The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-02-14

1
"Bul is il not stranger"
''Ii is.
And so they cOnverSed until thei
dropping lids woald no longer re
main apart, and then, having frs
rendered up their thanks to God anC
asked his help for the future, the,
retired to their respective places Of
rest. Ruric had strange dreams, anG
for the life of him he could not tel
whether they were good or bad
Once he dreamed that he was a duke
himself and that he had a wife
whose face he had never seen. She
would not raise her veil until the
ceremony was performed. Then she
removed the obstruction, and Ruric
started on beholding the face of
Vladimir, the monk! And then
Vladimir seemed to say, "All this
/ have done for thee. Do you like
it," And Ruric dared not object,
| because Vladimir had done so much
for him.
And now while Ruric awakes
from his dreams and wonders what
they mean let us look in and see
what is going on in the ducal palace.
1t was early morning, and the
Duke of Tula was once more in his
own private apartment. He had not
slept well, for he, too, had had
dreams, and they were troublesome
ones. They hung about him even
now, and they filled his mind with
dark and gloomy forebodings. He
paced to and fro across the apart
ment, sometimes stopping and bow
ing his head and then starting on
again with new clouds upon his
brow. Thus he walked and pondered
until he was aroused by stealthy
football close by the door. He stop
ped and listened. He knew the step.
Twas the one he had been waiting
for. He moved to the door and
opened it, and the humpbacked
priest, Savotano, entered the apart
ment.
'EBy st. Paul, Savotano, I feared |
you would never come" the duke
uttered as his workman closed the
door behind him.
81 would have come sooner if
could, my lord, but even now it is
early morning. The sun is hardly
above the city walls"
"Well, it is early, I know, but l
have not slept we'll"
81 have not slept at all, my lord"
"No, Savotano. You look worn
md weary. But you have been at
work."
"Aye; I have"
"And you have come to tell me
he result of that work. Does it
move you so to do such work? l
bought you were used to it?''
The priest gazed into his masters .
ace, but he did not speak.
"Bah!" uttered Olga contemptu-
usly. ''What is the killing of a
nan? But tell me, did you conceal
he body SO that no one will find
t?"
1t was some moments before Sa-
otano spoke. His frame trembled,
nd his hands worked nervously to- !
ether. BIT at length he said in a '
esitsting tone:
"He is not dead, my lord"
'Not dead yet? But you promis-
i me he should be-
81 know, but we could not do ii"
''Bah! gave you credit for more
Not kill man? What is c
lere so terrible in that %
"You misunderstood me. nv lord. i
Te did all we could toward killing !,
i'm, but he escaped us" /
"Holdw cried the duke, starting 8
inward and grasping the priest by $
lie shoulder. "You do not mean q
lat Ruric Newell has escaped your" b
''He has, my lord"
"But not entirely. You do not
can that he has fairly gone from y
1t your hands?" =
ale has, my lord. But LISTEN z
Listen, thou bungler! By the y
ints, what story can you tell to 7,
axe that smooth and reasonable? =.
gu had him in your power, and you k
ould have kept him. w
"But, my lord, the devil himself p
working for that man. We went h,
st night to kill the fellow, and |
lifted all Of two hours for Totma ~
d Viska, but the rascals did not "
me, and engaged Others" :
Sand did they prove treacher-
s ?" cried Olga in sudden passion
"No, my lord; they did their best,
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