The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-02-28

IHe dwelling, DuI lHey lOuHu uO
their prey. They stormed and swore
but to no purpose, and when they
were convinced that the gunmakel
was not there they went away.
An hour later still another par
ty drove up to the same cot. II
consisted of two men in a double
! sledge, one of whom was Vladimir,
the monk. The fat, mystic man en-
! tered the cot, and there he remained
| for some time. When he came out,
the widow and Paul accompanied
him, and they all got into the sledge
and drove off together.
What did it mean?
1t Was noon. The proud duke was
once more alone in his private room,
and he was pacing uneasily to and
fro. There was cloud upon his
brow and trouble in his soul. His
lips were firmly set and his hands
clinched. Ever and anon he NUT
tered to himself, and when he did so
his hands would work nervously and
emphatically. He looked often at
his watch, and often he stopped near
the door and hearkened.
At length came that well known
shuff1ing, uncertain, catlike treau.
He threw open his door, and the
dark priest glided in.
ella, Savotano, I've waited for
you," the duke uttered, sinking into
a chair, for his nervous walking had
made him weary. ''Now tell me the
work is done. Oh, for Gods sake,
don't tell me again of failure!'
CALAIS, my lord"-
Hold, Savotano! BY the host of
hosts, you are not going to tell me
of failurep
'Not really a failure, my lord"
the priest returned nervously, ''but
our men did not find the gunmaker
at home. He had gone when we got !
there, and no one knew where"
''No one knew? Did not his
mother know?"
"No. She said he did not tell her
where he was going. He only left
word that he was going on business
and should not return till evening""
"By heavens, l think he has fed!"
"No, my lord, l do not think so.
think he must have had business"
''But what time were you there?"
shortly after sunrise?''
"And he gone then"
"Aye! He had been gone an
lour."
'Tt looks suspicious. But the men
must be there this evening. He
hall not escape me now"
''There is no fear of that, my
ord. ! will see that he is appre-
lended as soon as he returns"
Fright, Savotano, right! And now
O the other matter. ! am to be
married this afternoonv'
"Ah! So soon?"
eyes; waste no more time.
What is the use?"
"None. my lord-none at ALL,
''Then you must remain, for the
CEREMONY shall be performed as soon :
$ possible
"And does the countess know of {;
our determination ?"
eyes. She knew it ere she retired
list night. | told her she should
OF escape again till she could carry
ly name with her. By the mass,
r, she sealed her own doom. Ha. .
a, hal The Duke of lula will have ;,
is Golfers filled again. Money must Z
,me somehow, and how else so cas- l
y as this ~ d
"Sure enough" returned the
riest, with that old, coarse, wick u
smile; sure enough, my lord. q
ow?" .
"ln no way. TO. I'll put the seal n n
pom that budget and stamp it u
inc! So here you remain until ] 81
n married Today-until that GER
nony is performed ! am not sure. .,
ut tomorrow they cannot harm me. u
h. she shall be mine, Savotano! -,
oday she is my wife, tonight she y
ares my bed, and tomorrow all sl
,aven and earth and hell combined -
mot undo the work. l have wait b,
long enough. | have worked and ~
hemed and have puzzled my brain
one great purpose, and yet each od
I'D | had marked out has failed ~
Q. Damonoff lives, the gunmaker en-
es, the black monk lives-but ], ~
0, live! Ha! / live, Savotano, h;
d now the work shall be done as it ~
ght have been done at first had I
en- so disposedw