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?Ktf.wr.rer *r r ? ? w* kkkk *?r r kk j THE GUNMAKER | OF MOSCOW. I SYLVANUS^COBB, JR. j| CHAPTER Vin. TIIP BASK FALLS FROM TUB VtLLA'X'S FACE. It was about two weeks after the event last recorded that Rosalind Valdai sat in her own apartment with Zenoltie for her companion. It was in the afurnoon, and a severe ?torn \ s ra oir without. "Sow, '/.!?? i" c,"gpoke the beauti ful no . n, "we have a moment alone, the lit t since morning. And aow tell m about that black monk. What did lie say his name was?" "\ ladimir." "Ah, yes. I have heard his name, and .fit listake not lie is a sort of laysti t ious being." "lie i , mv mi. tress, and I am just as confident that I have seen liirn be fore as I am that 1 have seen you be fore." "IIow? Seen him before ?" "Yes." "P?ut where?" "Ah," returned the young girl, with a dubious shake of the head, "there is the mystery. For the life of me I cannot tell, lie knew me? he knows everybody?and yet ho has not been long in the city if one might judge from his conversation.'' "Hut what did he stop you for? Where was it?" asked Rosalind eu gerlv. "It was in the church he stopped me?in our Church of St. Stephen. He was at the altar, and he beckon ed to me its I rose to come out. 1 went to him, and he asked about you." "About me?" "Yes, and about Ruric Nevel." "And what about its?" the maid en asked, blushing. "He asked me if I thought you loved the young gunmaker. He was ?? kind and lie appeared so anxious to know and then he seemed to take such an inten t in Ruric that 1 could not refuse to answer him." "But what did you tell him?" "1 told him you did love Ruric. I told liira how you had been children together and how you would now give your hand to him sooner than to the proudest noble in the land. He asked me some things about the duke, but 1 would not tell him When I must tell of evil if I tell the truth, 1 will not speak if 1 can prop erly avoid it." "You were right, Zenobie. You were very right about this Inst part, but you should not have told all you knew concerning Kuric and me." "I hope I did nothing wrong. Oh, I should he proud to acknowledge my love for such a man." "Aye, and so I am, my little sprite. I love Kuric with my whole soul and would he proud to give liitn my hand this day, but that is no rea son why you should tell of it." "Surely, my mistress, 1 meant no harm," the young girl cried eagerly. "Hush, Zenobie. I do not blame you : only I would have you careful." "And I would be careful. But, oh, you could not have resisted him. He dr ew it from me almost ere I knew it. He put his questions in such a strange manner that I could not speak without telling what he want ed to know, ne did not say, 'Does she love Kuric Nevel ?' but he took it for granted that such was the case, and then ere I was aware of it he had made me say so. But he surely does not mean you harm, nor does he mean harm to Ruric. He is a good man, 1 know." "1 wish I could see him," returned Bosalind half to herself. "You cannot mistake him if you ever do see him, ray mistress. He is a strange looking man, and, then, be dresses differently from most of our church officers. He dresses all in black?today it was in black vel vet. But his shape is his most strik ing characteristic. He is the fat test man in Moscow. Ilis belly shakes when he laughs, and his chin seems to sink clear out of sight. He would be a funny man and would make me laugh if be did not puzzle ine so." "And did he ask you about any thing else?" "No; only he asked me if I knew how the duke stood with the emper or ?ti<J I ??!>< t>ai 1 thought he stood very v dl. Then he said be had heard that they had had 6ome, dispute concerning the duel between Count Dimonoff and Kuric. But I told him 1 guessed that had result j ed in no estrang 'ment, for the d ik< j was i in.uh at court as ever. And after that lie told me about the ejuel, | as ho was there and saw nearly the whole of the affair." And Zenobie went on and told all that the monk related about Ilurie's bravery, and Rosalind listened now , (ten uvely and eagerly. It was ? theme that phased her. The at tendant saw cow gratefully the ac ewunt csmo upon the ears of ber mistress, and she closed the Tecital with some opinion of her own wherein Rurie Nevel was held up as a pattern after which all men who wished to win the love of woman should be made. Hut before any answer could he made by Rosalind the door of the apartment was opened, and the duke entered. He smiled very kindly as lie liowed to his ward, and then, with a wave of his hand, he motion ed for Zenobie to withdraw, and aft er the attendant was gone he took a seat close by his fair charge. The maiden looked up into his face, and,1 though there was