Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-07-12

! "Ha!" gasped Damonof il quick
passion. .<Do you refuse? p y
"Most fatty" lila. Ii :. r T.
For few moments the count
gazed into Ruric's face as though he
doubted De evidence of his own
senses. 49,. ~ -
1T is the dukes command" he
said at length.
"The Duke of lula holds no pow
Or of command over me-" was the
gunmaker's calm reply.
beware! Once more, I say, sign
this paperp' $685.
"Yeu but waste your breath, sir
count, in speaking thus. You have
my answer"
"By heavens, Ruric Newell, you'll
sign this!" the count cried madly.
'FNever, STRIP =
But look ye, sirrah, here is my
whole future of life based upon my
hopes Of union with this fair girl.
Her guardian bids me get this pa
per of you ere I can have her hand.
And now do you think I'll give it
up so easily? BY the saints Of heav-
Pm, I'll have your name to this or
I'll have your ifer :~. 49,.
'Now your tongue runs away
with you, sir count. / have given
you my answer. Be sure that only
one man on earth can prevail upon
me to place my name upon that pa
per-"
"And who is he?" .:%>
" II mean the EMPEROR
'*But you will sign i'll" Kissed d.
monoff, turning pale with rage.
Here it is-sign! If you would live
-signr 50
*Perhaps he cannot write," sug-
gested Urzen CONTEMPORARY.
'Then he may make his mark"
rejoined the count in the same con-
temptuous tone.
1T might not require much more
urging to induce me to make my
mark in manner not at all agree
able to you, SIR" the youth return
ed, with his teeth now set and the
dark veins upon his brow starting
more plainly out. "You have come
upon my premises, and you have
sought your purpose. You now
have your answer, and for your own
sake, for my sake, I beg you to
leave me-"
'tNot until your name is upon
this paperY' cried Damonoff, shak-
ing the missive furiously and crum-
ping it in his hand.
care you mad, sir countf Do
you think me fool?"
"Aye, a consummate one"
"Then," returned Ruric, with a
curl of utter contempt upon his
finely chiseled lip, "you need have
no further dealings with me. There
is my door, sir"
For some moments Conrad d.
monof seemed unable to speak from
very anger. He had surely some
deep, anxious purpose in obtaining
Ruric's name to that paper, and to
be thus thwarted by common arttii-.
san was maddening to- one who
based all his: force IF Character upon
his title.
"Sign!' he Kissed.
'Fool!' uttered Ruric, unable
. longer to contain himself in view of
such stupid persistence, "Do you
seek quarrel with:me?" D..
*FSeek? I seek what will have.
Will you sign?"
"Once more-nop go"
t"Then, by heavens, you shall
know what it is to thwart such as
me! How's that %
AS these words passed from the
counts lips in a low, kissing whis-
per he aimed blow with his fist
at Ruric's head. The gunmaker
had not dreamed of such bastard
act, and he was not prepared for
h, yet he lodged it sufficiently to es-
cape the mark upon his face, receiv-
ing the blow lightly upon the side
Of his head. But he stopped not to
consider now. As the count drew
back Rnric dealt him blow upon
the brow that felled him to the floor
Hike dead OK.
"Beware, Stephen Urzenp he
whispered to the counts companion
a. that individual made movement
Is though he would come forward.
II am not myself now, and you are
safest where you are" =.
The man thus addressed viewed
the gunmaker a few moments, and
he seemed to conclude that he had
better avoid a personal encounter,