Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-08-02

5dark much long u he evil one
was loose, and his nds off rest
were cast Of. He had marked his.
prey, and the meshes were gather-
ing about It. 81 salind, 2 the duke
said in q. tone which he meant
should have been easy and frank
but which neverth eless was marked
strongly with effort, there is some
talk among the surgeons, now that.
Conrad Damonof may recover :,
- Oh, s am glad Of that!'' the fair.
girl uttered earnestly.
es, / suppose so,' y resumed. Oh
Ga, eying her sharply. But you
have no particular care for him, I
presume ~
2 %ztfF or-for the count - g $
Aye; it was Of him / was speak
ing" Il. =s33 { 1919 IS.
.tNo, Sir. Icare only for him asI
care for all who need to become bet
ter ere they die" p, /, !: *. &.
i: Aha, yes!" said the duke, biting
his lip, for in his own mind he had
the fankness. to acknowledge that
he was about as needy Of virtue as
was the count. <But," he resumed,
with a faint smile, "you never loved
the man?" ~. :@>it - ~ -. )
mo, SIR the maiden answered,
gazing up into her guardians face,
with an inquisitive look. =. ,-.> ),
$50 ! thought, SO I, thought. As
Olga thus spoke he. smiled again and
moved his chair nearer to >Rosalind.
Il am well aware" he resumed,
Chat your affections have not as
yet been set upon any one who is
capable Of making a proper COM
panion for you through all the ups
and downs; of life" -: - 49, Z
Rosalind's eyes dropped beneath
the steady gaze Of the speaker, and
her frame trembled. But ere she
could make any reply the duke went
on: 49,.
<atMy dear Rosalind, have come
now upon a business which l may
justly call the most important Of
my life. I have not approached this
subject lightly nor with overzeal,
but I have come to it through
careful consideration and anxious
study
Here the duke stopped and gazed
into Rosalind's face. She met his
gaze, and her eyes dropped again.
She trembled more than before, and
a dim, dreadful fear worked it's way
to her mind. "
<Rosalind," the nobleman contin-
ued, <'when I was but 10 years of
age, was maraed with a girl whom
I loved. She lived with me four
short, happy years. In that time
we were blessed with two children,
but they lived not long to cheer US.
And then my beautiful. wife died,
and the world was alEdark and drear
tos me. l thought l should never
love again. Time passed on, and
you were placed in my charge:
When you first came, loved you,
and l wondered if you were to take;
the place of the children l. had lost. !.
But you. grew quickly up. our
mind was expanded, and your heart
was large. I found that | could not !
make a child Of you, and then / sat
down all alone and asked myself
what place it was you had assumed
in my heart. Can you guess the an.
swer, Rosalind ?" ::>s< :: :.s5 i. q i
CAS- a little child" answered the
maiden, trembling violently.
'No, no, sweet one! pondered,
and studied, and ! ev::,i;aed my
self carefully, andI foa'.>l that the
memory of my departed wife was
fast fading away before the. rising
Of another one just as pure and just
as holy. Now do you understand p
"No, no! Oh. no!' the maiden
uttered iaGa frightened whisper.
Then listen further" continued
the nobleman in low. earnestZt tone ]
and with a strange fire in his deep
blue eyes. .'eAs your charms Of both
mind and person we're gradually de-
.veloped / came to look upon you
with new feelings, or, ! should say,
with the; old feeling more fully de-
teloped. ] looked around me. 4
saw my sumptuous palace without q
legitimate female head. II my par
ties HAD no companion to assist
and guide me, and in my loneliness
[ had no mate to cheer and enliven
me. wished not that such should
be the case. At length my eyes were
opened, and I saw plainly the spirit
that was moving upon my soul. Il
looked upon you, and Iknew that I
had found the woman who was to s:
give me Joy once more Rnsalind
l<love you truly, fondly, and I wsnld
make You my wife Now you can
not fail g understand me, can you e
. Rda4liud 1aaed up NIB Ithe faca 3