The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-12-20

calm, but still there was an earnest,
eager look of fear upon her face.
Ruric saw it, and he knew well what
it meant.
Mother" he said, "the count is
not dead"
''Nor wounded?" she uttered
quickly and eagerly.
"Yes; badly. But, listen, could
not help it." And thercupon he re-
lated all the circumstances connect
ed with tie conflict. When he had
concluded, his mother pondered a
few moments. and then she said:
"Surely. my SOD, | will try to
suffer nothing from this, even
should the wicked man die. In all
you acted upon the defensive. From
the first he has only been intent on
attacking you, and on the battle
ground he would have killed you if
he could"
"AIost surely he would, mother.
Ave, he would not have hesitated to
stab me in the back could he have
gained the opportunity. He was
mad beyond all self control, and his
eagcrness to kill me was only equal
ed by his charriu at being overcome
by one whom he had hoped easily To
conquer"
After this Ruric went to his shop,
but Paul manifested no great emo
ton upon beholding him.
'You seem to take it as a matter
of course that | should return alive
and well" said the gunmaker, with
a smile.
"Why, of course" returned the
boy composedly. "What would a
score of such men as he be to you?
Conrad Damonoff hold a sword be-
fore Ruric Newell? No. | only
smiled when | heard his challenge.
| should have as soon thought of be-
ing anxious about your return from
a marten hunt"
Ruric smiled at his boys peculiar
eagerness of expression, but he felt
a degree of pride in his words never
theless.
1t was toward the latter part of
the afternoon that Ruric was some
what startled by seeing some of the
imperial guard approaching his
house, and ere long afterward his
mother came to him, pale and trem-
bling, and informed him that he was
wanted by the emperor's officers.
"Oh," she groaned, with clasped
hands and fearful eyes, "they will
take you from me now"
"Fear not, my mother" the youth
confidently returned. "Thc emperor
will not blame me when he knows
all the particulars, But come, let us
go IN"
Ruric found the officers. three of
them, in the kitchen, and he asked
them if they sought him.
eve seek Ruric Newell, the gun
maker" replied the leader.
q am the man, sir. May | know
what is wanteu:"
Cannot YOU guess? ?"
"Whv, yes. | suppose it must be
on account of the duel which was
fought this morning."
"Exactly."
"And who wants me?"
"Who should want you but the
emperor"
ooh, they will not take my noble
boy from mel" cried Claudia, catch
ing the officer by the arm. "Tel
our good emperor that Russia ha
, taken my husband from me; that h,
fell in his country's cause. Tell hin
my boy was not TO blame
"Hush, mother" interposed Ru
| ric. "Fear not yet"
"Come," said the leader. at i
growing late, and Peter will no
/ brook delay"
"But they will not harm him.!
the mother frantically cried, cling
ing now to her son.
, "No, no, my mother. Rest yor
easy here until / return" And then
| turning to the guard, he added
/ "Lead on, and | will follow"
, "Now rest you easy, my dea
: mother" And with these word
Ruric gently set her back into he
chair and then FASTENED out afte
! the officers. In the entry he put O
. his bonnet and pelisse and then foI
lowed his conductors out to tn
street, where stood a double sledg,
with two horses attached.
"You seem to look upon the Kill
/. ing of Russian noblemen as a yer
!, small affair."" said one Of the officer