The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-03-24

as the blue OF showery skies.
"He had good face, papa, and
looked poor and cold"
Bah-the beggar Well, warmed
him q bit Besides, I've a shrewd
idea that he was sham beggar, after
sll-not but what he would have been
rightly served il 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 dayi I fatter
myself we will not meet him again"
But why should he sham beggaryr
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 o penetrating
glance. He would have been wise to
have spared her. but he was too angry.
"I thought women were keen enough
to see these things" he said, scornfully.
Its my idea that he wanted to attract
your attention at any price But il 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 man-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 q little as she re-
membered his dark, eloquent eyes, with
their appealing glance.
It was not strange that the thought
Of this young man took possession Of
her fancy for few days. She longed
10 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 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 lf-feared,
half-longed to see. After time stern
realities took her away from these
dreams. Her ambitious father had a
suitor for her-a contemporary OF his
own-against whom her whole soul re-
volted. Count Semiloff found to his
surprise 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 as
sure as there is God in heaven 7 will
cast you off-you shall be as stranger
Il will forget that you live--unless
you obey me in this thing"
$50 be it," answered Vera, with a
white face, and eyes full as cold rs his
own.
He did not 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
fprtitude and high resolve. that, were in
Only, the next dag, when they came
and told him she was gone, no one knew
where, it was terrible shock to him
llc lao OCCn 4uito ChphOsO Vi tlbOWh-
ing her, but that che should be the first
to cast off her allegiance was an ineI-
plic,ble thing and terrible blow. All
day the lonely old man sat silently as
one who has been sore smitten. He
wondered that his heart had such Ca
pacities of pain in 1t. and he was sur.
prised at his utter desolation without
Vera. Now that che was gone he re-
allied forthe first time how much lie
loved her, and that life was an aimless
thing with ont her. A girl of eighteen
only, how could she battle with lifei
But the slow days came and went and
she made no sign, and at last the Count
Semiloff went forth with hope in his
heart-a hope that failed day by day.
For the days grew into months and the
months to years-yes, four years-and
he had not heard from her, not one
word.
So as balm for an aching heart the
count threw himself into hard work.
His old prejudice grew strong again,
and with the vigor OF q young man he
| took up a service for the czar; o secret
service that needed fidelity, courage
and even recklessness of life. And
WuO WINS SO luulhCiCAb W lit0 ub buO
tho Count Semiloff, the last OF his
line save for the unnatursl daughter
who had forsaken him in his old age2
What did the few remaining years hold
for him that he should be careful to
preserve them? Nay, he was ready to
fling them away, II by so doing he
could render q service to his master.
Therefore, he gave himself up to ferret.
ing out the creatures who were plotting
against that masters life and the we'll
being of all Russia, according to his
convictions.
1t was with peculiar sensations OF
triumph, therefore, he read one day an
anonymous note that some one had left
for him:
"Whereas the Count Semiloff's vigi-
! lance for the car is well known, an OPP
portunity is now offered for the defeat
OF Nihilist plot OF the first msgni-
tude, aud the arrest. among others, OF
certain Sophie Posenski. who is q
powerful member of the party. This
woman has for two years been a leader
and an influence in the band-the most
subtle, the most dangerous to all lovers
OF peace and order. She has an inist-
uation, an insanity, ii might be calledi
to redress wrongs; she is eloquent and
sways mems minds st will; she is beau
tiful. IL she rules mems hearts; she is
the most malignant enemy the car can
find, and you can deliver her into his
hand. Be at the Borsoff warehouses
tomorrow night at 10 o'clock. The
watehwsrd is Public Safety the place.
a cellar under the first house"
The count felt sudden enthusiasm
for his work-greater even than he had
ever experienced before. All II he
could but seize this woman, of whom he
had heard much, but whom he had
never been able to see or trace before
iii he could deliver her into the hands
OF justice. then indeed he might be able
to say Amen to his weary life.