The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-07-20
hal come back.9 He said this and

~ Wa pAA etAE NDAA1 SAVE
Ruric gazed q moment into her
face, then he kissed her again, and
again he said:
"God bless you, my notherl !
shall come back
He dared not stop to speak more.
Gently seating his fond mother up
on a chair, he turned and hurried
from the place. In the hall he
threw on his pelisse and bonnet, and
then he opened the door and passed
out.
Have YOU a good weaponS' ask
ed Orsa o the horse started on.
II have fair one. I think it will
not deceive me-" returned Ruric.
81 asked" continued Orsa, "be-
cause Damonoff prides himself upon
the weapon be wears Ii is Ger
man blade, ana he thinks he can cut
in twain the blade Of any other
weapon in Moscow with IT, ?
II have a good weapon Ruric
said quietly, "and one which has
stood more tests than most swords
will bear" And after some further
remarks he related the peculiar cir
cumstances attending the making of
the sword and his possession Of it.
At length they struck upon the
river, and in half an hour more they
reached the appointed spot. The day
was hs fai. The sun shone bright
" upon the listening snow, and the
air was slill and calm The sharp
frost Of the atmosphere served only
to brace tie system up, and Rnric
threw omen his pelisse that he
might breathe more freely. He had
been upon the ground but few
minutes when the other party came
in sight around the head Of the
river
As soon as the count and his sec
ond arrived and the horses had been
secured the lieutenant proposed that
they should repair to the building
which was close at hand. This was
large open boathouse which was
unused and deserted in the winter,
and Il was proposed to 90 in there
because the reflection Of the strong
sunlight from the bright snow was
calculated to blind and blur the eye
'Hal Whit means that?" uttered
Orsa as he saw a sledge just turning
the bend Of the river with an officer
in it.
ct is only surgeon" replied
Damonof Il would not cut a
mans flesh without giving him a
fair chance to survive it."
"And then you may find him
serviceable to yourself, eh z" sug-
gested the lieutenant.
"Of course. There is no telling
what may happen"
In a moment more the new sledge
came UP, and Rurie recognized its
inmate as an army surgeon whom he
had seen before, though he knew not
his name
"Now for the old boathouse, 2
cried Urzen.
AVE added DamonoH. LET us
have this business done, for ! would
be back to dinner | dine with Olga
today, and a fair maiden awaits my
coming
Notice him not, whispered Or
sa. who walked close by Ruric's side.
"Tlat Is one of his chief points
whom engaged in am affair Of this
kind ne hopes to get YOU angry
and so unhinge your nerves"
"Neyer fear" returned the gun
maker BE sure he only brings
new danger to himself, for such CT
forts will find their point in the
muscle Of my arm
The party halted when they
reached the interior Of the rough
structure, and the count threw of
his pclisse and drew his sword. Ru-
ric followed his example.
"Sir COUNT the latter said as he
moved Ii step forward, .ere we com
mcnce this work / wish all present
TO understand distinctly how
stand You have sought this quar-
rel from the first. Without the least
proyocation from me you have in
suited me most grossly, and this is
the climax. SO, before God and
man, be the result upon your own
head.
"Out, lying knave"-
"Hold,' cried the surgeon, laying
his hand heavily upon the counts
arm ''You have no right to speak
thus, for you lower yourself when
you do it. If YOU have come to fight,
do so honorably.0
An angry reply was upon Damo-
noGs lips, but he did not speak it.
lie turned to his antagonist and
said:
"Will you measure weapons, sir
/ Mine may be a mite the longest.