The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-02

Then he greeted his daughter with
words of affection and solicitude. For
two days, Elise" said he. I have
been onlyfthe citizen and the soldier:
now ! can be again the father" A
noise was heard-a fugitive from the
vengeance Of the Austrians, who had
entered the city with the Russians and
had not felt themselves obliged to OBJ
serve the terms of capitulation.
A young man, a gunner, who had
worked. havoc with the allies with his
cannon placed before the main gate,
had been marked by the .Austrians for
slaughter and had fled for shelter TO
the house Of G~otzkoWsky. The fugi-
tive came rushing into the presence OF
the merchant. They pursue me every
where he cried. II am hunted by
De Lacy's dragons like a Wild animal!
They Will Kill me! Do not give me
UP to the enemy. Father G~otzkowsky!"
You are safe replied the merchant.
Follow me, my SON.; in my daughters
chamber is a safe hiding place. The
mirror in the wall covers a secret
door. behind which is a space just
large enough to conceal a person
Come Not there, not there. father"
cried Elise, and spfang before the door
of her Der.
Gotzkowsky stepped back in aston
ishlnent ana gaZed searchinafy at his.
daughter. Behind the picture Of the
Virgin in the great hall is another
hiding place said Elise: carry him
thither." Dark and dismal misgivings
arose in the mine of Gotzkowsky and
showed itself in his face. Without a
WORD he took the fugitive to the place
of concealment indicated by Elise and
hid him there. Then he returned and
was alone with his daughter. Answer
me- said he sternly, who is con-
cealed in the room?" mo one said
she, trembling. G~otzkOwsky took his
sworn from the table where he had
laid it and approached the door.
What are You "oin" to do. father ;"
she cried. Il am going to kill the
thief who stole my daughters honor"
he replied. Father, father. before God
in heaven J am innocent" Then let
me have proof Of that innocence
away from the door. or | Will forget
that ! am your father, ooh. do not
doubt me," sobbed Elise.
My daughter" said the merchant.
lone of the officers of the Russian
army who came in with the flag Of
truce to arrange the surrender is
missing. 1t is the man to whom 7
formerly showed much kindness when
he was a prisoner here. The mad
thought crossed my mind that per
haps he had left his companions to
visit YOU clandestinely. That would
be his gratitude for my hospitality.
FeOdor Won Brenda is the name of
the treacherous officer who has left
his fellows. But why do you p"
Then. raising his voice. GotzkowSky
said: But | should have known that
If this insoient Russian dared to re-
new a former acquaintance my daugh-
ter would never demean herself or
StOOp SO low AS TO welcome him for
a German girl Wou never throw away
her honor upon a Russian boor. And
| 90 " =. p1rc;a -, u-n,II1 no hoca =,
to hide himself instead of defending
his honor like a man"
At tina moment the door of Elise's
chamber opened and the Russian col
onel appeared with his eyes blazing
and his cheeks burning. Elise utter
ed a cry Of terror. Here | an sir. to
defend myself and aVenge an insult"
said Feodor. The two men gazed at
each other with faces fun of hatred
and rage. Elise threw herself be-
tween them and falling upon her
knees before her father wrung her
hands weeping and sobbing. You
must kill me. sir. or wash out this in
suit with you blood, said Feodor. and
told briefly Of the reason OF his pres
ence in the house Of the merchant
told = and told the details of his in
rervieW with Elise truly. But the
merchant would not be appeased-he
hated the man before him too strong
lN. The swords of the two men
claShed above the unconscious girl who
lay fainting between them. Feodor
was young. out G~otzkowsky had the
experience Of age, and the combat was
not unequal.
just as the fight had reached its
! fiercest stage the door Of the house
was broken in b, a party of Austrians
who battered down the portal with
the butts of their muSketS. They came
rushing in. A~ffrighted servants hur-
riedly ran TO warn their master of
the invasion. The duel stopped for
the feet of the Austrians could be
heard approaching. FeodoF retired to
an obscure corner of the room. He
knew that the AuStrianS sought the
prescribed cannoneer-and he resolved