Cañon City record., 1901-08-29
yet the working mind detects no

But she was not to remain IN the
dark much longer. The evil one
was loose, and his bonds of restraint
were cast off. He had marked his
prey, and the meshes we're gather
ing about it. "Rosalind," the duke
said in a tone which he meant
should have been easy and frank,
but which nevertheless was marked
strongly with effort, "there is some
talk among the surgeons now that
Conrad Damonof may recover"
"Oh, | am glad of thatl" the fair
girl uttered earnestly.
"Yes, / suppose So" resumed OIL
ga, ewing her sharply. "But you
have no particular care for him, |
presume?
"For-for the COUNT"
"Aye; it was of him l was speak
ing
''No, sir. / care only for him as l
care for all who need to become bet
Ter ere they die"
"Aha, yesr said the duke, biting
his lip, for in his own mind he had
the frankness to acknowledge that
he was about as needy of virtue as
was the count. But" he resumed,
with faint smile, ''you never loved
the man.
"No, SIR" the maiden answered,
gazing up into her guardians face,
with an inquisitive look.
$50 thought, so / thought" As
Olga thus spoke he smiled again and
moved his chair nearer to Rosalind.
81 am well aware" he resumed,
"that 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
Rosalind's eyes drooped beneath
the steady gaze of the speaker. and
her frame trembled. But ere she
could make any reply the duke went
on:
sSIy dear Rosalind, ! have come
now upon business which ! may
Justly call the most important of
my life. i have not approached this
subject lightly nor with overzeal,
but | 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 ewes drooped again.
She trembled more than before, and
a dim, dreadful fear worked its way
to her mind.
"Resal:nd." the nobleman contin-
ued, 'Awhen | was but 10 years of
age, was married with girl whom
\ loved. She lived with me four
short, happy years. In that time
we were blessed with two children,
bu, they lived not long to cheer us.
And then my beautiful wife died,
and the world was all dark and drear
10 me. | thought should never
love again. Time passed on, and
YOU were placed in my charge.
When YOU first cnme, | loved you,
and wondered If YOU were TO take
the place of the children ! had lost.
But you grew quickly up. Your
mind was expanded. and your heart
was large. | found that ! could not
make n 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 2:
"As a little child" answered the
maiden. trembling violently.
No. no. sweet onel | pondered,
and studied. and examined my
self carefully, and found 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 ?:
NO. no. Oh, mol" the maiden
uttered in frightened whisper
.'Then listen further, continued
the nobieInan in low, earnest tone
and with strange fire in his deep
blue ewes. "As your charms of both
mind and person were gradually de-
veloped came TO look upon yc1
with new feelings, or, | should say,
with the old feeling more fully de-
veloped. looked around me. |
saw my sumptuous palace without a
legitimate female head. In my par
ties l had no companion to assis.
and guide me, and in my loneliness
! had no mate to cheer and enliven
4 me. / wished not that such should
be the case, AT length my eyes were
opened. and | saw plainly the spirit
that was moving upon my soul. !
looked upon YOU, and knew that |