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1 'The Gunm&ker | I Of Moscow & I V V X ???}?} By SYLVANUS COBB, Jr. X ' ?% M CD APT ETC III. love. That night liuric Nevel had ?strange fancies while waking and -strange dreams while sleeping. Long and deeply did he ponder up ?on the strange business which had called Count Conrad to his shop, .and in no way, under no light, could he get any reason from it. Why he, a youth who had never spoken ?with the proud duke save once on ?common business and who was so -far down in the social scale should liave been thus called upon to give a virtual consent to the bestowal of ltosalind Valdai's hand, was be yond his ken. He was but a poor .artisan; she a wealthy heiress and a ?scion of nobility, and she was under ithe legal guardianship of the duke, ?whose word, so far as she was con cerned, was law. And, again, Con s-ad Damonoff was a count and re futed to be wealthy. To be sure, he was somewhat dissolute; but, ihen, a majority of his compeers were the same. Now, if this count Hoved the Lady Rosalind and had ?asked for her hand and the duke was willing he should have it, why had this extraordinary proposal Ibeen sent to the poor gunmaker? Ruric asked this question of him self a hundred times. He would be ?gin and lay down all the premises in his mind, and then he would try to make the deduction, but no rea sonable one could he arrive at. One ?thought clung to him like a dim specter at night, which hope would jmake an angel and which fear would paint a demon. Could it be possible that Rosalind had told her love for ?him and that the duke would pay ?some deference to it? He tried to think so. Hope whispered that it anight be so, but fear would force itself in and speak in tones so loud that they could not be misunder stood. Finally the youth resolved ?wpon the only reasonable course. He concluded to let the matter rest, .bo far as his own surmises were con cerned, until he could see Rosalind, ?and that he was determined to do as soon as possible. On the following morning, as he was preparing for breakfast, he ?saw Olga, the duke, pass by and ?strike off into the Borodino road. '''Now," thought he, "is the time for <he visit to Rosalind." And as soon ?as he had eaten his breakfast he prepared for the visit. He dressed welt, and no man in Moscow ha J a mobler look when the dust of toil was removed from his brow and ?garb. "Paul," he said, entering the shop ?where the boy was at work, "I may fee back at noon. At any rate, such as my intention, and if either of those men calls who were here yes terday you may tell them so." "But," returned the lad, "if tl. ey as k me any questions ?" "Answer them as you think best." "And if they should ask mo if you would fight?" "Tell them that I hold mv life as too dear to sell to such as they." "But surely, my master, the count ?will challenge you." "I think he will. And," added Ruric as an entire new thought ] ?came to his mind, "mayhap he came J Ticre to create a quarrel to that end. By my soul, 1 think he did." "I am sure of it," said Paul. A moment Iluric's frame quivered ?with suppressed passion. Then he tcaid: "Let them come, and if they ?come, or if either of them conies, ?while I am gone, tell them, or him, that I am their very humble servant an all things reasonable." Paul promised, and then the gun maker turned away. In the hall he threw on his heavy fur pelisse, and, fcaving reached the nearest hostelry, 2ie took a horse and sledge and start ed off for Kremlin, within which the duke resided. Within one of the sumptuously furnished apartments of the palace ?of the Duke of Tula sst Ilo^aliud Valdai. She was a beautiful girl, molded in perfect form, with the ?full flush of health and vigor and ?possessing a face of peculiar sweet ness and intelligence. She ? as only 19 fears of age, and she had been tan years an orphan. Her hair was of a golden hue, and the sunlight loved to dwell amid the clustering our la. Her eyes, which were of a ?deep, liquid blue, sparkled brightly ?when she was happy, and when she ?smiled the lovely dimples of har ?cheeks held the smile even after it bad faded from her lips. There was nothing of the aristocrat in her JLook ?r nothing croud, nothing haughty?but gentleness ana love were the true elements of her sou!, and she could only be happy when she knew that she" was truly loved. She liked respect, but she spurned that respect which only aims at out ward show, while the heart may be reeking with vilest sensualism. Rosalind sat there in the apart ment which was hers for her own private use, and she was sad and thoughtful. One fair hand support ?d her pure brow, while with the other she twisted the ends of the silken sash that confined her heavy robe. Thus she sat when the door of her apartment was opened and a young girl entered. This newcomer was a small, fair creature, bright and quick, with that raven hair and those large dark eyes of dreamy light which bespeak the child of Moslem blood. Her name was Zeno bie. and she was now about 10 years of age. Rosalind's father had pick ed her up on the