Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1901-06-20

I
thinks about it, though I would
rather have him know the truth if
he must know anything, for I would
not be misunderstood" 49, y
'He understands it all now, my
master, and I trust you are not Of
tended at the liberty I took in tell
'Not at all, Paul; not at ALL"
Here the conversation dropped,
and the work was resumed in ST.
lence. It was past 8 o'clock whed
Ruric's mother came and informed
him that gentleman in the house
would speak with him. '. r. 2.-'Ei
'1s it Stephen Urzen? ?" asked the
youth. /. .. g.. + ..
His mother said it was.
"Then bid him come out here.":
Claudia retired, and in a few mo-
ments more the gentleman made his
appearance.
''Ruric Newell" he said, bowling
very stifly and haughtily, 81 bring
message from the Count Damo-
nof."
Every we'll, sir,'' returned the
gunmaker proudly, II am ready to
receive it."
Thereupon Urzen drew a. sealed
note from his pocket and handed it
to Ruric, who took it and broke the
seal. He opened it and read as fol-
lows:
Ruric Nevel-An insult Of the most aggravating
nature has for the time leveled all distinctions OF
caste between us. Your blood alone can wash out
the stain. would not murder you outright, and
in other way but this can reach you. My
friend, the bearer of this, will make all arrange
| ments. If you dare not meet me, say So that all
may know who is the coward. DAMoNoFF.
When Ruric had read the missive,
he crushed it in his hand and gazed
its bearer some moments in the face
without speaking.
"Will you answer ?" asked Urzen.
he spoke more softly than before,
for he saw something in the gun
makers face which he dared not
provoke. ... -..
care you acquainted with Alaric
Orsa, a lieutenant of the guard %
eyes, sir; I know him WE'LL
|EThen let me refer you to him.
He will make all necessary arrange
ments, and I shall hold myself
bound by his plans. I trust that is
satisfactorily:
eyes, SIR
'Then you and I need have no
more to say" =" ....o..~
"Only on one point" said Urzen,
with some little show of confusion.
'eYou are the challenged party, and
you will have the choice of weapons:
The count has not mentioned this
-mind you, he has not, but I as
his friend deem it no more than
right to speak of it, trust you
will choose a gentleman's weapon.
In the use Of the pistol or the gun
he is not versed."
"While you imagine I am" said
Ruric, with contemptuous curl of
the lip, for he knew that the man
was lying. He could see by the fell
lows very looks that Damonoff had
commissioned him to breach this
matter.
"Of course you are" returned Ur-
zen.
"And the count is most excellent
ly versed in the use of the sword, is
he not?"
FHe is accounted a fair swords
man."
faye; so I thought. But it mat
tiers not to me. The thought had
not entered my mind before, save
that I supposed swords would be the
only weapons thought of. However,
| Orsa will settle it with you. I have
given him no directions at all save
to serve me as he thinks proper and
to act upon the understanding that
if I have given offense to the count
I would do the same again under
provocation. You understand now?''
IT do, sir,'' returned Urzen in a
choking tone.
f'Then wait a moment, and I will
give you a message to Orsa."
Thus speaking, Ruric went to his
desk, and upon the bottom Of the
missive he had received from the
count he wrote: =
! Dear Alaric-I send this to you by the same
hand that bore it to me, and you are hereby en-
powered to act for me as you may deem proper.
shall be governed strictly by your arrangements.
| Has .- .- 81. RUR1C.
Having written this, he showed it
to Urzen and asked him if he would
bear it to the lieutenant. An af-
| frmative reply was given, and then,
simply folding the note in the oppo-
site way from the original fold, the
gunmaker superscribed it anew to
| the lieutenant and handed it to his