The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-02

cerned, was law. And, again, Con-
rad Damonof was a count and re-
puted to be wealthy. To be sure,
he was somewhat dissolute; but,
then, a majority of his compeers
were the same. Now, if this count
loved the Lady Rosalind and had
/ asked for her hand and the duke
was willing he should have it, why
had this extraordinary proposal
been sent to the poor gunmaker?
Ruric asked this question of him
self a hundred times. He would be
gin and iay down all the premises
| in his mind, and then he would try
to make the deduction, but no rea-
sonable one could he arrive at. One
thought clung to him like dim
specter at night, which hope would
make an angel and which fear would
| paint a demon. Could it be possible
that Rosalind had told her love for
| him and that the duke would pay
some Difference to it? He tried to
think so. Hope whispered that it
| might be so, but fear would force
| itself in and speak in tones so loud
| that they could not be misunder-
stood. Finally the youth resolved
upon the only reasonable course.
He concluded to let the matter rest,
so far as his own surmises were con-
cerned, until he could see Rosalind,
and that he was determined to do as
soon as possible.
On the following morning, as he
was preparing for breakfast, he
saw Olga, the duke, pass by and
strike Of into the Borodino road.
seNow," thought he, s'is the time for
the visit to Rosalind." And as soon
as he had eaten his breakfast he
prepared for the visit. He dressed
well, and no man in Moscow had a
snobler look when the dust Of toll
was removed from his brow and
garb.
ssPaul," he said, entering the shop
where the boy was at work, u may
be back at noon. At any rate, such
is my intention, and if either of
those men calls who were here yes
terday you may tell them sc"
ssBut," returned the lad, eff they
ask me any questions ?"
'Answer them as you think best.
ssAnd if they should ask me if you
would fight?'
3Tell them that I hold my life as
too dear to sell to such as they"
sBut surely, my master, the count
viii challenge you"
e1 think he will And" added
Ruric as an entire new thought
came to bis mind, "mayhap he came
here to create a quarrel to that end.
BY my soul, / think he did. ,o..
81 am sure of it, said Paul. aR
A moment Ruric's frame quiyered
with suppressed passion. Then he
said:
sLet them come, and if they
come, or if either of them comes,
while I am gone, tell them, or him,
that / am their very humble servant
in all things reasonable. "
Paul promised, and then the gun
maker turned away. In the hall he
threw on his heavy fur pelisse, and,
having reached the nearest hostelry,
he took horse and sledge and start
ed off for Kremlin, within which
the duke resided.
Within one Of the sumptuously
furnished apartments of the palace
of the Duke Of Tula sat Rosalind
Valdai. She was belutiful girl,
nodded. in perfect form, with the
full flush Of health and vigor and
possessing face of peculiar sweet
ness and intelligence. She was only
19 years Of age, and she had been
ten years an orphan. Her hair was
of a golden hue, and the sunlight
loved to dwell amid the clustering
curls. Her eyes, which were Of a
deep, liquid blue, sparkled brightly
when she was happy, and when she
smiled the lovely dimples OF her
cheeks held the smile even after it
had faded from her lips. There was
nothing Of the arlstocrat in her
look : nothing proud, nothing
haughty-but gentleness and love
were the true clements Of her soul,
and she could only be happy when
| she knew that she was truly loved.
She liked respect, but she spnrned
that respect which only aims at out
ward show, while the heart may be
reeking with vilest sensuallsm.
Rosalind sat there in the apart
ment which was hers for her own
.;-o+o ,,co opJ cbo VOC cod ,n1