The morning call., 1894-10-07

lance, and everything except the dun sky
was white. white, white with snow.
Augusta, the French valet, had never
seen his master in so bad humor In all
the wears of his services. Volkonsky had
a peculiarly merry and agreeable DISPOSE
ton. aud there was genuine sunnlness
Of cart and soul about him that was per-
fectly irresistible. Dogs and children
fawped on him. ais servants, when they
were dismissed, wept. and those who
STAYED with him endured, his occasional
outbursts of temper with sly grin that
spoke volumes. Auguste. who was ex-
cessiyely elegant and had always oeen
treated with the highest consideration Dy
the gentleman be coudescended TO serve,
actually put up with having Volkonsky's
hootjack SHE'D at him occasionally, and
dodeed IL with as much alertness as 01s
dignity would allow. II was some COM
pensation that the boot1ack was OF sandal
wood az we'll as silver mounted. for never
was there anything like the luxury, the
dsintiness of Volkonsky's personal De-
loncinps and habits. 1t seemed almost
.hoormal-for he was a dashing soldier, a
man among men, and his mind and char
aoter wers as robust as his strong Mus
covite body.
Auquste though thought his masters in
VOID rage perfectly justifable lie the pres
Ant instance. Besides the 1rightiui as
cop,fort of the tavern to man OF Vol
konsky's habits days delay woula cost
him more than fortune. he was on DIS
way 10 ST. Peters burg travelling night ana
dav. in response tn letters from DIS mother
and from his old commander In the Crl-
mean War. General Dubassof. urging him
No, m lose moment if he wished to
secure a step in promotion that would ad-
vance him beyond almost every officer OF
his ace in the service. Volkonsky was
horn soldier. devoted to his profession,
and had greatly distinguished himself our
inc the war. To lose this promotion. on
which his heart was set. by mere acci-
dent. was a cruel prospect. General Dn-
bassof had got promise from the war
Offire and had friend in one OF the roval
Grand Dukes-if Volkonsky appeared In
there were others as pow
erful as he after the place. aud no one
could tell which would get it, and the next
dav but one was the time appointed for
Volkopsky to be at the War Office and to
ace the Grand Duke. When be thought OF
this he ground his teeth with rage.
He had spent the whole afternoon since
his detention alternately storming, coax
ing. swearing. bullying and wneedling the
old tavern-keeper, Ivan Petroff, TO LEI hlm
have the two beasts in the stable. The
coming of tho messenger was by no means
certain. Horses could be obtained mean
while by person on the spot-but to all
Volkonsky's arguments and offers Of
money the tavern-keeper only replied with
obstinate loyalty:
"For our father, the Gar"
Even VolkoDsky was temporarily ST.
,euced by this. AT first Augnste felt dis
posed to laugh inwardly at Volkonsky
sitting on a hard bench scowiing and
prumbling. then making another struggle
with Ivan Petroff, next walking about. aud
then throwing himself angrily on seat,
hut the discomforts OF the tavern were too
great hardship for the Frenchman. He
would have scorned the best room in 1t.
and vet he was forced to STAY In the
kitchen. where the roasting and brOiling
was going on, and the Counts bed. he
knew. would be pallet spread In the
half story of the house. which was no bet
ter than loft. Auguste concluded to sit
up all night rather than accept the accom-
modatiops offered him.
There was small room next the living
room. where Elizabeth, the innkeeper's
handsome daughter. was ironing at a
table. She heated her irons on the great
stove in the large room, and every time
she glanced toward Volkonsky as she
passed back and forth she showed her
white teeth in wicked smile. Volkonsky
stood at the window, frowning and watch
ing the faint mist that rose through the
thatched roof of the stable, where the two
scraggy horses and some lean cows were
housed. 1t was Sow dusk, and ne At last