The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-30
THE VOLTS FANGS.

Paul and ] were twin brothes.c, GEN
tlemeD by birth, since our father was
n Polish count who has been deprived
OF his estates in connection with
events of 1868, and Englishmen by
breeding; after the death OF our father,
when we were quite children. we two
had been brought up out OF charity by
countryman, who taught dancing
and lived in a shabby London street,
AS time went on. / earned my four
guineas a week as a violinist; but my
brother, Paul Bolskoi. became the
darling OF society first, perhaps, be-
cause he had the most beautiful voice
in all the world; next, because he was
the very handsomest man ever saw.
1--WE seen her at last, Louis, /" said my
brother one night to me; 1.-THE woman
I've been longing for and dreaming OF
all my life; and I'm about to become a
teacher of singing" he added, with
laugh. ''You wouldn't wonder, Louis,
If you saw my pupil" and he took
from his pocket book a photograph.
1t was the portrait of u beautiful wo-
mana fair woman, with hard mouth
and cruel eyes. .'She thanked me for
singing for her, and then she said:
Monsieur, l want you to do me a favor
want you to give me a few lessons in
singing stared at her in astonish-
ment An she said. Monsieur Boil
skoi. the singing lessons are only a
pretext. l know your story; / know
that you are of noble blood, I know
that your fathers property and estntes
were coniscated long ago, and would
help you to regain them. Perhaps I'm
not altogether disinterested,' she said,
and she gave, ne one look from those
soft. languid eyes of hers---a look.
Louis, which sent the blood coursing
through my veins. For l love her,
Louis!" he cried.
The love of the princess for my
brother Paul had become matter OF
common talk among our friends by
the time that Prince Vlastoff had OBJ
tanned leave to visit his estate in
southern Russia. My brother Paul
was to travel in his suite. and it was
arranged that in the winter, when he
proceeded to the capital, the prince
should present him to the czar and
use his influence in his favor. They
had been gone a month before I heard
from my brother Paul. At length he
wrote as follows: H. ~.
81 have returned to the barbaric life.
and [ enjoy it. The prince keeps al
i most regal state in his great castle Of
samarof. l enjoy the free, wild life,
the riding, driving, and the hunting
here, and l am happy, for I am with
the woman love. The prince is ~
ready moving in our matter, and has
no doubt, SO he tells me, of his ulti-
mate success" ~
Here the letter was continued in a
shaky, hurried writing, totally unlike
the commencement, which was written
In my brothers beautifully clear hand:
Louis, a terrible misfortune has
happened The princess and were
wandering in the park week ago, tn e
very day when commenced this letter
to you, when we heard loud shouts and
cries- Suddenly from a tangled thicket
close to us appeared wolf. There is
nothing very terrible here in solitary
wolf in summer time; but this was nc
ordinary wolf. The brute was mad; il
had been hunted, and badly wounded
Dy the huntsmen and torn by dogs; its
tongue hung from its mouth, and as it
came toward us it uttered little yelp-
Ing barks. Save me! cried the prin-
cess; save me, Paul! she shrieked, as
she clutched my arm. Her voice at
tracted the attention of the infuriated
teast, and it made for us at once.
Nadia fell fainting to the ground As
the brute made its spring, I clutched
it by the throat, and we fell to the
ground together l got my knee upon
its chest, and tried to choke the life
out of it. felt it's hot breath on nv
face, and | stared with terror at its red
eyes, and l wondered whether nv
strength would hold out. .Fly!' ]
shrieked to the woman | loved; .hy,
Nadia, for the love Of heaven! Bu1
she never moved, for she lay upon the
turf in a dead faint The struggles OF
the wretrhed animal grew weaker and
weaker, but l never relaxed nv grip
upon its throat; and slowly -ah, how
:slowly!-I strangled the beast choking
1t to death.
II turned to Nadia and raised he,
from the ground, andy pressing i'm
FASHIONED kisses on her lips, cried II
her ear: There is no cause for fear.
my darlingr She seemed to wake as
from dream; the great blue eyes
opened and looked at me with unutter-
able love, and my kisses were returned.
You do love me. Nadia9' cried; and
her head still lay on my chest.
"'Love you. Paul!' she answered,
1of course love you. Need I tell you
SO in words, Paulp' she said, and she
looked around her wildly Let II.
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