Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-02-16

looked into the window. . 1t is
not for me to judge you. sir. My duty
lay in destroying those plans before
| they harmed any one"
No, ii is not for you to judge me-
said the colonel. Il have gambled
away my daugh ter's fortune. To keep
her in ignorance of the fact and to re-
turn to her the amount l had wrong
fully used. l consented TO sell TO Rus
STA the coast fortifcation plans OF my
: country, such as | could draw from
memory. No. it is not for you TO
judge me: only God has the right 10
! do that
Il am only a groom" said Warbur-
| ton, simply. What l have heard |
shall forget"
All, had he but looked at the girls
face then!
A change came over Karlof's coun-
! tenance; his shoulders dropped: the
melancholy fire died out of his face
! and eyes. With an air of resignation
and a clear sense of the proportion OF
things, he reached out and took UP the
note upon which Annesley had scrawled
his signature.
Warburton, always alert, seized the
| counts wrist. He saw the name of
hank and the sum of five figures.
! what is this?' he demanded.
cit is NINE" replied the count,
hauehtily.
W2rburtOn released him.
! "He speaks truly" said the colonel.
"It is his"
The hour of madness is past" the
Russian began, slowly and musically.
The tone was musing. He seemed OBJ
liyious Of his surroundings and that
three pairs of curious eyes were leyelod
in his direction. He studied the note,
creased it, drew it through his fingers,
smoothed it and caressed it. And /
should have done exactly as l threat
ened. There is, then, a Providence
which watches jealousy over the inno-
cent? And l was a skeptic! =.
Two hundred thousand dollars
picking up the packet of bank-notes
and balancing it on his hand. well
1t is a sum large enough to tempt any
man. How the plans and schemes of
men crumble to the touch! Ambition
is but the pursuit of mirages. . . . i.
Mademoiselle, you will never know
what the ignominy of this moment
has cost me-nor how well | love you.
] come Of race of men who pursue
their hearts desire through fire and
water. Obstacles are nothing; the
end is everything. In Europe I should
have won, in honor or in dishonOr.
But this American people, do not
quite understand them; and that is
why I have played the villain to no
purpose"
He paused, and a sad, bitter smile
played over his face.
"Mademoselle," he continued
"henceforth, wherever I may go, your
face and the sound of your voice shall
abide with me. do not ask you to
forget, but l ask you to forgive -
Again he paused.
She uttered no sound
well, one does not forget nor for
give these things in so short a time
And, after all, 1T was your father S
folly. Fate threw him across my path
at a critical moment-but had reck-
oned without you. Your father is a
brave man, for he has the courage to
offer himself to the law; have the
courage to give you up. I, too, am q
soldier; l recognize the value of re-
treat" To Warburton he said: "A
groom, hostler. to upset such plans
as these! do not know who you are
sir, nor how to account for your time
ly and peculiar appearance. But
fully recognize the falseness Of YOU
presence here. En- we'll, this is what
comes of race prejudice. the senseless
battle which has always been and al
ways will be waged between the noble
} and the peasant Had l observed yol
at the proper time, our positions NIGH
relatively have been changed. Useless
e retrospection!" To Annesley; "Sir
we are equally culpable. Here is thi:
note of yours. l might. as a small
l contribution toward righting the com
l parative wrong which I have done you
e l might cast it into the fire. But be
}. tween gentlemen, situated as we are
. the act would be as useless as it woult
e be impossible. I might destroy th'
= note, but you would refuse to accep
d such generosity at my nds,-whicl
: Is we'll"
What you say is perfectly true.
J, The colonel drew his daughter close
y to him.
so" went on the count. putin,
|, the note in his pocket. tomorrow
l. shall have my ducats."
My bank will discount the note,
5 said the colonel, with a proud look
l my Indebtedness shall be paid In full.
LAS have not the slightest doubt
Mademoiselle, fortune ignores you Blu
e tempora rily; misfortune has brushes
only the hem of your garment, a
/, 1t were. Do not let the fear o
: poverty alarm you,"-lightly %
: prophesy a great public future 70
d you And when you play tina
Largo of Handlers. to a breathles