battlefield from which the Turks had fled, and, being unable to find any claimant, he had brought her home, then almost an infant. ?And now she was Rosa lind's attendant and companion. She loved her kind and gentle mis tress and would have laid down life itself in the service. "How now, Zenobie?" asked Rosa lind as she notice the girl hesitate. "There is a gentleman below who would see you," the girl replied. "Tell him I cannot see him," said Rosalind, trembling. "But this is Ruric Nevel, my mis tress." "Ruric!" uttered the fair maid en, starting up, while the rich blood mounted to her brow and temples. "Oh, I am glad he has come! My prayers are surely answered. Lead him hither, Zenobie." The girl departed, and ere long afterward Ruric entered the apart ment. He walked quickly to where Rosalind had arisen to her feet, and, taking one of her hands in both his own, he pressed it to his lips. He had had a well formed speech upon his lips when he entered the room, but 'twas gone now. He could only gaze into the lovely face before him and murmur the name that sounded so sweetly to his ears. But the emo tions of his soul became calm at length, and then he spoke with more freedom. "Lady," he said after he had tak en his seat, "you will pardon me for this visit when you know its cause, and you will pardon me, too, if I speak plainly what I have to speak." "Surely, sir"? "Oh, call me Ruric. Let us at least not forget the friendship of childhood." "Then I am not a lady," said Ros alind, smiling. "No, Rosalind." "Ah, Ruric 1" "As we were in childhood," whis pered the youth. "In all but years," returned Rosa lind in the same low tone. "And I may wear the same im age in my heart ?" "I cannot cast it from mine if I would." "The image of childhood, dear Rosalind ?" "Aye, save that it has grown to manhood, dear Ruric." What more could he ask for love? He had not aimed at this confession so soon, but he put it not from him now. lie gazed a moment into the fair maiden's kindling eye, and as he Eaw the lovelit tear gathering there and the happy smile working its way about the rosy lips and away in the joyous dimples he opened his arms and clasped the fondly loved one to his bosom. "Oh, I am not deceived in this!" he murmured. "Speak; dearest one." "I cannot forget the love of the happy times agone," the noble girl replied, gazing up through her hap py tears. "Oh. how mrfny and many an hour have 1 prayed to God thai those days might return and that the one true heart of earth I loved might be mine once more. Ruric, why should I hide the truth or why set it aside ? To me thou art all in all. I have no one else to love and none to love me else save the noble girl who brought you hither. I can tell you no more." Happy Ruric! Happy at that mo ment, forgetting all else but the 1ot? that gleamed out upon him then, he clasped the cherished ob ject ardently to his bosom. But the moment; flew on, and at length his mind came to the sub ject of his visit. "Rosalind," he said, holding one of her fair hands in his grasp, "you know tha Count Conrad Hamonof V " We," returned the maiden, wuu a shudder. ' He is here very often, and he has forced himself upon my companionship when, if he had sense, he must have known 1 liked it not." "He is a suitor for your hand, is he cot?" "He was, but he is cot now." "Not cow?" repeated Ruric, with surprise. "Whet mean you ?" "Why, simn'.y that ho has asked tho duke for my hand and that he yci answered in tho negative." "D:d vou hear the duke answer him so?" "No: but so the duke assured me he hr.d done. But what mean you "i will tell you. Yesterday the count came to my dwelling aceom p?nied bv Stephen I'rcen. He hud a oauer drawn up by the duke's own hi nd in which I was made to say, or, rather, by which tho writer said, that he dsclaimed all pretensions to your hand and that he wished cot to marry you; that he freely gave you up, meaning to seek with in the sphere of his own social circle some companion when he wished. And this I was asked to sign." "Bv the count ?" "Yes, by the duke's orders." "Oh, it cannot be!" uttered the fair girl, trembling. "And he further assured me that the duke had requested him to ob tain my signature thereto, so that he might receive your hand without impediment." "So that the count might receive my hand i" "Yes." "But the duke assured me only yesterday that,I should be troubled no more with the count. May there not be 6ome mistake ?" "There can be no mistake on my part. The instrument was in the duke's own hand." "But you did not sign it?" "Ask me if I took my own life if I made a curse for all I loved." "It is strange," the maiden mur mured, bowing her head a few mo ments. "And yet," she added, look ing up into her companion's face, "I do not think the d^ke would be treacherous." "He may be," answered Ruric. "He knows how lightly our noble emperor holds empty titles, and perhaps he fears if this matter came to the imperial ear and you should claim the right to marry with whom you pleased I'etor would grant your prayer; hence he wished to get my claim set aside so that he may