The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-07-13
if ] made a curse for all / loved"

INJURED, bowling her head few mo-
ments. "And yet" she added, look
ing up into her companions face,
II do not think the duke would be
treacherons."
Gle may be-" answered Ruric.
"He 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 he 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, and then, while startled
expression came to her face, she
said:
"Ruric, ] Go remember now that
between the duke and young Damo-
noff there is some matter of dispute.
There is some question of proper
ty."
"Ah!" uttered the youth earnest
ly. "How Is that 2"
"Why, as near as | can under
stand il, there was dispute be
tween the duke and the elder Damo-
noff concerning the ownerfhp q.
Drotzen, the estate on the Don, in
Kaluga, and since the fathers death
/ Conrad has maintained his family
claim. You 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 exchange ?"
ooh, / cannot think So" the
maiden returned earnestly. "The
duke would not do that. He 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
ful of my comfort and anticipates
my every want. No, no; if he is
deceiying any one, he must be de-
ceiving the count"
Ruric started as the new suspi-
cion flashed upon him. Had the
/ duke sent Damonoff upon that mis-
sion on purpose TO get him into a
/ quarrel? "By my soul" thought the
\ youth TO himself. .the duke knows
that i have taught the sword play,
and he knows that the count would
in this match for me. So he thinks
in this subtle manner to make me
an instrument for Kidding him of a
! plaguep But the youth was care
full not to let Rosalind know Of this.
He knew she would be unhappy if
she knew that a duel was likely TO
come off between himself and the
count.
After some minutes Of compare
tive silence Ruric touched upon a
point which lay very near his heart.
"Rosalind," 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. Ny father and
your father fought side by side, but
my father fell, while yours returned
to his home. For his eminent serv-
ices your father received a 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 l
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?"
cave, Ruric," the noble girl an
swered, with beaming eyes and a
joyful expression Of countenance.
''Were you reduced TO the lowest es-
tate of poverty, SO long as your gen
erous, pure soul was free ] should
only be the more anxious to lift you
up. Oh, my love knows only the
heart whereon it is secured, and for
my future of JOY ] ask only the
truth Of my husbands love"
''Bless you, dearestw Ruric muir
INJURED, clasping the fair being to
his bosom. And for a 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