The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-08-10

with his eyes closed and groaned in
agony at the strange revelations
that were breaking in upon him.
But, seel Why starts Ruric so
suddenly, and why does he turn so
pale? Why do his hands tremble,
and why is his brow bent so eagerly?
"What is it? asked the count,
startled by the strange event.
Hold" whispered Ruric in a
frantic tone. "You were recovering
once?"
''From this wound?"
eyes"
eyes. / was getting well fast,
and the doctors said | should be
stout and well in a month. But sud
denly this change came on. Let's
see. On Friday morning / felt the
first relapse"
''The very timel" gasped Ruric to
himself.
The count moved his head for
ward and would have caught his
companion by the hand if he could.
"For Gods sake, Ruric, what is z"
GAS came this way / saw a
humpbacked priest pass out from
this house ?" said the gunmaker in
terrogatiyely.
Eyes, yes returned the count,
speaking shortly and quickly. at
was Savotano He has attended
me. The duke recommended him"
And was he here Thursday
night?"
Thursday? All, yes; he watched
with me that night"
"And has he been in attendance
SINGER"
"Yes--every day. But why do
you ask? Say, what is that mean
ing upon your face? What is it 7"
"At this moment the door of the
apartment was quietly, noiselessly,
opened, and Kopani, the surgeon,
entered the place.
"Iaw cried Ruric, starting to-
ward him and grasping him by the
arm. Your patient is poisoned A
deadly poison has been given him,
and it is even now eating his life
awaylo
"Impossiblew gasped the surgeon,
straining his eyes to see plainly who
it was that spoke to him. "Ahp he
uttered as he became somewhat used
TO the gloom of the apartment. is
it you, sir Z"
aye, but mind not that now.
Cannot you do something for the
count? He has been poisoned"
ct cannot bel"
"By the hopes Of my salvation"
cried Conrad Damonolf, starting up
TO sitting posture, che speaks the
truth! That accurscd PRIEST Oh,
Olga, Olga, never dreamed that
thou vast mine enemy
"But what is it allY" the surgeon
asked, gazing first upon Ruric and
then upon the count. Speak, some
onew
"Tell him." groaned Conrad
"Iisten," said the gunmaker. 81
have my suspicious. But, mind you,
they are founded on facts, and the
facts are these; The Duke Of Tula
is well nigh free from the possession
of property. His half of Drotzen is
all mortgaged, and he wants the
other half. That other half he can
not have while Damonoff lives. The
duke, too, has sworn that Rosalind
Valdai shall be his wife, so he would
have her property also. This hump
backed priest is Olgais tool 1t was
Olga got him into the church, and it
was Olga who freed him more than
once from deserved punishment.
Last Thursday evening he was with
the duke in private council, and he
came from thence directly to this
place. Now you can judge for your
self"
The surgeon started slightly, and
then he bowed his head. A few mo-
ments he remained thus, and then
he leaped up and clasped his hands.
"By the living God Of all things"
he cried, cit is, il isl" There is no
burning up, as thought, of icy,
wintry FIRE, but the hellish work is
from a human hand Hold | know
the symptoms! ] know them now.
BE quiet, Conrad 1t may not yet
! be too late"
As the surgeon spoke he hastily
opened d small leathern case he car
ried with him, and from thence he
took powerful emetic. The wo-
man was sent for, and when she
came she obtained warm water. The
potion was given, small quantity
at time, at intervals of about five
minutes until the desired effect was
produced. A strange mass of stuff
was thrown up, and Kopani took it