Warren sheaf., 1901-07-18

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 %
mo, no! Oh, mol" the maiden
uttered in frightened whisper.
"Then listen further" continued
che nobleman in low, earnest tone
and with strange fire in his deep
blue eyes. Gas your charms Of both
mind and person were gradually de-
veloped l came to look upon you
with new feelings, or, should say,
with the old feeling more fully de-
veloped. l looked around me. /
saw my sumptuous palace without a
legitimate, female head. In nv par
ties l mad no companion to assist
and gxide me, and in my loneliness
l had no mate to cheer and enliven
me. wished not that such should
be the case. At length my eyes were
opened, and I saw plainly the spirit
that was moving upon my soul. I
looked upon you, and I knew that I
had found the woman who was to
give me joy once more. Rosalind,
l love you truly, fondly, and I would
make you my wife. Now you can
not fail to understand me, can you?"
Rosalind gazed up into the face
pf her guardian, and she was pale as
death. 49,.
"You do not mean-ohw
1t was deep, painful groan, and
the fair girl clasped her hands to-
ward the man before her. ,*'
|Hold!" he said almost sternly.
II am not trifing now. I am not
only y serious, but firm in purpose.
When you were placed under my
charge, your father bade me do as I
would, and now would make you
my wife. The Count Damonof was
the first who came for your hand,
and had he been a proper man, and
had you loved him, I should have in
terposed no objections, but you did
not love him, and that affair is past.
Now I lay my claim upon you, and
my fortune and title I lay at your
feet" .-. -.
<'And what is to become of my es-
tate?' the maiden asked quickly
and meaningly, for the thought
flashed upon her. 49,.
"Why-we'll have the two unit
ed," returned the duke, with some
hesitation. ..@ #
mo, not" Rosalind cried. tFYou
will not do this!> Oh, spare me from
such a fate!''
**spare thee, girl = spare thee
from becoming the wife of one of
the most powerful noblemen in the
empire? You must be crazy"
my guardian" spoke the fair
girl, now looking her companion
steadily in the face, '*you only do
this to try me. When you know that
such union would make me misera-
BILE forever, when you know it would
cast out all the joys of life and ex-
tinguish the last hope Of peace from
my soul, you surely will not press
it."
'*Rosalind Valdai, I have resolved
that you shall be my wife. Mind
you, this is one of the firm, fixed
purposes of my soul, and those who
know the Duke of Tula best know
that he never gives up purpose
once fixed in his mind. You cannot
mistake me now"
Slowly the stern fact dawned up
on Rosalind's mind. There had been
lingering hope that he might be
only trying her to see if she loved
him or if she would willingly become
his wife. Awhile she remained with
her head bowed and her bosom
heaving with the wild emotion thus
called up. But at length she looked
up and spoke. .@s...
SfSir," she said family, but with
marked decision, "you cannot make
me your wife," ~
*'Ah! And why not?" s
fFBecause I will never consent"
.<Ah! Say you so % +
<I do, and Imean it,
fFHa, ha, ha! You know little of
my power if you think you can
thwart me in my purpose. I tell
thee, as sure as the God of heaven
lives, you shall be my wife,
'ENo, no! Before heaven I protest
against such unholy union. You
cannot have my heart, and such a
union would be but foul mockery."
soho! Now you come to the
point. I can't have your heart, eh?
Perhaps your heart is given to the
gunmaker % .--*. =:
Rosalind's eyes flashed in an in
stant. The words Of the duke were