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


Rosalind, trembling.
"But this is Ruric Newell, my mis-
tress.''
sERuric!'' uttered the fair maid
en-, starting up, while the rich blood
mounted to her brow and temples.
"Oh, am glad he has come! My
prayers are surely answered. Lead
him hither, Zenobie' %
The girl departed, and ere long
afterward Ruric entered the apart
ment. He walked quickly to where
,Rosalind had arisen to her feet, and,
taking one of her hands in both his
own, he pressed it to his lips. He
had had well formed speech upon
his lips when he entered the room,
but twas gone now He could only
gaze into the lovely face before him
and murmur the name that sounded
so sweetly to his ears. But the emo
tons of his soul became calm at
length, and then he spoke with more
freedom.
'Lady," he said after he had tax
en- his seat. "you will pardon me for
this visit when you know its cause,
| and yoa will pardon me, too, if [
speak plainly what have to speak." :"
"Sure!y. sir
ooh. call me Ruric. Let Us at
least not forget the friendship Of
| childhood "
sThcn am not a lady, said Ros-
alind, smiling.
No, Rosalind
"Ah, Ruric!''
GAS we were in childhood" whis-
pered the youth.
'1n all but years" returned Rosa
lind in the same low tone.
"And I may wear the same i'm
age in my heart?'
51 cannot cast it from mine if |
would
"The image Of childhood, dear
Rosalind?'
"Aye, save that it has grown to
manhood, dear Ruric."
What more could he ask for love?
He had not aimed at this confession
so soon, but he put it not from him
now. He gazed a moment into the
fair maiden's kindling eye, and as
he saw the lovelit tear gathering
there and the happy smile working
its way about the rosy lips and
away in the joyous dimples he
opened his arms and clasped the
fondly loved one to his bosom.
aOh, am not deceived in thisp
he murmured. 'Speak, dearest one. "
81 cannot forget the love of the
happy times agone,'' the noble girl
replied, gazing up through her hap
py tears. a0h, how many and many
an hour have I prayed to God that
those days might return and that
the one true heart of earth l loved
might be mine once more. Ruric,
-hy should / hide the truth or why
it aside? To me thou art all IN
Ill. | have no one else to love and
none to love me else save the noble
girl who brought you hither. | can
tell you no more"
Happy Ruric! Happy. at that mo-
ment, forgetting all else but the
love that cleaned out upon him
then, he clasped the cherished OBJ
iect ardently to his bosom.
But the moments flew on, and at
length his mind came to the sub
ject of his visit.
esRosalind,' he said, holding one
Of her fair hands in his grasp, You
know the Count Conrad Damonoh" !"
cave" returned the maiden, with
shudder. 'sIe is here very often,
and he has forced himself upon my
companiionship when, if he had
sense, lie must hay" known ! liked
Il not -
A.s &c is l. suitor for your hand, IS
he not: %
1Hc was. but he is rot now"
ssNot now 2" repeated Rurlc, with
surprise. 'sWhat mean YOU
,sWhy, simply that he has asked
the duke for my hand and that he
was answered in the negative
'Did YOU hear the duke answer
him -
"No: bnt so the duke assured me
lie rad done. But what mean you
q will tell YOU. Yesterday the
count came to nv dwelling accom-
panied BY Stephen Urzen: He had
d paper drawn up BY the dukes own
hand in which was made to say, Or,
rather. by which the writer SAID,
that he dsclaimed all pretensions
to Your hand and that he wished