The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-11-29

riOtzcn, H., stare on the Don, IN
kaluga, ard since the fathers death
Conrad has maintained his family
claim. You know the duke and the
old count married sisters, and this
estate belonged to them"
"And now" suggested Ruric,
may not ;he duke mean to compro-
mise this matter by giving your
hand to the count and taking Drot-
zen in exchange"
ooh, | cannot think SOP the
maiden returned earnestly. "The
duke would not do that. lie is kind
to me, | am sure. He loves me as
though ! were his own child. |
know he does, for in thousand
ways he has shown it. He is mind
iuI Of my comfort and anticipates
my every want. No, no; if he is
dcceiving any one, he must be de-
ceiying the count"
Rurc started az the new suspl-
cion flashed upon him. Had the
| duke sent Damonoif upon that mis-
! sion on pGrpose to get him into a
quarrel? "By my soul" thought the
! youth to himself, 'the duke knows
that | have taught the sword play,
and he knows that the count would
in this match for me. SO he thinks
in this subtle manner to make me
an instrument for Kidding him of a
| plaguew But tie youth was care
full not to let Rosalind know of this.
He knew she would be unhappy if
she knew that a duel was likely to
come off between himself and the
count.
After some minutes of compare
tive silence Ruric touched upon a
point which lay very near his heart.
"Rosalind," he said, taking both
her hands in his own, "there is one
point upon which we have never
spoken, and | know you would have
me speak plainly and candidly. You
know my situation. My father and
your father fought side by side, but
my father fell, while yours returned
to his home. For his eminent serv-
ices your father received a title and
a noble estate from the grateful Fe-
odor, while my father was only for
gotten; hence our stations are now
widely different. Yet | am not poor.
No other man in the empire can
compete with me in the manufac-
ture of arms, and from my labor |
derive a handsome income. You
know it ALL And now, if other OBJ
stacles were removed, would YOU
give me your hand and become mine
for life:"
cave, Ruric," the noble girl an
swered, with beaming eyes and a
joyful expression of countenance
"Wcre YOU reduced to the lowest es-
tate of poverty, so long as your gen
erous, pure soul was free | should
only be the more anxious to lift you
up. Oh, my love knows only the
heart whereon it is secured, and fol
my future of JOY ! ask only the
truth of my husbands love"
"Bless you, dearest" Ruric muir.
INJURED, clasping the fair being tc
his bosom. And for long while
RosaIind's head lay Pillowed upor
the shoulder Of the man she SO tru
ly, fondly loved.
That was not the time for bring
ing forward doubts and fears. Ru
ric had many questions in his minC
concerning the impediments tina
, stood in the way of their union, bu
he kept them TO himself now. A
length he arose to take his depar
ture, and he simply said as he drew
the maiden to his side:
! "You will not allow the duke t.
give your hand away"
'Ncver, Ruric."
'Tf he asks you for your hand t.
bestow upon any of his friends, yo1
t will tell HIM
"That my heart is not mine tt
, give and that my hand cannot g
without it. %
ooh, bless you, Rosalind, bles
, you. God keep and guard yo'
ever"
There was one warm, ardent pres
sure of lip to lip, and then Ruri
Newell turned away and was soon il
: the open court. Here he entered hi
sledge and then drove to the bar
racks in the Khitagorod, where h
: inquired for Alaric Orsa, a Geuten
ant of the guard. The officer va
: quickly found, and as he met Ruri
his salutation was warm and cOrdia