Cañon City record., 1901-09-05
CHAPTER TX.
THE MASK FALLS LOWER DOWN AND RE
yEAIS THE HEART


mistress. AS she opened the door
she found all dark within. She
moved into the room, and, shading
her candle with her hand, she gaz-
ed about. The wind still howled
fearfully without, and the snow
came driving against the windows.
When the girl had reached the ex-
tremity of the place, she called her
mistress name, and she was answer
ed by low groan from the couch in
the corner. Thither she hastened.
and there she found her mistress.
"Rosalind my mistressp she
cried, kneeling down.
"Who is ity" the maiden asked,
starting up and gazing frantically
around.
at is l, Zenobie. Say, my dear,
good mistress, what is il? What is
the matter? What has happened 2"
With a quick movement Rosalind
put her attendant away and sat up,
and, having gazcd about her for
some moments, she murmured:
"Where am /? Who is here?'
at is /. You are in your own
chamber. Come, you are cold here
Without resistance the maiden
suffered herself to be led to the
place where the heated air came up
from the furnace below, and there
she sat down.
"What is it?" again asked Zeno-
bic eagerly. "What has happened 2"
Rosalind bowed her head upon
her hands, and after some moments
of thought she looked up. She was
very pale. and fearful tremor
shook her frame.
"Zenobie." she uttered in u low,
strange whisper, task me no more
now. am not well. Oh. ask me
no more now"
"My mistress" returned the
faithful girl, placing one arm about
Rosalind's neck, you know what
you may tell me and what you may
not. But whom will YOU trust IL
you trus, not me? Oh, give me
your love, and il can serve you let
me do so
81 would trust you with life it.
self" the maiden returned, "and
some time YOU shall know all that
has happened here, but not now
not now oh. cannot speak it
now,''
Say no more, my mistress; only
let me serve you. You will have
some refreshmen, - something to
eat
"You may bring me some wine,
Zenobie"
And ,hcreupon the young girl
fastened away.
In the meantime the duke was in
his private room below. He was
pacing TO and fro across the floor,
with his hands behind him. aud his
brow was dark aud lowering. Ever
and anon he would stop near the
door and listen and then proceed.
AT length there came rap upon the
door. and the duke said. ENTER"
ii was II priest who entered the
apariment-a small. deformcd man,
somewhere about so wears Of age.
His face was very dark. his features
sharp and angular. his eyes dark
and sunken deep into his head, his
brow heavy above the eyes. where
the shaggy brows hung over. but
sloping back from thence. leaving
the points where phrenologists To-
cate benevolence and veneration de-
ficient and fiat. Upon his shoulders
he wore a huge. ungainly hump. and.
all in all. he was just such man as
timid person would shun. His
name was Savotnno The duke had
been the means of getting him into
the churrn. and in consideration
thereof he had bound himself to do
the dukes evil work But this is
not all.
Some years before there had been
murder in Moscow. and Savotnno
did the bloody deed II was work
of pure vengeance Olga had him
apprehended. but he wns not
brought to justice The duke found
him to be shrewd, unscrupulous
wretch, willing to serve those who
would pay him well and ready to let
himself then to any one who could
save his life. Olga was man Of
plots and schemes. He fancicd that
such a man as Savotano might be
of use to him, SO he proposed to
save him il he would serve his bene-
factor. The villain was glad enough
to accept the proposition, and tho
bargain was made. Could Savotano
enter the church and assume the
l..