The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-23


fall with him, part way at least.
Brethren in crime cannot count
much upon respect.
@1 have come, my lord" the priest
said as he shook the snow from his
robe and then took a seat by the
furnace pipe.
"And how is the count :" asked
Olga.
sHc is recovering, I am sure"
|fDoes Kopani say so:
"Yes. He says he will have him
out within a month"
''By heavens, Sayotano, this must
not be-
sFBut tell me, my lord, what is the
particular need of the counts de-
parting ?"
The duke gazed his visitor a few
moments in the face and then said:
'Why, since the affair interests
you, III tell you. Thus far | have
paid you promptly all your dues,
but cannot do so much longer un
less we can make some of our points
work. Ny property is on the de-
crease fast. l have not enough left
to live on. Within the past three
years l have made some bad ven
lures. put it into But never
mind; suffice it for me to say that
I am at the end of my fortune"
The duke was about to say that
he had placed large sums in the
hands of the Minister Gallitzin for
the purpose Of carrying out the con-
spiracy by which the Princess So
phia was to have been placed upon
the throne, with Gallitzin for her
prime minister and himself also high
in power. He chose not to tell of
this. And no wonder, for heads had
ere then been taken to pay for such
indiscretions.
"And now if this count survives |
thus have one source cut off. My
half of Drotzen is used up and mort
gagged to him, but if he dies the
whole comes to me. His father and
myself married sisters, and they
owned Drotzen, and on his side the
count is the only heir. So in the
event of his death the whole comes
to me. You understand this now"
Perfectly" returned the priest:
"And It's pity your first effort did
not succeed
$50 it is said the duke uneasily.
"When sent him with that mes
sage to the gunmaker, felt sure
be would be slain, and then | hoped
that the other could be disposed of
for having slain him. But the en-
peror has turned all my plans up
side down, for the present at least.
Savotano, you must have hand in
Damoaof's medicinep
"That is easily done, my lord, ,"
replied the priest quietly.
"You have free access there ::
"Yes."
'eAnd can you not watch with him
some night?''
81 think can
ssThen DO so. When he is dead,
200 ducats are yours.
''Ihen he dies"
"Good!! And now there is one
more. This gunmaker must be got
out of the way"
"Ah!" uttered Savotano, looking
up incredulously. 'Do you mean
so?"
"alost assuredly do"
sBut why him 2"
DO you fear to undertake the
work."
"Not at all, my lord. l only wish
ed to know why he was wanted
away"
'FThe reason in simple. must
marry with Rosalind Valdai. Her
property is worth the whole OF OF. Drot,
zen twice follower two million OF
ducats.'
$50 much ~" uttered the priest,
opening his eyes with greedy Won
der.
eyes: it is one Of the finest es-
tates in Moscow, and it pays her now
yearly income of hundred thou
sand ducats. She does not know it.
Ha, ha, ha!"
s:Ha. ha, ha." laughed the prizes:
in concert. ''She doesn't, eh
"No; she knows nothing about Ii,
But | must secure this, and IN order
to do it | must marry her, and
if | would be sure of that this ac-
cursed gunmakcr must be out OF the
way.
'But what is he to her"