The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-09


slowly, as If the fire within consumed
him.
She is my promised wife. and I
Will take her." said the Engllshman,
and he set his face as he spoke, and
looked as If he meant his words.
The man who was in ST. Petersburg
on Red Sunday will not stop at any
half measures. For look you, Serge.
1t is no puny rising of a handful
against the powers of hell; the great
est forces the world has ever seen
pitted against one another, and no
one can foresee the end. But Vera
l will save. Take me to your
father"
Serge walked by his side, secretly
glorying. oh, this was a man worthy
the name-one to whom no task was
impossible.
They came, talking volubly of mat
ters concerning their mutual inter
ests, being friends of long standing.
TO the door of the house, where they
were met by the Count himself. a
haggard man. with strong, forbid
ding face and deep eyes which no
man had ever fathomed. The arrival
of the spent horses in the stable-yard
had already appraised him of the un-
expected guest, whom he was ready
to welcome, though he only knew
him by repute. But hospitality was
one of the traditions of the Castle of
Konsh, and besides, the Englishman
bore a noble name.
This is Arthur Beaulieu, father"
said Serge. He has ridden at peril
of his life to us. will leave him to
explain his Grand"
He disappeared in search OF his sis
ter, and the old Count turned in
quiringly to his guest, whose errand
was quickly told. The old man lis
tened, leaning slightly on the veran-
da door; and but for an added gray
ity he did rot seem disturbed.
THE times are troubled, but we
are remote here in the Castle of
Konski, and there has been no sur
VIGILANCE since the children came
from Warsaw"
Count, it was but a lull before
the storm. 1 tell you what will hap
pen in Russia in the next week will
be a worlds wonder, and he who
warned me did not lie. 1 took pains
to verify his warning. And I am
here. Unless you give Vera to me
tomorrow, and let me take her away,
she will be taken less gently, and to
a harder prison than an English
mans house."
she has no mother" said the old
man from behind the thickness of
his beard. 81 am afraid"
"Of what? Not of me, I hope. I
am an honorable man, Count Konski,
and l am able to give my wife the
comfort she needs and should have"
A strange, shuddering sigh came
up from the depths of the old mans
heart, and he covered his eyes for a
moment with his hand
"Hark! they are coming. Vera
shall decide" said the old man.
They came from within the house,
the brother and sister together. and
the Englishman' heart leaped as he
saw the light in the girls eyes. She
was a radiant creature, with the blue
eyes and the gold hair of her Polish
mother, and such grace OF figure as
no rude garments could hide"
She gave her hand to Arthur, and
he raised 10 to his lips
He has come, the Englishman. to
take you away, Vera" said the old
man, with a strange cultural note in
his voice. 1T seems you have but
the two alternatives-to go with him
or wait till they take you to the for
tress Of st. Peter and st. Paul"
Her face scarcely blanched, but her
steadfast eye was fixed on the Eng
lishman's face.
IF Arthur says so, It is true, IA
ther, but Il is you who will decide.
I am your only girl, and here / stay"
But" began Arthur, until
her hand on his lips stopped him.
He pressed it passionately. The old
man surveyed them with a mournful
pathos, perceiving that the child's
heart had gone into tho Englishmau S
keeping, and that It mattered little
how he should decide
May God deal with you as you
deal with her" hE said, and holding
his hands a moment towards them as
If I'm blessing, he passed within the
house.