The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-09-14
THE GUNMAKER
OF MOSCOW.
%
BY
SYLvANUS COBB, JR.
tcoSTINuED.l

AAAN HNA AAA'AAAs
miserable dog~ gasped the duke,
mad and frantic with rage. GLOW
dare you come hither ?"
"Look We, proud duke" the monk
interposed, coming quickly forward;
81 am at the bottom of all this. /
have come to stop this foul work"
Rosalind had started TO her feet
when she first heard Ruric's voice,
and now, as the monk spoke, ray
of hope darted TO her soul, and,
with quick bound, she reached her
lovers side.
"Ruric, Ruricw 1t was all she
could say, and, with a flood of tears,
she pillowed her head upon his bos-
ON, and his stout arms were wound
fondly about her.
'Fear not" he whispered, "for,
oh, Rosalind, thou art safe now
The mad duke saw the movement,
and, with a bitter curse, he started
toward them
'Now, by the living gods" he
shouted, with his fists clinched and
his eyes flashing fire, "vou have
come TO your DEATH What, no,
there Without Slaves, where are
YEP"
In moment more the side door
was thrown open, and dozen Of the
dukes servants came rushing a..
"Haw Olga cried. "You are in
time. Seize these dogs Kill them
on the spot if they offer one act Of
resistance. At them now. Down
with the dogsr"
'Holdl" 1t was Vladimir who
spoke, and every arm dropped as
they heard that voice II was diff
ferent from the voice they had
heard the FAT monk use before
The duke started as though a
thunderbolt had burst at his feet.
"Who art thou?" he gasped, stag
gering farther back
"Olga, duke Of lula" spoke the
monk in tones which sounded
strange for him, because they were
so different from those he had been
wont to use, II am thy MASTER"
As he spoke he threw open the
long black robe which enyeloped his
person and cast it upon the floor at
his feet, and there it lay, a huge
pile of wadding and stuflingl The
vast rotundity Of person was gone,
and the strange man now stood IN
his own fair form Ills chin that
prominent chin vas no moro hid
den, and he WIS bug mail man
not much larger than the boy Paul
who stood near him. Noyt he placed
his hand head core away
the tight skullcap and ae ring 81
gray hair came away with it, leaving
a cluster Of glossy hair floating
down over The neck and shoulders
Great God of mcrcy gasped Sa-
votano, staggering back. ~ Is tile
emperor
"Aye," cried Peter turning his
darkly flashing eve upon the stare
gering dako, 81 ann your emperor I!
Paul go and call the guard
The boy FASTENED from Tie pail
ace, and when he returned lac was
followed by party Of the Imperial
guard,
Mercy, mercy. sire" gasped tile
duke, sinking down ON his knees
But Gle emperor worcd him
not. He only turned To lis guard
and babe them secure tho duke and
the foul priest
Boalind VaIdu eazad upon ihe
tram formed man until the strange
truth worked its vlY n her strug
Cling mind, and lien She turned
once more to Rure She gazod up
into his face, and She saw the holy
smile which rested there The JOY
full truth came TO her now, and, with
one long, low cry Of frantic hope
and bliss, she sank upon her noble
lovers bosom. She could not speak.
She could only cling closely and
more close to her loved protector,
and, with her head pillowed close by
the heart that beat for her, she wept
away all the grief of her opened
soul.
"Olga," spoke the emperor after
the nobleman had been firmly
bound, "your race of iniquity is
run"
'No, no, sirel' the duke cried in
humble, duplicating tones. "Say
not sol In this single thing / may
have been wrong, but let my mad,
consuming love be some palliation
for my offense. Oh, you will not
crush me with public shame for
this You will not cast from you
one who loves you WE'LL"
ooh, miserable man." uttered Pc
tar NTH an looL - ..A4o. .~..to..,,k