The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-06-23
THE TRAPPIST'S VOW.

him thrie thai evening hc never att r
ward could say. He was no gambler,
never had 3-en 50, even i'll his ..ollneer
days. and now that lie was abou5 final
w TO settle Gown II life, he certainly
felt no inclination for the card table.
He was so happy tonight. Olga Krie-
wenko had at last definitely allowed hiri
to fix their wedding day. Yes. he was
going to marry Olga. the beautiful Pole
he, Sergius Kousmenski governor of
Warsaw, whose severe rigor against the
conquered race had been so much COM
mented upon and so highly commended
in st. Petersburg.
| Sergius Kousmenski watched the play
ers nearest to him for some little time,
then his attention was drawn toward
the farther end of the room, where va
banque was being played.
A Russian was holding the bank. He
seemed excited aud anxious. Probably
he was losing heavily, Sergius thought,
for lady, whose face he could not see,
had large heap of gold AMI notes by
her side, while the banquier's pile seemed
sadly diminished. He saw very little
of her, only an exquisitely gloved hand
from time to time.
| The banquier had started fresh deal.
while Sergius, full of curiosity endeav
ored to get a closer view of he lady.
six hundred roubles," she said in a
melodious voice that made Sergius Kous-
menski start, md set lis pulses throb-
bng violently.
1t was Olga's voicel His Olga! What
was she doing here in this gambling
den? His fiancee, his wouldbe wife.
1t all seemed like a dream that the
beautiful girl he loved, the one whose
rigid devotions so often had caused him
to smile, should be sitting in the Casino,
gambling among the roues and demi-
mondaines of Warsaw.
The dealer now turned up an ace, the
highest card possible: the players had
lost, and all the piles of gold, Olga's
included, were swept away in favor OF
the banquier Sergius could not see her
face, but the hand that once more pus
up the stake, a heavier one this time,
trembled slightly
Olga had now only a pile of bank
notes in front of her. One man-her inn
mediate neighbor-had just risen, and as
he did so, Sergius caught sight of a card
the ace of hearts-lying just under
meath her chair. Sergius wondered that
nobody else saw it; he wondered if Olga
did No, for she apparently did not
either. notice her handkerchief which
also at that moment dropped on to the
floor. Sergius did not take his eyes off
her She was very pale, and her eyes
looked hard and set. He had noticed the
card that had been dealt to her; it was
a seven.
The bystanders had transferred theil
attention to the dealer; only Sergius
was looking. with a certain amount OF
sympathy, at Olga's hand, which was
twitching nervously She looked for hel
handkerchief, noticed she had dropped
it, and stopped slightly to pick it up
The next moment the banquier turned
up his card; it was queen.
"You pay mel" said Olga quietly, as
she turned up her card-the ace OF
hearts.
Sergius looked at her; she seemed
ready to faint as the dealer counted out
90 600 roubles to her. He did not al
first understand it all, for he had dis
tinctly seen that she held a seven, til
presently he CHANGED to look upon the
floor The card from there had disap
peared.
When he looked up again, Olga had
collected her money, her gloves, hel
handkerchief and had risen to so. Their
she turned and faced him, and their eyes
met
She knew he had seen all; he met he1
look of terror with one of such unutter
able contempt that she closed her eye:
to shut out the fearful vision
When she opened them again he was
gone.
Yes, he had gone, fed he knew not
whittier, to hide his desolation ant
shame even from those who knew il
not. Instinctively, he had directed hi:
steps toward the outer gates of the
city, and, having passed them, he was
walking through the fields that led tt
the Trappist monastery, yonder by thu
hillside.
AS Sergius looked before him. he sud
denly saw Olga at the farther end O.
the field. She was walking briskly, anC
a few moments afterward had disap
peared into the chapel.
He ran across the field and pushed
open the heavy paneled oak door 4
monk was absorbed in devotions before
the altar, and another fgure-a womsyn'
was there, on her knees, laying bare
her soul before God, and sobbing bitter
ly. How he longed the next moment t.
; take her in his arms, but she rose. anC
touched the kneeling monk on the shout
der.
He walked up to the small sacrist,
door and beckoned to an unknown per
son within, who then stepped out, Will
the monk. waiting, stood like one of tn
statues carved in stone upon the altar
The newcomer appeared to be youn!
man. He held out both his hands t,
OLGA who took them in both hers.
Forgotten seemed her grief, her re
morse. She talked excitedly to him 70
a few moments, then she poured int
his hand the bag of gold and notes sh
had won at the gaming table.
The young man kissed her affection
ately. whilst the monks hand wa
placed on her head in token of blessing
Sergius saw it all. He tottered as i
intoxicated He waited about in tn
fields. Was it in the hope of seeing he
again? If so. what would he say to be
} what questions would he ask?
Il She came ont of the chanel son,a tw