Warren sheaf., 1901-08-08
il CHAPTER XI. >
AN ASTOUNDING AFFAIR.

,Wuen ne was aroused from the reVer-
lie into which he had fallen by the
gentle opening of the door. He turn
ed and beheld human form emerg-
ing from. the narrow, dark entry
way. AS it came into, the room the
watcher started, for he beheld the
humpbacked priest, Savotano. -
"Who is here ?" the arch fend
whispered, shading his eyes and try
ing to peer into the gloom. "''"''.@ j
*<Sh!'' uttered Ruric. "The count
is alseep.' .4.1",'st:'' yr.2 .
By this time our hero had so far
overcome the first emotion caused
by the Villains entrance that he
could be calm. ..,,. $3.50. ., !
'FAnd who is this?" the priest
whispered, moving nearer to the
bed. cha! The gunmaker!''
eyes," replied the youth; watch
ing every look and movement Of the
fellow most closely. '.~ '"..
"You are in a strange place, I
should say" Savotano whispered,
not looking the young man directly
in the face, but casting upon him a
sidelong glance, as though he dared
not look direct.
|Speak not too loud, sir priest,' -
said our hero, determined to enter
into no conversation with the man
if he could avoid it. ''Do not awak-
en- the count, for he is. very faint
and weak
And then Ruric had another rea-
son. He feared if Damonoff should
awake that the strange discovery
they had made might be revealed,
and, of course, he wished not that
the villain should yet know how well
he was understood.
':But why are you here?' pursued
Savotano, who seemed determined
to know, II am this poor mans
spiritual conf forter, and I surely
have a right to know wherefore is
the presence of one bearing the Pc
culiar relations toward him which
are sustained by you. .
.' Ruric's first impulse vas one of
disgust and wrath, but e&@ma8naged
to keep it to himself. -. {
,v. s*Sir priest" he returned, moving
his chair. noiselessly nearer to the
visitor, SO that his whisper might
not disturb the sleeper; II heard
that the count was dying, and I
would not have him die without first
forgiving me for all that I had
IL done."r ''#
."And has he done it?''
=sv "He has"
"And5 why do you remain here
Where is his attendant 90 .,
"She is oat somewhere. The
count has had a strange ft-a star
tling spasm-and | feared if he
had another the woman could not
manage him alone " ~. .' '''''''
"Ah" uttered Savotano. "A
epasm:" -. .:.."" - '3n'gi
.. "lcs, a most strange one, as
though something we're at his heart,
as. though his brain were on fire and
his whole system shaking" .a...a.
The priest turned his head away,
but Ruric saw plainly the, exultant
look which rested there. There was
no mistaking any more That one
look-for Ruric saw twas proof
enough. T.. "...'.".' 1'"f
! "Well, well," the misshapen vii
lain said, 81 will call again when he
is awake. l would not have him
die and ! not by him.. ,Ha "jt q,
Thus speaking Savotano arose
and moved toward the door. His
step was eager, and his every look
betrayed some anxious purpose. lie
stopped as he reached the door and
looked back, but he did not speak.
8 @Ruric was afraid he might go to the
.' sideboard to look at the medicine,
but he did not. He simply cast one
more glance at the watcher and then
left the room.
In half an hour more the surgeon
= returned. His face wore clear,
cd emphatic expression, and his move
ments were all quick, and prompt,
as though each one was for the pur-
pose Of announcing some self evi.
dent decision. ''' 1...' S@'"''' Z"'' &A' +
"Well," he uttered, with a quick
i ly drawn breath, eve have put the
medicines to attest" "'InAnd then he
LEANED back and looked into Ruric's
n lace 0t8j@Ya a1.5 $40 HG3io oj 70 +
4as .E'And what did you fnd?n'' the
~ young man asked. 4affae aaf otarni
81 e.t1',J 1"',Just ~ what we expected, We
have detected arsenic in three of
the medicines which the count had
10 to take:. = But this poison is not
alone. There is much opium in the
even SO that wea could smell it
,t4 ~ o,,,r 4 I'M, =,