The morning call., 1891-02-26
THE VOLTS FANGS.


of charity by a countryman, who Taught
dancing and lived in shabby London
street.
As time went on l earned my four guineas
a week as a yiolinist; but my brother, Pa nj
Boskoi, became the darling of society
first perhaps, because lie had the most
beautiful voice in all the world; next, be-
cause ne was the very handsomest man l
ever saw.
I've 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" andh he took from his pocket-book a
photograph. 1t was the portrait. of a
beautiful woman-a fair WON an, with a
hard mouth aud cruel eyes. 'She tina nked
nfe for singing for her, and then sa id: Mon
sleur, l want you to do me favor. ! wan
you TO give me few lessons in sin ging.' i
stared at her in astOniShment. An, she
said, M. BoiskOi, the singing blossoms are
only preteXt. l know your story; L know
that you are of noble blood; L know that
year fathers property and estates were
confScated long ago, and | would help you
to regain them. Perhaps l ain not altogether
diSlntereSted,' she said, and she gave me one
look, Louis, which sent the blood cOurS-
ing through my veins. For l love her,
LOuis'' he cried.
The love Of the princess for my bro theT
Paul had become matter of common talk
among our friends by the time that Prince
Nlasto1 had obtained leave to visit his estate
in Southern Russia. My brother Paul was
to travel in his suite, aud it was arranged
that In the winter, when he proceeded to the
capital, the Prince should present him to the
g. To-
had been gone a month before | heard from
my brother Paul. AT length he wrote as fol-
lows:
l have returned TO the barbarlc life, and en-
Joy II. The prince keeps almost regal state in
his great Castle OF Samaroi. / enjoy the free,
Wild life, The riding, driving, ald The hunting
here, ana am happy, for am with The woman
love. The prince IS already moving IN mat
ter, and has no doubt so he tells me, Of his ultl-
mate success.
Here the letter was continued in a shaky,
hurried writing totally unlike the commence
ment, which was written in my brothers.
beautifully clear hand:
Louis, a terrible misfortune has happened. The
Princess aud ! were wandering In The park a
week ago, til very day Wien l commenced this
letttr 10 you, when We heard loud shouts and
cries Suddenly from tangled thtcket close to
us appeared wolf. There is nothing very terri
bic here IN solitary wolf IN sumner time; but
this was no ordinary wo1. The brute was mad;
II hdd been hunted and badly wounded by The
huntsmen aud torn by the dogs It's tongue hung
from is mouth, aud 1t came toward us il nj.
tered lttIe yelping banks. .'save Ble!' cried the
Princess; save me. Taufl'' she shTielsd as she
clujched my arm. Der voice attracted tie atten-
lion OF TIE intuIlaled beast ana IL made IOr Us al
once. Nadia fell fainIHg 10 the ground. As the
brute made IFS spring clulchedIt by lie throat
and We fell 10 the ground together. got my
knee upon It's chest, and tried to choke the life
out OF lr. l fell It's hot breath on my face, and l
stared with terror at It's red eyes aud wondered
whether my strength would hold out. Fly
shTelieu TO the woman loved; ny, Nadia, Tor
the love of HeaYen!" But she never moved, for
she lay upon the turf IN dead faint. Tie sirug-
giles OF the wretched animal grew weaker and
weaker. but never relaxed my grip upon It's
throat, and slOwly-a!i, how slOwlyl-l sIrangled
the beast, choking 1t 10 death
/ turned 10 Nadia, and Ia lSed her from the
ground, and pressing luipassioned kisses on her
lips, cried in her ear, "there is no cause Tor
fear my darIng!" She seemed 10 wake as from
dreami the gteat blue eyes opened aud looked
at me with unutterable love, and my kisses were
returned. You do love he Nadia?" l cried, and
her head still lay OD my chest.