have a clearer field in which to move. Do you know how the duke's affairs stand at present?" Rosalind thought awhile ere she answered, and then, while a startled expression came to her face, she said: "Ruric, I do remember now that between the duke and young Damo noff there is some matter of dispute. There is some question of proper "Ah!" uttered the youth earnest ly. "How is that ?" hy, as near as I can under stand it, there was a dispute be tween the duke and the elder Damo nnff concerning the ownership of Drotzen, the estate on the Don, in Kaluga, and since the father's death Conrad has maintained his family claim. You know the duke and the old count married sisters, and this estate belonged to them." <( "And now," suggested Ruric, may not the duke mean to compro mise this matter by giving your hand to the count and taking Drot zen in exchange?" "Oh, I cannot think so!" the maiden returned earnestly. "The duke would not do that. He is kind to me, I am sure. He loves me as though I were his own child. 1 know he does, for in a thousand ways he has shown it. He is mind ful of my comfort and anticipates my every want. No, no; if he is deceiving any one, he must be de ceiving the count." . Ruric started as the new suspi cion flashed upon him. Had the duke sent Damonoff upon that mis sion on purpose to get him into a quarrel ? "By my soul," thought the youth to himself, "the duke knows that I have taught the sword play, and he knows that the count would in this match for me. So he thinks in this subtle manner to mako me an instrument for ridding him of a plague!" But the youth was care ful not to let Rosalind know of this. He knew she would be unhappy if she knew that a duel was likely to come off between himself and the' count. A/ter some minutes of compara tive silence Ruric touched upon a P?j*rt which lav very near his heart. Rosalind," he said, taking both her hands in his own, "there is one point upon which we have never spoken, and I know you would have me speak plainly and candidly. You know my situation. My father and your father fought side"by side, but J0?_ lather fell, while yours returned to his home, for his eminent serv ices vour father received a title and a noble estate from the grateful IV ?"?r, while my father was only Tor he2c? ?"r stati?ns are now widely different. Yet I am tot poor i\o ot&er man in tne empire can j compete with mo in the manufac ture of arms, and from my labor I derive a handsome income. You know it all. And now, if other ob stacles were removed, would you give me tout hand and become mine for lifer" "Aye, Euric," the noble girl an swered, with beaming eyes and a joyful expression of countenance. "Were you reduced to the lowest es tate of poverty, so long as your gen erous, puro soul was free 1 should only be the more anxious to lift you up. Oh, my love knows only the heart whereon it is secured, and for my future of joy 1 ask only the truth of my husband's love." "Bless you, dearest!" Ituric mar-' mured, clasping the fair being to his bosom. And for n long while I Rosalind's head lay pillowed upon the shoulder of the man she so tru ly, fondly loved. That was not the time for bring ing forward doubts and fears. Itu ric had many questions in his mind concerning the impediments that stood in the way of their union, but he kept them to himself now. At length he arose to take his depar ture, and he simply said as he drew the maiden to his side: "You will not allow the duke to give your hand away?" "Never, Ruric." "If he asks you for your hand to bestow upon any of his friends, you will tell him"? "That my heart is not mine to give and that my hand cannot go without it." "Oh, bless you, Rosalind, bless you! God keep and guard you ever." There was one warm, ardent pres sure of lip to lip, and then Ruric Nevel turrled away and was soon in the open court. Here he entered his sledge and then drove to the bar racks in the Khitagorod, where ho inquired for Alaric *Orsa, a lieuten ant of the guard. The officer was quickly found, and as he met Ruric his salutation was warm and cordial. He was a young man, not over fivo and twenty, and one of the finest looking soldiers in the guard. "Alaric," said the gunmaker after the first friendly salutations had passed, "I may have a meeting with Conrad, Count Damonoff. lie has sought a quarrel?insulted me most grossly?aimed a blow at my head? and I knocked him down. You can judge as well as I what the result must be." "Most assuredly he will challenge you!" cried the officer excitedly. "So I think," resumed Ruric calmly. "And, now, will you serve me in the event ?" "With pleasure." "I may refer his messenger to you ?" "Yes, surely. And how shall 1 act ? What will you do ?" "Knock him down again under the same provocation." "I understand. You wish to re tract nothing?" "No. Listen; I will tell you all since I seek your aid." And thereupon Ruric related all that had occurred at the time of the count's visit to his shop. "Good," uttered Alaric as the gunmaker finished. "He must chal lenge you, and then you'll punish him. He's too proud now. He