no serious look there as yet, still she could plainly see that he had something of more than usual importance on his mind. She shuddered as she gazed upon' him, for she could not help it. There wus something in the look of the man?a sort of hidden intent, which carne out in his tone and glance; a deep meaning, something which lie had never spoken, but which was yet manifest?that mov ed her thus. What it was she could not tell. It was the prompting of that instinct of the human soul which may repel an object while yet the working mind detects no harm. Rut she was not to remain in the dark much longer. The evil one was loose, and his bonds of restraint were cast off. He had marked bis prey, and the meshes were gather ing about it. "Rosalind," the duke said in a tone which he meant should have been easy and frank, but which nevertheless was marked strongly with effort, "there is some talk among the surgeons now that Coi'rad Damonoff may recover." "Oil, 1 am glad of that!" the fair girl uttered earnestly. "Yes, 1 suppose so," resumed 01 ga, eying her sharply. "But you have no particular care for him, 1 presume?" "For?for the count?" "Aye; it was of him I was speak ing." "No, sir. I care only for him as I care for all who need to become bet ter ere they die." "Alia, yes!" said the duke, biting his lip, for in his own mind he had the frankness to acknowledge that lie was about as needy of virtue as was the count. "But," he resumed, with a faint smile, "you never loved the man ?" "No, sir," the maiden answered, gazing up into her guardian's face, with an inquisitive look. "So I thought, so 1 thought." As Olga thus spoke he smiled again and moved his chair nearer to Rosalind. "I am wall aware," he resumed, "that your affections have not as yet been set upon any one who is capable of making a proper com * .. A.I _l_ t t ^ I pamon ior you inrougn an uic ups and downs of life." Rosalind's eyes drooped beneath the steady gaze of the speaker, and her frame trembled. But ere 6he could make any reply the duke went on: "My dear Rosalind, I have come now upon a business which 1 may justly call the most important of my life. I have not approached this subject lightly nor with overzeal, but 1 have come to it through careful consideration and anxious study." Here the duke stopped and gazed into Rosalind's face. She met his gaze, and her eyes drooped again. She trembled more than before, and a dim, dreadful fear worked its way to her mind. "Rosalind," the nobleman contin ued, "when I was but 19 years of age, I was married with a girl whom I loved. She lived with me four short, happy years. In that time we were blessed with two children, but they lived not long to cheer us. And then my beautiful wife died, and the world was all dark and drear to me. I thought I should never love again. Time passed on, and you were placed in my charge. When you first came, I loved you, and 1 wondered if you were to take the place of the children 1 had lost. But you grew quickly up. Your mind was expanded, and your heart was large. I found that I could not make a child of you, and then I sat down all alone and asked myself what place it was you had assumed in my heart. Can you guess the an swer, Rosalind ?" "As a little child," answered the maiden, trembling violently. "No, no, sweet one! I pondered, and I studied, and 1 examined my self carefnlly, and I found that the memory of ny departed wife was fast fading away before the rising of another one just as pure and just as holy. Now do you understand?" "No, no! Oh, no!" the maiden uttered in a frightened whisper "Then listen further," continued , the nobleman in a low, earnest tone j and with a strange fire in his deep blue eyes. "As your charms of both mind and person were gradually de veloped I came to look upon you with new feelings, or, I should say, with the old feeling more fully de veloped. I looked around me. 1 saw my sumptuous palace without a legitimate female heal. In my par ! ! ties I had no companion to assist and guide me, and in my loneliness I had no mate to cheer and enliven me. 1 wished not that such should Le the case. At length my eyes were I opened, and I saw plainly the spirit that was moving upon my soul. I looked upon \ >u, and 1 knew that I had found the woman who was to give me jov ne e more. Kosalind, I love you truly, fondly, and 1 would make you mv wife. Now you can- j not fail to and rstand me, can you?" 1 Rosalind gazed up into the face of her guardian, and she was pale as i death. "You do not mean?oh!" It was a deep, painful groan, and the fair girl clasped her hands to ward the man before her. "Hold!" he said almost sternly. "I am not trifling now. 1 am riot only serious, but firm in purpose. When you were placed under my j ; charge, your