Love you. PAUL" size answered. "of course |
love you. Need tell you SO In words, Pau?"
she said, and she looked around her wildly. Let
US make the most OF our time, Paul." ana again
she kissed me, Tor Tire man / am betrolhed
to Will come TO claim my hand III one short
"Nadla" 1 cried, land you talk of loving
My marriage with tile Prince Bakouline,"
s sl, said rs one OF policy; but shall always
me in sudden fear. Paul Paul Bolskoi." she
said why do you look like lhal?'
princess Nadia" l answered, az never
loved YOU loved the woman l thought you
we're"
paul Bolskoi," she said. calmly, you must
be mad, the Prince Bakouline owes YOU Il deep
debt of gratitude" and then she rose and turned
her back on me. But let me thank you, NJ. .
Bolskor-she said, formaly-''et me thank you
IN his name for saving my life," and then she
turned as pale as death and seized my hand.
''Psgr' she shreked, as she fell upon her knees
at my feet, Paul, my love, my lie, you are
wounded, and for my worthless sakei'
And then | three lille bleeding DOtnts
upon the back OF my hand. MADAM" 1 SAID
coidly. sympathy for one below you IN degree
walked alone TO the castle.
The French doctor from Warsaw gives me
/ shall die, aud / shalt have died in saving the
life OF woman who is worthless.
Louis, there Is great news for YOU, nv brother.
The Car is willing to let bygOnes be bygones;
II rank ana our property are TO be restored.
Ince VlastoH only Today handed me the re.
.etlpt from his imperial master. Count Boil
sKo.i he said, as lie pressed my hand, "don't
S esbaS 10 me OF gratitude; shall ever be your
The French doctor has come again. NV
nIo ,. n thete Is no hope. aud must die. Ii
ready swallow with the greatest dinicuity.
Pray, Louis, pray for the soul OF one who
ioEgs Tor death. Your unhappy brother PAUL
There were two other letters-one from
Prince Nlastotf, another from the French
doctor; they gave me the dreadful details of
my brother death, He died, as he had
predicted, after fearful suffering from the
mania of hydrophObia.
l have visited my brothers grave. have
seen the place where MY brothers life was
sacrificed for the PrncessBa kouline-for she
became the Princess Bakouline of course
and then | went to st. Petersburg to thank
NY imperial master for his clemency, and
stayed with Prince Vlastoff. One night, as
l ~ Il ftl, Ia
on We never been in this room before,
tImk the very rug your feet are resting on
u tne SKIN Of tile wolf that killed your
pIotne1' Inc head is wonderfully life-like,"
Yes, there was the head with cIoring o,os
Of glass, the mouth wide omen tha Iins - re- %
tracted. showing double range of ferce and
cruel fangs --o-0' anu
sit makes me shudder when l look uron
f." said Prince Vlastoff; nut it's a upoil
{ art all the same" he added, with a iittia
laugh.
Presently he left me, and l sat by the fire
In half doze. and thought OF my brother
and his miserable death. 1t was close on
midnight
The door was suddenly thrown open. and
tall woman in evening dress, muffied IN an
opera cloak, rushed into the room, locked
the door behind her, and flung the cloak
from her shoulders. On her pale cheek there
was great red mark. When she saw me
she fell upon her knees.
"Paul?' she cried in Mortified accents,
"Paul Bolskoi, have you come back from the
Grave to haunt me2"
| AS | stared at her in establishment
| Iecoeqiized my brothers evil genius in the
peautlluA creature who knet before me
LOOKING mt !, my face with frightened eyes
| Maaalh' said l. coldly, II am Loui
And then she rose. 'You are very like
bim," she said, mechanically: and she sat
aown In the chair opposite ME, and stared al
me ghastly griuning mask Of the dead
OF rs ana as s he looked she shuddered.
Il ;, Sa y niotiser sagec my life, Count Boil
40, sns sad, win a gvoan, ~
bowed, Int ! did nos SHAVER bar
1ouT cIosher's was a ,syaast,s1 a.4,. :,