the vigor of young man h
took up a service for the czar; a secre
service that needed fidelity, courage
and even recklessness of life. An(
who was SO indifferent to life as thu
tho Count Semiloff, the last of hi
line save for the unnatural daughte
who had forsaken him in his old age
What did the few remaining years holt
for him that he should be careful Il
preserve them? Nay, he was ready t,
fling them away, if by so doing h,
= could render service to his master
, Therefore, he gave himself up to ferret
. ing out the creatures who were plottinJ
against that masters life and the we'll
1 being of all Russia, according to hi
3 convictions.
3 1t was with peculiar sensations @
3 triumph, therefore, he read one day a
3 anonymous note that some one had lei
1 for him:
{ "Whereas the Count Semiloff's vigi
: lance for the czar is well known, an or
| portunity is now offered for the defea
/ of a Nihilist plot of the first magn
!. tude, and the arrest, among others, {
4 a certain Sophie Posenski, who is