father bade ine do as I would, and now I would make you my wife. The Count DamonofT was the first who came for your hand, and had he been a proper man, and j had you loved him, 1 should have in terposed no objections, hut you did not love him, and that affair is past. Now I lay my claim upon you, and mv fortune and title 1 lay at your feet." "And what is to become of my es tate?" the maiden asked rjnit-kly and meaningly, for the thought flashed upon her. "Why?we'll have the two unit ed," returned the duke, with some hesitation. "No, no!" Rosalind cried. "You will not do this! Oh, spare me from such a fate!" "Spare thee, girl?spare thee from becoming the wife of one of the most powerful noblemen in the empire? You must be crazy." "My guardian.spoke the fair girl, now looking her companion steadily in the lace, "you only do thi.- to trv ine. W hen you know that such a union would make me misera ble forever, when m.i know it would cast out all the joys of life and ex tinguish the last hope of peace from mv soul, you surely will not press it." "Rosalind Valdai, 1 have resolved that you shall be tuy wife. Mind you, this is one of the firm, fixed purposes of my soul, and those who know the Duke oi Tula best know that he never gives up a purpose once fixed in his mind. You cannot mistake me now." Slowly the stern fact dawned up on Rosalind's mind. There bad been a lingering hope that he might be only trying her to see if she loved him or if she would willingly become his wife. Awhile she remained with her head bowed and her bosom heaving with the wild emotion thus called up. But at length she looked up and spoke. sir, she said faintly, but with marked decision, "you cannot make me your wife." "Ah! And why not?" "Because I will never consent." "Ah! Say you so?" "1 do, and 1 mean it." "Ha, ha, ha! You know little of my power if you think you can thwart me in my purpose. I tell thee, as sure as the God of heaven lives, vou shall be my wife." "No, no! Before heaven I protest against such unholy union. You [ cannot have my heart, and such a union would be but foul mockery." "Oho! Now you come to the point. 1 can't have your heart, eh? Perhaps your heart is given to the gunmakcr?" Rosalind's eyes flashed in an in stant. The words of the duke were spoken sneeringiy and contemptu- j ously, and they jarred upon the young girl's soul. "Aye," she quickly uttered, and boldly, too, "1 do love Ruric Nevel, and he is worthy of my love." "Now, my pretty ward," resumed Olga in a tone of peculiar irony, "you have spoken as I hoped you would speak?plainly and to the point, so I can answer just as plain ly. Know, then, that Ruric Nevel can never be your husband. lie stands charged with a horrid crime. | and the emperor only waits to see whether the count recovers or not ere he awards the punishment. The gunmaker is forbidden on pain of death to leave the city. So vou may cast him from your thoughts as soon as possible." "What crime is Ruric accused of?" the maiden aski.J. "Of murder." "In wounding the count ?" "Yes." "Oh, how can you bring your tongue to such speech? You know the noble youth was not to blame in this affair He was" ? "Hold, lb' alind I want no or 1 gument on tin- question You have heard what I have s .id. and be , sured that I mean it I I .id Imped I yoj would receive mi proposal with more favor, but 1 dio not enter into the plan until my inind ?as all made up and the thing all filed. You will become my wife within one month!" "I will fee to the emperor," gasp id Rosalind. "You v ill not '?>?]ve this palace strain until vou are the Duchess of Tula.'"' ' I will never -peak the word that is necessary to make rue your wife? never! At the altar, if you be by , mv side, my lips shall be sealed, and no power on earth shall loose them!" "Do you mean this?" whispered the duke. "As God lives I do!"' "Then mark me" ? the stout, dark nobleman gazed fixedly into the maiden's face as he spoke, and in his look and tone there was a fiendish expression that could not be mistaken?"I shall do all in my power to make you my lawful wife. If you refuse me, you shall be beat en with the knout in the market place, where all may see the un grateful girl who refused the heart and band of the noble Duke of Tu la. Aye, and after thou art beaten thou shalt be cast into the streets for dogs to bark at. Dost hear me, Rosalind Valdai?" With one deep, soul dying moan the poor girl sank down, shivering and pale. The duke caught her as she fell, and, having laid her sense less form back upon the couch, be strode from the apartment. CHAPTER IX. niE MASK FALLS LOWER DOWN AND RE VEALS THE HEART. It was early evening ere Zenobie entered the apartment of her young mistress. As she opened the door she found all dark