Cañon City record., 1901-08-15
THE GUNMAKER OF MOSCOW.
Continued from page 4

ing up lHtO HeT coinphilou ldCc,
81 do not think the duke would be
treacherous."
"He may be-" answered Ruric.
'1He knows how lightly our noble
emperor holds empty titles, and
perhaps he fears if this matter came
to the imperial ear and you should
claim the right to marry with whom
you pleased Peter would grant your
PRAYER; hence ne wished to get my
claim set aside so that he may have
clearer field in which to move
Do you know how the dukes affairs
stand at present?"
Rosalind thought awhile ere she
answered, end then, while startled
expression came to her face, she
said:
sfRuric, | do remember now that
between the duke and young Damo-
noif there is some matter of dispute.
There is some question of proper
ty."
"Ahl" uttered the youth earnest
ly. .1Iow is that ?"
"Why, as near as / can under
stand it, there was a dispute be-
tween the duke and the elder Damo-
noff concerning the ownership of
Drotzen, the estate on the Don, in
kaluga, and since the fathers death
Conrad has maintained his family
claim lon know the duke and the
old count married sisters, and this
estate belonged to them"
"And now suggested Ruric,
"may not the duke mean TO compro-
mise this matter by giving your
hand to the count and taking Drot-
zen in exchanges
"oh, cannot think so." the
maiden returned earnestly. ''The
duke would not do that. lie is kind
TO me, | am sure. He loves me as
though | were his own child. |
know he does, for in a thousand
ways he has shown it. He Is mind
full of my comfort and anticipates
my every want. No, no; If he is
deceiving any one, he must be de-
ceiying the count"
Ruric started as the new suspi-
cion flashed upon him. Had the
duke sent Damonof upon that mis-
sion on purpose 70 get him into a
quarrel? "By my soul" thought the
youth TO himself, .'the duke knows
that | have taught the sword play.
and he knows that the count would
in this match for me. So he thinks
in this subtle manner 10 make me
an instrument for ridding him of a
plague" But the youth was care
I full not TO let Rosalind know of this.
Z He knew sne would be unhappy If
she knew that duel was likely 70
come of between himself and the
count.
After some minutes of compara-
tive silence Ruric touched upon a
point which lay very near his heart.
'Rosalin'l." he said. taking both
her hands in his own, 'there is one
point upon which we have never
spoken. and know you would have
me speak plainly and candidly You
know my situation. Nv father and
your father fought side by side, but
my father fell. while yours returned
TO his home For his eminent scrv-
ices your father received title and
a noble estate from the grateful Fe-
odor. while my father was only for
gotten; hence our stations are now
widely different Yet ! am not poor.
No other man in the empire can
compete with me in the manufac-
ture of arms. and from my labor |
derive a handsome income You
know il all. And now, If other OBJ
stacles were removed, would YOU
give me your hand and become mine
for life 2"
"Aye. Ruric," the noble girl an
swered, with beaming eyes and a
joyful expression of eoGntenance.
"Were you reduced to the lowest es-
tate of poverty, so long as your gen
erous, pure soul was free i should
only be the more anxious to lift you
up. Oh. my love knows only the
heart whereon il is secured. and for
my future of joy | ask only the
truth of my husbands love"
"Bless you, dearestp Ruric mur-
INJURED. clasping the fair being to
his bosom. And for long while
Rosalind's head lay pillowed upon
the shoulder of the man she so tru-
ly, fondly loved,
That was not the time for bring
ing forward doubts and fears. Ru-
ric had many questions in his mind
concerning the impediments that
stood in the way of their union. but
hn lnnt ihnrn 10 hinsnlf now At