Warren sheaf., 1901-08-29
CHAPTER XVI.
THwARrED, BUT NOT sUBDUED.

THwARrED, BUT NOT sUBDUED.
It was long after midnight, and
yet the Widow Neyel had not
sought her bed. She Was was now pac-
ing to and fro across her kitchen,
and the boy Paul sat nodding in his
chair. Suddenly the woman stop
ped, and Paul started up.
'Do you think that message was
false one% she asked, looking the
boy in the face.
*1 don't know" he returned. eff
he came from the black monk, as he
said he did, then I think he spoke
the truth"
"0h, they would not have de-
ceived me-"
'No, my mistress; I am sure they
would not"
*But it is very late"
clark! There are bells.''
The widow heard them, and, with
wildly futtering heart, she sank
into chair.
*"They have stopped in front of
the house." uttered Paul, whose ears
were bent.
"Go-go-open"-
/ Paul started. The widow heard
the door opened, and she heard
voices in the hall. In a moment
more the inner door was opened,
and she looked up. She saw man
ly form; she heard the magic word
"Mother!" trembling upon the air.
With one low cry Of Joy she started
to her feet, and in the next moment
she was clasped to the bosom of her
son.
<<Did I not tell you I'd bring him
back to you?' cried Vladimir, rub
bing his hands with joy.
"Oh, God bless you, sir!' the Wild
ow murmured, gazing through her
tears into the monks face.
$50, so," returned the strange
man. "The blessing of an honest
soul is reward enough for one night,
so I'll take myself off for the pres
ent."
*No,' no. cried Ruric. you'll
remain here till morning."
But the monk could not be pre-
vailed upon so to do. He had busi-
ness to attend to, and he could not
stop, and he hurried away as quickly
as possible to avoid the thanks that
were showered upon him.
After Vladimir was gone Ruric
sat down and related to his mother
all that had occurred since that day
on which he left her to go and see
the count. She trembled fearfully
as he related the diabolical attempts
that had been made upon him, and
when he had concluded she sat for
few moments like one in a painful
trance.
"And do you Think" she said at
length, while cold shudder ran
through her frame, "that the Duke
OF lula was the cause OF all this !"
II am sure of it, my mother"
|'Then you are not safe yet
*'But I shall see the emperor"
'I have seen him, my son.
"Ah! And what said hep"
<<Why, he said if we could find out
who had done you harm he would
punish them. Then I, asked him,
'*Suppose it was a duke ?" and he said
in that case he, should have to look
into the matter. Oh, I fear he would
not dare to punish the powerful
Olga" '
$$Perhaps not, but yet, my moth
er, 1 will give him credit for better
things. YETI the youth continued
in sad tone, E'there is one for
whom | care more than self and
who is now within the wicked dukes
power. Oh, she is his beyond any
power Of the emperor!" j. f..
|'Not absolutely beyond his pow
er, is she?" the mother asked. "~.. =.
'Why, Of course, Peter has the
power to set aside any wardship, but
'twould not be policy for him to in
terfere in the domestic affairs of his
powerful mobiles. / feel sure that
his heart would bid him interfere,
but his judgment would oppose it.
Y You' have seen Rosalind 2"
8''sY es." s
And was she unhappy when she