can handle some of his lilytops who as sociate with him, and perhaps he thinks he can do the same when he comes out among the harder men. But never mind, I will be punctual and faithful." Ruric reached home just as his mother was placing the board for dinner. Ho often went away on business, and she thought not of asking him any questions. CHAPTER IV. THE CHALI.F.XCE. In the afternoon Ruric retired to his shop, where he went at work upon a gun which had been ordered some days before. As yet he had said nothing to Paul concerning the affair of the day before since his re turn from the Kremlin. He asked him now, however, if any one had called. "Only the monk," retumed Paul, without seeming to consider that there was anything very important in the visit. "Do you mean the black monk? Vladimir?" asked the young man, starting. "Yes, my master, ne called here about the middle of the forenoon. He wanted one of the small daggers with the pearl haft." "And did you let him have one?" "Certainly. He paid me 4 duc ats for it and would have paid more had I been jvilling to take it." "And did he make any conversa tion ?" "Yes. He asked me why the Count Damonoff came here j-esterday." "Ha! How did he know of their visit?" "He was waiting at the inn for a ?ledge when he overheard the count and his companion conversing upon the subject." "And did he ask you any ques tions touching the particulars r "Yea?many." "Ana now answered your? "I told him the whole story, from beginning to end. I found that he knew something of their purpose from what he accidentally over- ( heard, and, rather than have him go away full of surmises, 1 told him all," "Of the message too?" "Yes, civ caster. 1 told him all that happened, from the showing of the paper which the duke had drawn up to the departure of the angry man." "And what did the monk say?" Rurio asked very earnestly. "Why, he said he knew the count and that he was a proud, reckless fellow and worth but little to soci ety; that was all. He did not seem to care much about it anyway; only | he said he should have done just as i you did and that every law of jus-1 tice would bear you out. He had more curiosity than interest, though [ am sure all his sympathies arc rith you." "Very well," returned Ruric. "It can matter but little what the monk thinks about it, though I would rather have him know the truth if he must know anything, for I would not be misunderstood." "He understands it all now, my master, and I trust you are not of fended at the liberty I took in tell ing him." "Not at all, Paul; not at all." Here the conversation dropped, and the work was resumed in si lence. It was past 3 o'clock when lturic's mother came and informed him that a gentieman in the house would speak with him. "Is it Stephen Urzen?" asked the youth. His mother said it was. "Then bid him come out here." Claudia retired, and in a few mo i i:\ents more the gentleman made his | uppearance. "itunc JNevei, * no said, Dowing very stiffly and haughtily, "I bring a message from the Count Damo noff." "V cry well, sir," returned the gunmakcr proudly, "I am ready to j receive it." Thereupon Urzen drew a sealed note from his pocket and handed it to Rurio, who took it and broke the seal. He opened it and read as fol lows: Ruric Nevel?An insult of the most aggravating nature has for the time leveled all distinctions of ? ?aste between us. Your blood alone can wash out the stain. I would not murder you outright, and in no other way but this can I reach you. My friend, the bearer of this, will make all arrange ments. If you dare not meet me, say so, that all may know who ia the coward. Damonoff. When Ruric had read the missive, he crushed it in his hand and gazed its bearer some moments in the face without speaking. "Will yoa answer?" asked Urzen. He spoke more softly than before, for he saw something in th$ gun maker's face which he dared not provoke. "Are you acquainted with Alaric Orsa, a lieutenant of the guard?" "It es, sir; I know him well." "Then let me refer you to him. He will make all necessary arrange ments, and I shall hold myself hound by his plans. I trust that is satisfactory." "Yes, sir." "Then you and I need have no more to say." "Only on one point," said Urzen, with some little show of confusion. "You are the challenged party, and you will have the choice of weapons. The count has not mentioned this ?mind you, he has not, but I as his friend deem it no more than right to speak of it?I trust you will choose a gentleman's weapon. In the use of the pistol or the gun he is not verged." "While you imagine I am," said Ruric, with a contemptuous curl of the lip, for he knew that the man was lying. He could see by the fel low's very looks that Damonoff had commissioned him to broach this matter. "Of course you are," returned Ur zen. "And the count is most excellent ly versed in the use of the sword, is he not ?" "He is accounted a fair swords man." "Aye; so I thought. But it mat ters not to me. The thought had not entered my mind before, save that I supposed swords would be the only weapons thought of. However, Orsa will settle it with von. 1 have given him no directions r.t all save to serve me as he thinks proper and to act upon the understanding that if I have given offense to the connt I would do the same again under provocation. You understand now?" "I do, sir," returned Urzen in a choking tone. "Then wait a moment, and I will give you a message to Orsa." Thus speaking, Ruric went to his desk, and upon the bottom of the missive he had r- eived from ths count he wrote: y I*?r wnd , rmi hjr th# Mmt band that bors it to uk, ?ai' are b.