Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-06-19
CHAPTER III.
LOVE.

Strange uTedluS WullC oioePihS'
Long and deeply did he ponder up
on the strange business which had
called Count Conrad to his shop,
and in no way, under no light, could
he get any reason from it. Why
he, a youth who had never spoken
with the proud duke save once on
common business and who was so
far down in the social scale should
have been thus called upon to give
q virtual consent to the bestowal
of Rosalind Valdai's hand, was be-
yond his ken. He was but poor
artisan; she a wealthy heiress and a
scion of nobility, and she was under
the legal guardianship of the duke,
whose word, so far as she was con-
cerned, was law. And, again, Con-
rad Damonoff was a count and re-
puted to be wealthy. To be sure,
he was somewhat dissolute; but,
then, majority of his compeers
were the same. Now, if this count
loved the Lady Rosalind and had
asked for her hand and the duke
was willing he should have it, why
had this extraordinary proposal
been sent to the poor gunmaker?
Ruric asked this question of him
self a hundred times. He would be-
gin and lay down all the premises
in his mind, and then he would try
to make the deduction, but no rea-
sonable one could he arrive at. One
thought clung to him like a dim
specter at night, which hope would
make an angel and which fear would
paint demon. Could it be possible
that Rosalind had told her love for
him and that the duke would pay
some Difference to it? He tried to
think so. Hope whispered that it
might be so, but fear would force
itself in and speak in tones so loud
that they could not be misunder-
stood. Finally the youth resolved
upon the only reasonable course.
He concluded to let the matter rest,
so far as his own surmises were con-
ceraed, until he could see Rosalind,
and that he was determined to do as
soon as possible.
On the following morning, as he
was preparing for breakfast, he
saw Olga, the duke, pass by and
strike off into the Borodino road.
"Now," thought he, ''is the time for
the visit to Rosalind." And as soon
as he had eaten his breakfast he
prepared for the visit. He dressed
we'll, and no man in Moscow had a
nobler look when the dust of toll
was removed from his brow and
garb.
"Paul," he said, entering the shop
where the boy was at work, 81 may
be back at noon. At any rate, such
is my intention, and if either of
those men calls who were here yes
terday you may tell them So"
"But," returned the lad, eff they
ask me any questions?"
"Answer them as you think best. "
"And if they should ask me if you
would fight?"
"Tell them that 7 hold nv life as
too dear to sell to such as they"
"But surely, my master, the count
will challenge you
s1 think he will. And" added
Ruric as an entire new thought
came to his mind, "mayhap he came
here to create a quarrel to that end.
By my soul, think he did"
"I am sure of it." said Paul.
A moment Ruric's frame quivered
with suppressed passion. Then he
said:
"Let them come, and if they
come, or if either of them comes,
while | am gone, tell them, or him,
that l am their very humble servant
in all things reasonable"
Paul promised, and then the gun
maker turned away. In the hall he
threw on his heavy fur pelisse, and,
having reached the nearest hostelry,
he took horse and sledge and start
ed off for Kremlin, within which
the duke resided.
Within one of the sumptuously
furnished apartments of the palace
of the Duke of Tula sat Rosalind
Valdai. She was a beautiful girl,
nodded in perfect form, with the
full flush of health and vigor and
possessing a face of peculiar sweet
ness and intelligence. She was only
19 years of age, and she had been
ten years an orphan. Her hair was
of a golden hue, and the sunlight
loved to dwell amid the clustering
curls. Her eyes, which were of
deep, liquid blue, sparkled brightly
when she was happy, and when she
smiled the lovely dimples Of her
cheeks held the smile even after it
had faded from her lips. There was
nothing of the aristocrat in heI
look - nothing proud, nothing
haughty-but gentleness and love
were the true elements of her soul
and she could only be happy when
she knew that she was truly loved