Middletown transcript., 1882-01-20

whip was laid across his face like a
living line of fire. The Count Semiloff
had stopped long enough for that, and
to hurl a half dozen oaths at the young
mans head, then the sleigh dashed on
like the wind.
Nicole staggered back. He grew
cold and sick from head to foot-cold
as a stone, and with no life in him,
save where the scarlet line on his face
throbbed and beat like a wound. He
slowly steadied himself at last, but he
was deadly pale, save for the crimson
band, and he shook from head to foot
as if with the palsy. course the aris-
tocrat p he gasped (; zone day we will
be quits for this. If lived hundred
lives 1 would never forget this moment.
Bah fool that was to forget for an
instant that l am one Of the people
that my hand is against such as he and
his. He has brought me to my senses
with a vengeance. That blow ought
to kill my love-and it will. Hence
forth 1 live for revenge, and when that
day comes, Count Semiloff, will re-
mind you Of this.
The sleigh, skimming along the fro
zen ground like bird on the wing,
was mere speck in the distance by
this time. Not word had been spo-
ken since the oaths that the count had
thundered forth with his blow. There
was not a sound save little gasp from
the young girl, and afterwards muf-
fled sob.
Vera, what do you mean pin a
stern voice. Look at me-
The girl unwillingly turned her face
towards 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.
"You have tears in your eyes, girl ~
he cried, stormily. "By the internal
legion, do you dare to whine about my
Just chastisement of that fellows i'm
pudence ?"
"He had a good face, papa, and
looked poor and cold"
Bah-the beggar Well, I warmed
him a bit Besides, I've a shrewd idea
that he was sham beggar, after all
not but what he would have been right
Iy 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 day ? fatter
myself we will not meet him again"
But why should he sham beggary ?"
asked the girl, wonderingly.
She was very young, only sixteen, and
she did not dream that it was her own
sweet face that had made the poor youth
mad and blind.
Her father gave her a penetrating
glance. He would have been wise to
have spared her, but he was too angry.
81 thought women were keen enough
to see these things, " he said, scornfully.
"It's my idea that he wanted to attract
your attention at any price But if he
comes in my way again, III 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 man-this first lover,
who had dared so much for one look
into her eyes. He must be very ro-
mantle, then, this poor young man
and her heart softened a little as she
remembered his dark, eloquent eyes,
with their appealing glance.
1t was not strange that the thought
of this young man took possession of
her fancy for a 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 heart was not so
hard-that she had not inherited the
cruel prejudices 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 ambitious.
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 real
tiles took her away from these dreams.
Her ambitious father had suitor for
her--a contemporary of his own
against whom her whole soul revolted.
Count Semiloff found to his surprise
that his daughter had inherited one
thing from him-namely, his iron will.
She dared to rebel against parental
authority-to vow that she would never
say the fateful words Of assent, even if
she were dragged to the altar.
g You are my only child," said the
count, in his hardest voice; "but as
sure as there is a God in heaven 1 will
cast you off-you shall be as stranger
I will forget that you live-unless
you obey me in this thing"
$50 be it," answered Vera, with
white face, and eyes full as cold as his
own.
He didnot dream of the self-contained
power in the girl. He had seen her
among her flowers and birds, singing
as carelessly as bird herself, and SO he
had not fathomed the depths of being,
the possibilities of passion and Pain,
of 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
disowning her but that she should be
the first to cast off her allegiance was