The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-10-04

wait for an answer. But ROSal1nd
did not speak.
"What answer shall I give him,
lady?"
At this the countess started up,
but she sank back again without
speaking.
'"Tell him we will come," inter-
posed Zenobie, who saw that the an
nouncement had taken the last pow
er of effort from her mistress.
eyes, yes" whispered the count
ess as the messenger hesitated and
gazed inquisitively into her face.
And with this the woman left the
apartment.
'My dear Mistress" spoke Zeno-
bic, now calling all her power of self
control to her aid, call means of
help and escape we have tried in
vain. The time has Gomez
go God, have mercy" groaned
the countess.
-"and we must meet it, since
there is no further hope. 1t will be
better to 60 down at once than to
arouse the bad mans anger by more
delay. Were there the least glim-
mer of hope, we would not go. But
there is not. You know what I
mean"
A few moments Rosalind sat like
one dead. Then she started up, with
her hands clasped, and raised her
eyes toward heaven. She did not
speak aloud, but her lips moved,
and she surely uttered a prayer to
God, and it was none the less elo-
quent because it was silent. Then
she turned to her companion. Her
lips were set and colorless, and
deathly look had overspread her
whole face.
'Zenobie," she said in a tone
which bore no feeling more than
the gliding of cold, icy sound, 81
am ready. Once more, before the
last Joy of earth departs from me,
let me bless thee and press thee to
my bosom. am pure nowp
She opened her arms as she spoke,
and when she closed them again Ze-
noble was within their embrace.
"Bless you, bless you everl God
keep and guide you to the end of
life and then receive you home to
himselfl Kiss me. There, l am
ready now!'
The broken hearted girl wiped the
tear from her eye, and in a moment
more she was as cold and passionless
as before.
LEAD on, Zenobie. l shall walk
without help"
Without looking around the Mos
lem maiden led the way to the hall.
She walked slowly, and she fancied
she could hear the beating of her
mistress heart. In the hall stood
the duke with some half dozen of his
own male attendants. He took the
hand of the countess as she ap-
preached him and gazed earnestly
nto her face, but he did not speak.
He led her toward one of the draw
ng rooms, and when they entered |
here they found the humpbacked |
'riest already in waiting. Rosalind
anne well nigh fainting when she
aw this miserable villain ready for
is work. She knew now that the
riest was like the master.
"You see, my dear countess"
poke the duke in low, hypocritical
one, chat we have all prepared.
rust we shall have no trouble be-,
ore this holy man."
This last sentence was spoken in
threatening tone, but it had no
fleet upon Rosalind. She hardly
card the words he spoke.
"Come, father said Olga, turn
ng now to the priest. "We are
eady."
Savotano moved forward and
numbled Latin prayer. Then he
ooked upon the twain before him
nd directed them to kneel.
mo, no, mol" gasped the fair
ountess, trembling for the first
ime. 81 cannot do that!"
"Kneel!" Kissed the duke between
is clinched teeth, and as he spoke
e grasped the maiden more firmly
y the arm and forced her down.
The uttered quick cry of pain as
he felt the unmerciful grip, but
he could not resist the strong arm
f her prosecutor.
"Now go on" the duke cried as
g held the maiden down. eco on,
avotano, and let the business be
one as soon as possible"
'Hold"
1t was a voice of thunder which
poke thus, and it came from the
DOR. The duke started to his feet,
nd he beheld Ruric Newell, the gun
laker, approaching the spot. But
ne youth came not alone. Behind
L