-rtby pow?r?d to act fir rr.e at you njy n pro***. ?ball ** governed Atrtrtly by your arrangtnicnta, Rcax. Having written this, he showed it to Urzen and asked l.im it he iroald bear it to the lieutenant. An af Armative re^ly w&3 given, and tkfi aimply folding the note in ttie oppo site way from the original fold, the gunraaker superscribed it anew to the lieutenant and handed it to his visitor. Urzen took it, and, with a stiff bow, but without speaking, he turned and left the place. That evening about 8 o'clock a sledge drove up to Ruric's door, and Alaric Orsa entered the house. He called the youth a:ide and informed him that the arrangements hqd ell been made. "Damonoff is in a hurry," he said, "and we have appointed the meet ing at 10 o'clock tomorrow fore noon. It will take place at the bend of the river just beyond the Viska hill." "Aod the weapons?" asked Ruric. "Swords," returned Orsa. "The count will bring his own, and ha gives you the privilege of selecting 6uch a one as you choose." "I thank you, Alaric, for your kindness thus far, and you may reut assured that I shall bo prompt." "Suppose I call here in the ncrrt? ins for you ?" suggested the visitor. "I should be pleased to have you do so." "I will, then. I shall be along in good season with my sledge, and wo will both reach the ground to-oth er." . ' Thus it was arranged, and then Orsa took his leave. When Ruric returned to h:3 scat by the li rep'ace, lie noticed that his mother watched him narrowly and with more than ordinary interest. He had once made up his mind that he would say nothing to his mother about the affair until it was over, but as the time was set and the hour drew nigh his mind wavered. When it was over, where might he be? But he was cut short in his reflec tions by the voice of his parent. "Ruric," she said, and her voice ! trembled while ghe spoke, "you will pardon me for prying into your af fairs, but 1 cannot hide from myself that something of more than usual moment is the matter with you. Why are these men calling to and fro? And why are you so thought ful and moody ? You know a moth er's feelings, and you will pardon a mother's anxiety." Surely, my mother, the youtn returned, gazing up for a moment and then letting his eyes droop again. At length he resumed, "I had made up my mind to tell you all ere you spoke." There was something deep and significant in Kuric's tone, and his mother quickly caught the spark. "What is it?" she tremblingly ut tered, moving her chair nearer to her child's side. "Listen," the young man said. And thereupon he detailed the cir cumstances attending the visit of the Count Damonoff to hi* shop. Then he told of his own visit to Rosalind and its result and then of the visit of Stephen Erzen. "And now, my mother," he add ed without waiting for any reply, "you know it all. You see how I am situated. Remember, our nation has reached its present point by suc cessful war. The soul of the nation ia built upon military honor, and since our noble emperor has opened the way of advancement of the low est of his subjects who aae brave and true the coward is looked upon with disgust upon all hands. Yet, my mother. I would have vou sneak." TO BE CONTINUED. Proof Positive. The Old Man:?V\ hodiscovered Ameriky, Jimmie? Jinimle:?Hanged ef I know, dad! The Old Man:?That boy's sure to be a great historical novelist! ?Atlanta Constitution. DeWitt's Witch Hazel Salve should be promptly applied to cuts, burns and scalds. It soothes and quickly heals the injured part. There are worthless coun terfeits. Besure to get DeWitt's. Hood Bros., Hare & Son, J. R. Ledbetter. Hoax?"Bjones now has his coach and four." Joax?"Why, i I thought he was so poor." Hoax?"He is; but he has a baby coach,and the fourth kid arrived last week."?Ex. "1 am indebted to One Minute Ccugh Cure for my present good health and my life. I was treated in vain by doctors for lung trouble following la grippe. I took One Minute Cough Cure and recovered my health."?Mr. E. H. Wise, Madison, Ga. J. R. Ledbetter, Hare & Son, Hood Bros. Nell?"Her riding costume is stunning." Belle?"That so? Then you might call that an ex ample of the force of habit, eh?" |! -Ex. j The piles that annoy you so will be quickly and permanently ; I healed if vou use DeWitt's Witch 11 Hazel Salve. Beware of worth . less counterfeits. Hood Bros., . j Hare & Son, J. R. Ledbetter.
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
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July 5, 1901, edition 1
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