The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-10
, - By sYLvANUs COBB, i.



she could hear the beating Of her
miss-ssses, tsart. In the haN 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
into her face. bud he did not speak.
He led her toward one of the draw
ing rooms, and when they entered
there they found the numpbacked
| priest already in waiting. Rosalind
| came well. nigh fainting when She
saw this miserable villain ready for
his work. She knew now that the
priest was like the master,
ssYou see, my dear countess" :"
spoke the duke in a low, hypocritical
tone, "that we.havc all prepared. 1
trust we shall have no trouble be-
fore This holym:sl,'
This last sentence was spo,;en III
threatening tore, but it had no
effect upon Rosalind. She hardly
heard the words be spoke.
esCome, father" said Olga, turn
ing now to the priest. "NEe are
ready
Savotano moved forward and
mumbled a Latin prayer. Then he
looked upon the twain before him
and directed them to kneel.
sNo, no, non' gasped the fair
countess, trembling for the first
time. "I cannot do thatv'
Kneelr' Kissed the duke between
his clinched teeth, and as he spoke
he grasped the maiden more firmly
by the arm and forced. her down.
She uttered quick cry of pain as
she felt the unmerciful grip, but
she could not resist the strong arm
'of her prosecutor.
ssNow go on" the duke cried as
he held the maiden down. ssGo on,
Sayotano, and let the business be
done as soon as possible"
Hold!"
It was a voice Of thunder which
spoke thus, and it came from the
deor. The duke started to his feet,
and he beheld Ruric Nevel, the gun
maker, approaching the spot. But
the youth came not alone. Behind
him came the huge bulk of Vladi-
mir, the monk, and more still, back
Of the monk came the widow, Clau-
dia NeveI, and the boy, Paul, and
then there were, besides all this, a
heavy tramp Of feet in the hall and
the clang Of steel. -;
Hold! Stop this accursed mock
ery!!" Ruric shouted as he strode up
the apartment.
Miserable dog" gasped the duke,
mad and frantic with rage. "How
dare you come hither !"
sLook ye, proud duke" the monk
interposed, coming quickly forward; !;
eI am at the bottom Of all this. |
have come to stop this foul work"
Rosalind had started to her feet
when she first heard Ruric's voice,
and now, as the monk spoke, a ray
of hope darted to her soul, and,
with quick bound, she reached her
lovers side.
'Ruric, Ruric!!'' It was all she
could say, and, with food. Of tears,
she pillowed her head upon his bos-
ON, and his stout arms were wound
fondly about her.
Gear not" he whispered, "for,
oh, Rosalind, thou art safe now"
The mad duke saw the movement,
and, with albitter curse, he started
!. toward them.
"Now, by the living GODS" he
shouted, with his fists clinched and
his eyes flashing fire, 'you have
come to your death! What, no.,
there! Without! Slaves, where are
yep
In a moment more the side door
was thrown open, and a dozen. of the
dukes servants came rushing in.
"Ha!w Olga cried. @You are in
time. Seize these dogs. Kill them
on the spot if they offer one act of
resistance. At them now! Down
with the dogs"'
sHold" 1t was Vladimir who
spoke, and every arm dropped as
they heard that voice. 1t was diff
fercnt from the voice they had
heard the fat monk use before.
The duke started as though q
thunderbolt had burst at his feet.
<.Who art thou he gasped, stag
gering farther back.
"Olga, duke of Tula," spoke the
monk in tones which sounded
strange for him, because they were
60 different from those he had been