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


from becoming the wife Of one Of
the most powerful noblemen IN tie
empire? You must be crazy
<7ay guardian, : spoke the fair
girl, now looking her companion
steadily in the face, ''you only do
this to try me- When you know that
such a union woald make me misera-
BE forever. when you know i. would
cast out all the JOYS of life and ex-
tinguish the last hope OF peace from
my soul, You surely vail not press
it.
ssRosalind VaItlsi..l have resolved
that you shall be iay wife, Mind
YOU, this is one of the firm, fixed
purposes OF my soal, and those who
know the Duke Of Tu!;l best know
that he never gives up q purpose
once fixed in his mind. lcu cannot
mistake me now.
Slowly the stern fact dawned up
on Rosalind' s mind. There had been
lingering hope that he might be
only trying her to see if she loved
him or ifshe would willingly become
his wife. Awhile she remained with
her head bowed and her bosom
heaving with the wild emotion thus
called up. But at length she looked
up and spoke.
ssSir,' she said family, but with
marked decision, "you cannot make
me your wife
ssAh.. And why not?''
Because will never consent"
ssAlf. Say YOU so 2"
seI do. and mean it,
esHa, ha. ha. You know little of
my power If you think you can
thwart me in my purpose. | tell
thee, sure as the God of heaven
lives, you shall be my wife"
sNo, no! Before heaven I protest
against such unholy union. You
cannot have my heart, and such
union would be but foul mockery."
sOho! Now you come to the
point. can't have your heart, eh?
Perhaps your heart is given to the
gunmaker?"
Rosalind's eyes flashed in an in
stant. The words of the duke were
spoken sneeringiy and contemptu-
ously, and they Jared upon the
young girls soul.
"Aye," she quickly uttered, and
boldly, too, 81 do love Ruric Nevel,
and he is worthy of my love-"
'Now, my pretty ward" resumed
Olga in a tone Of peculiar irony,
ssyou have spoken as l hoped you
would speak-plainly' and to the
point, so can answer just as plain
ly. Know, then, that Ruric Nevel
can never be your husband. He
stands charged with horrid crime,
and the emperor only waits to see
whether the count recovers or not
ere he awards the punishment. The
gunmaker is forbidden on pain of
death to leave the city. So you
may cast him from your thoughts
as soon as possible"
"What crime is Ruric accused
off," the maiden asked.
"Of murder
'1n wounding the count "
eyes"
ooh, how can you bring your
tongue to such speech? You know
the noble youth was not to blame in
this affair. He was"
"Hold. Rosalind. | want no ar
.gument on this question. You have
heard what | have said, and be as
sured that mean it. | had hoped
you would receive my proposal with
more favor. but | did not enter into
the plan until my mind was all
made up and the thing all fixed.
You will become my wife within one
month";
'sI will fee to the emperor" gasp
ed Rosalind.
'You will not leave this palace
again until you are the Duchess of
Tula!r'
81 will never speak the word that
is necessary to make me your wife
never, 81 tie altar, if you be by
my side, my lips shall be scaled, and
no power on earth shall loose
them.n'
ssDo YOU mean this ?" whispered
the duke.
Gas God lives l do"
''Then mark me"-the stout,
dark nobleman gazed fxedly into
the maiden's face as he spoke, and
in his look and tone there was a
fendish expression that could not
be mistakcn-S'I shall do ali in my