within. She moved into the room, and, shading her candle with her hand, she gaz ed about. The wind still howled fearfully without, and the snow came driving against the windows. When the girl had reached the ex tremity of the place, she called her mistress' name, and she was answer ed by a low groan from the couch in the corner. Thither she hastened, and there she found her mistress. "Rosalind ? my mistress!" she cried, kneeling down. "Who is it ?" the maiden asked, starting up and gazing frantically around. "It is I, Zenobie. Say, my dear, good mistress, what is it? What is the matter? What has happened?" With a quick movement Rosalind put her attendant away and sat up, and, having gazed about her for some moments, she murmured: "Where am I? Who is here?" "It is I. You are in your own chamber. Come, you are cold here." Without resistance the maiden suffered herself to be led to the place where the heated air came up from the furnace below, and there she sat down. "What is it?" again asked Zeno bie eagerly. "What has happened?" Rosalind bowed her head upon her hands, and after some moments of thought she looked up. She was very pale, and a fearful tremor shook her frame. "Zenobie," she uttered in a low, strange whisper, "ask me no more now. i am not well. Oh, ask me no more now." "My mistress," returned the faithful girl, placing one arm about Rosalind's neck, "you know what you may tell me and what you may not. But whom will you trust if you trust not me? Oh, give me your love, and if I can serve you let me do so." "I would trust you with life it self," the maiden returned, "and some time you shall know all that has happened here, but not now? not now. Oh, I cannot speak it now 1" "Say no more, my mistress; only let me serve you. You will have 6ome refreshment ? something to eat." "You may bring me some wine, Zenobie." And thereupon the young girl hastened away. In the meantime the duke was in his private room below. lie was pacing to and fro across the floor, with his hands behind him, and his brow ?as dark and lowering. Ever and anon he would stop near the door and listen and then proceed. At length there came a rap upon the door, and the duke said, "Enter." It was a priest who entered the apartment?a small, deformed man, somewhere about 50 years of age. Ilis faci was very dark, his features sharp and angular, his eyes dark and sunken deep into his head, his brow heave above the eyes, where the shaggy brows hung over, but sloping hack from thence, leaving the genus where phrenologists lo cate benevolence ami veneration de ficient and fiat. Cpon his shoulders he wore a huge, ungainly hump, and, ail in all. he was just such a man as a timid person would shun. His , mi was savotano The dv.ke had ? n :1? i -.it- of ? i-tt tig hirn into church, and in consideration re I lie i.ad bound himself to do the duke'.- ev; work Hit this is not all. some wars before there I ad been a murder in Moscow, and Savotano did the bloody deed. It n.ts a work of pure vengeance. Olga had him apprehended, but he was not brought to justice. The duke found him to be a shrewd, unscrupulous wretch, willing to serve those who would pay him well and ready to let himself then to any one who could save his life. Olga was a man of plots and schemes, lie fancied that such u man as Savotano might be of use to him, so he proposed to save him if he would serve his bene factor. The villain was glad enough to accept the proposition, and the bargain was made. Could Savotano enter the church and assume the sacred garb he might in many cases work to better advantage. The wretch readily agreed to this, too, ! and through Olga's powerful influ ence he gained a place in the church, lie knew that the duke held his very life, and he failed not to serve him. His clerical robes shielded him from much suspicion, and, moreover, the place gave him additional adtan tages to work at his diabolical trade. Ilis salary from the government was sufficient for his support, while an occasional sum from his master en abled him to enjoy many of those luxuries which were denied to most of his brethren. Olga feared not to trust this man, for the fellow had nothing to gain by betrayal, but ev erything to lose. And such was the man who now j entered the duke's private room. He entered with a bold' air, for, though he was somewhat in the duke's power, yet there was a pecul iar satisfaction in knowing that when he fell the noble lord must fall with him, part way at least. Brethren in crime cannot count much upon respect. "I have come, my lord," the priest said as he shook the snow from his robe and then took a seat by the furnace pipe. "And how is the count?" asked Olga. "He is recovering, I am sure." "Does Kopani say so?" "Yes. He says he will have him out within a month." "By heavens, Savotano, this must not be." "But tell me, my lord, what is the particular need of the count's de parting?" The duke gazed his visitor a few moments in the face and then said: "Why, since the affair interests you, I'll tell you. Thus far I have paid you promptly all your dues, but I cannot do so much longer un less we can make some of our points work. My property is on the de crease fast. T have not enough left to live on. Within the past three years I have made some bad ven tures. 