Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-28
KING OF DEATH.
How a Life Was Staked on q
Game OF Cards.

head.
To was M2tuska, an Old retainer Of
the Borislofs. a wrinkled woman as
ugly rs q HindoO idol. who carried her
self with military precision. despite
her eighty years She had nUrsod the
8oris.ons for two generations; she
Enew of no other world beyond The
boundaries of their estates.
Tonight her face was flushed, her
1ead-like eyes gave forth steely gilt
Ger as she paused painting before the
young man, and laid one wrinkled hand
like claw of a bird, on his arm.
Go back illus,riOus pani,' she stam-
mercd. breaJh9essly; you must come
here no more To see the Countess
"Ard Why not?" he asked, pulling
.dly 40 his black mustache, which
dropped over his smiling mouth.
because because. 80 and the words
seemed to stick in her throat-"last
night when You were here, as 1 waited
at the end of the passage, a shadow
passed me. I am sure it was the Count
that he had been listening in the ante
room. You know the furious nature
of BOrislOif; YOU know his mad adOra-
ton for his wife; moreover, YOU know
that in an Europe no one is so sure
of aim as ne is with a pistol
BAH. said the young man: you
mean Wen. I dare say. my dear Matus-
ka, but fancy YOU had been taking
100 much vodka when you saw the
Count lie is far away i'm Moscow.
Madame. the Countess had a letter
from him only yesterday. l have her
word for it, Go TO bed. You are full
OF foolish fancics. old woman"
And he shook her Off, and passed on.
Aa-uska leaned against the wall and
watched him disappear.
There is shadow on this house.
she murmured, pressing her wrinkled
hands together. To-day the cross in
/ the chapel fell from the altar Ii is an
ominous sign. But what is old Matus-
la to do 10 avert the calamity? Holy
Father, if Borislod has really return
ell. and she ghded away down the
! passage in the direction the young man
had taken.
In the meantime LOris had pushed
aside the pOruere and entered a large
lall ntJed up like q conservatory. The
/ glass walls were hung with diaDhan-
Gus Oriental tissues, the floor was COW
cred with soft skins and exotic flowers
/ mat rose from rare porcelain vases.
/ The air was warm and perfUmed, all
most inebriaing in It's heavy fragrance.
I lie did not announce himself. knowing
well that he was expected. and sat
/ down IN fantastic chair covered with
I crimson plush, whose scarlet arms
/ gave him the appearance of being clasp
ed i'm the claws of a giant crab.
/ The subtle perfume OF the apartment
I was conductive 10 dreams, but 20 Judge
/ from his face they were pleasant. as
/ he smiled softly TO himself ana plucked
/ idly at bl0od-red rose that nodded it's
| sTagranJ head toward his as gust Of
/ warm air swept through the curtain.
A hutter OF skirts and the Countess
/ stood before him.
/ He rose with a startled cry and took
/ her I'm his arms.
How beautiful you are" he muir
/ INJURED, kissing her softly, almOs, rev.
/ erently, on the lips.
And beautiful she was indeed. as she
sat down on sofa covered with white
fur and modOned him to take a seat
beside her
AS she sank among the snowy silken
cushions he saw two tiny feet. clad i'm
slippers OF white velvet edged with
feather trimming. lightly embroidered
with silver. Her face, deliOately tint
cd as q tea rose was surmOunted by
mass o, blonde hair. unfolding a pearl
studded comb while two large pearls
/ depended from her ears.
She played with the flaments of the
I feather trimming of her gown as softly
as q bird smoothing its pmmage. As
she sat there she looked like a spirit
of the snow
Well. have You nothing to say to
/ me?' she asked. with little pOut.
. turning her black eyes fun upon him.
He started again.
"l was so intent upon admiring you,
he murmured. that for the time ! could
ind nothing to say. 1t seems cruel to
be able to find only words TO say to
goddess Then ne told about Ma
/ Wska and her suspicious.
Poor MaUska,' said the Countess
I with q laugh: she is so devoted TO our
! house that at times her fidelity over
steps the bounds. 7 hope, Loris that
/ her words have not frightened you,
casting a quick glance at her compan-
ion.
I trlsntened me. LOOKING up on
! no. Az the same time 1 should NOT care
/ 10 meet boIlS-oH with pistol III MS
mana.
He must be a s6illul marksman if
he can send bullet an The way from
/ Moscow" laughed the Countess. eel