1 put it into? But never mind; suffice it for me to say that I am at the end ot my tortune." The duke was about to say that j he had placed large sums in the hands of the Minister Gallitzin for the purpose of carrying out the con- i spiracy by which the Princess So- 1 phia was to have been placed upon the throne, with Gallitzin for her prime minister and himself also high in power. He chose not to tell of this. And uo wonder, for heads had ere then been taken to pay for such indiscretions. "And now if this count survives I thus have one source cut off. My half of Drotzen is used up and mort gaged to him, but if he dies the | whole comes to me. His father and myself married sisters, and they owned Drotzen, and on his side the \ count is the only heir. So in the event of his death the whole comes to me. You understand this now." "Perfectly," returned the priest. "And 'tis a pity your first effort did not succeed." "So it is," said the duke uneasily. "When I sent him with that mes sage to the gunmaker, I felt sure he would be slain, and then 1 hoped that the other could be disposed of for having slain him. But the em peror has turned all my plans up side down, for the present at least. Savotano, you must have a hand in Damonoff's medicine!" "That is easily done, my lord," replied the priest quietly. "You have free access there ?" "Yes." "And can you not watch with him some night?" "1 think I can." "Then do so. When he is dead, 200 ducats are yours." "Then he dies." "Good! And now there is one more. This gunmaker must be got out of the way." "Ah!" uttered Savotano, looking up incredulously. "Do you mean 10?" "Most assuredly "But why him?" "Do you fear to undertake the Jrork ?" "Not at all, my lord. I only wish ed to know why he was wanted away." "The reason in simple. I must marry with llosalind Valdai. Her property is worth the whole of Drot zen twice fold?over two million of ducats." "So much?" uttered the priest, opening his eyes with greedy won der. "Yes; it is one of the finest es tates in Moscow, and it pays her now (Continued on Sev< nth Page.) 1 For Sixty Days For the next sixty days we shall sell goods very cheap for cash In order to run down our stock as we expect to make some changes In business. If you need Heavy and Fancy Groceries, Snuff, Cigars, Tobacco, Confec tioneries or almost anything in General Merchandise come to our store. Your patron age solicited. Mr Paul Fitzgerald is with us and will be glad to have his friends call and see him. J. M. VINSON & CO., Selma, N. C, July l-tr. FOCORSETS Make American Beauties, We have them in all styles and shapes to fit every figure, and every ^corset is sold under this most liberal warrant? "Money refunded after four weeks' trial if corset is not ? r t? satisfactory. Look for this Trade Mark on inside of corset and on box. KALAMAZOO ?ORSET CO. Sole Makers. Kalamazoo, Mich, FOR SALE BY YAI. G. Velvington, 8MITIIFIELD, N. C. You NEED IT. It is (Jood to have on hand. A Mozingo ? Liniment Nerve and Bone Made strictly by an old and reliable formula. Has been used for thirty-five years. For Man and Beast. You Get a Large Bottle for 50 cts. HADE AND FOR SALE BY J B mOZINGO, Smlthfleld, N. C. For sale by Hood Rros., Smlthfleld; Haywood Price, Beulah township: Hare & Son, Selma, N.C.; W. E. Smith. Micro. N. C.; (i. F. Wood ard, Princeton; Alex, Edgerton, Pinkney; Pope Bros., pear Kenly; J. it. Uains. Bagley. March 19?tf % NEW MILLINERY. Go to H. W. Mitchell's for bar tains in fancy millinery goods. Hals Trimmed lo Order -BY? Miss Annie Glisson, a special saleslady. Call and see us before buying elsewhere. Respectfully, Miss Claudia Mitchell, CLAYTON, N. C. THIS IS The New Number 8 Domestic Sewing Machine, FOE SALS BY J. M. BEATY, 8MITIIFIELD, N. C. OPIUM1 ?CAINE arriWHISKY $ IW ITI H?biu Cur?*d at your homo or at eanltortum. Beit off reference*. Book on Home Tre ntment sent FREE Addreae b. M. WOOi BY. M. D.. Bos JJ. Atlanta. Qm. We nre still clubb ng Thk Herald and the N ?v York Thrice-a-week World r ?1 <>.r> cash in advance. I
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
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July 26, 1901, edition 1
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