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?v.Mtw vwwrwwr? vp.1 t? THE QIJNMAKER | | OF MOSCOW. :| SYLVANUS^COBB. JR. it Pltk'MkwIkaCVlAS* -5J-J * c*X**W?Vlk? CHAPTER XIV. TIIK y Y STIC TRIBCM4L. Away back of the old Cathedral of Moscow and in a narrow, dark court which was overlooked by the towers of the giant edifice stood a curiously constructed stone build ing, which, though not connected bodily with the cathedral, yet seem ed to belong to it. It was low and broad, with a flat, tiled roof and without a visible window. Within one of the apartments of this build ing?an apartment awav down in the bowels of the earth, where the light of dav never dime?were seat ed six men. The room was of fair size, and the floor, the walls and the ceiling were of dark stone. Wooden benches were arranged about the place, and there were some other ar ticles of furniture there, too? 6trange contrivances they were and fashioned after various shapes and patterns. But of that anon. The place was lighted by a large hanging lamp which had just power enough to make the room gloomy and dis mal. The six men at about a table on which were a hook and sword, and the most prominent man there was Vladimir, the monk. And Vladimir alone exposed his face. All the re-1 wore black masks, their robes being of the same mel ancholy hue. They sat there silent as death, Vladimir gazing down up on the table and the otlcr five gaz ing fixedly upon him. They were stout men, all of them, and they bore themselves toward Vladimir a? bears a servant to his acknowl edged master. "The hour is waxing late," said Vladimir at length, looking up from thctahle. 11 is voice sounded in that place like the echo of a tomb. It was low and hollow, and the othert started as they heard it. "There's time yet to spare, mas ter," replied one alio sat next the monk. I trust wo shall not bo disap pointed," said Vladimir at the expi ration of a few moments more. To this no answer was returned. At length there came a dull echo from overhead, and the six dark sit ters started up to listen. The sound grew louder, and soon it sent down into that dismal chamber the notes of coming footsteps. In a few mo ments more the heavy iron door creaked upon its hinges, and three men entered, and 6oon behind them came three more. Those who rams in advance were two of them leading the third as a prisoner. And so it j xcus with those behind. The iron door creaked again, and when the hrftvy bolts bad been shoved into their sockets the two prisoners were letforward. blaster.' spoke one of the new comers, "we have brought the pris oners-two of them?as you corn minded." It is well." said Vladimir. "Let thqm be brought before us." As the two men ure brought to where the light can strike upon tlrtir faces we see the two guides who conducted Curie Neve! to his place of confinement. One of them was he who met Curie in the street, and the other is the one who guided him into the old bathhouse with the lantern in his hand. They shudder ed fearfully as they gazed around upon the dismal scene, and their looks plainly showed that they knew not why they had been brought thither. "Lesko Totma!" pronounced Ma dim ir. '1 he first of the prisoners?he who had met Curie in the street started as he heard that name and tried to speak. "Are you the man?" asked the monk, looking into his face. "^es, holy father," the wretch tremblingly replied. " I hen stand you here in front of me." The fellow was moved up in front of tl e ta! , and surprise and fear r Timed to be struge'ing for the mas t my over him, for he recognized now the strange monk about whom be had probably hear ! so much. 'Lesko i otma," said Mndimir low and slowly, "you have been seen much in the company of a hump hacked priest named Savotano. You know such a priest, do you not?" i lie man hesitated He gazed fur tively aliout him and trembled more than before. "Answer me!" ",i 1 -. -ir; I know him." "And no , 6ir. be sure that you answer me directly and truly. Do \au ivdow a }ouag g-amaker named Curie Nevei . be fellow started with a percep ti e quake as this question was h d, hut he Foemed to hare been prepared for if, for liia answer was direct. '%>, sir; too Dot." . [ "tta! Ken are! Think wed hp fore you apeak." "If toa mean the man wl?n fon-rht tlie duel willi the Count Ihitnniiull. then I harp heard of him. Ion I do not know that I ever siw him." "TJien you are mire oi ilia?" "Of course I am." "Frederic Yiska!" The second prisoner now camp forward He was it*few year- youn ger than hia companion, though somewhat larger and evidently more hold I t'.ina was conducted out of the apartment as Viaki came for ward "You. too, lmve been in the com pany of litis priest. Kqrolann. have you not ?" the monk asked "1 know him." the fellow replied, with a slight toueh of defiance in his tone lie had not surely looked ibout him to see those strange con trivances bv which he was surround ed, or he would not have ventured such a tone. "Ami you have been some in his company "Perhaps so " "Vcrv well. And, now. do you j not also know Unrip Nevel?" "I have seen him, loo, sir." "And now can you tell me where lie is at this present timer" "No," was I lie answer, short and quick. "Beware! If you have any re gard for your own welfare, you will; answer me truly. Where is Ruric j Nevel ?" "I tell you I know nothing about him?nothing at all." "And of this you are sure?" "Who are you that assume to question me thus? I know you not." Yiska spoke this in a tone of vir j tuous indignation, probably think ing that that turn might serve him. "We will let you into the secret by and by," the monk returned, j with a peculiar shake of the head, "But 1 will ask you once more, do you know where Nevel is?" "No!" "You need not speak quite so loud. We liear easily." "Then don't ask me impertinent questions," retorted the prisoner. Vladimir started half way up, and his fists were clinched, but the quick 1 flush passed from his face, and he sat back again. "Look ve," he said as soon as he was sure his anger would not mani fest itself, "were I not sure that vou know what 1 ask I would not ques tion you thus. And now, once more I ask you, will you give me some clew to the whereabouts of Iturio Nevel ?" "I'll answer you once more. I know nothing about him. You must not think that this dark place and you men all dressed in black can fright inen into telling a lie as it might a child." At this point Vladimir turned to one of his men, one of those who helped bring the prisoners in, and said: "You know this to be the man ?" ?Yes, my master." "And yoa have seen him in pri vate confab with the humpbacked priest ?" "I have." "And the other things you told me are true?" "They are, master." "Then let d?wn those interpret ers." At this command two c.f the at tendants moved te the back side of the room, where they unhooked a stout chain from the wall, and as they allowed it to slide through their hands a curious piece of ma chinery descended directly in front of the table. It consisted of a stout bar of iron which was suspended midway upon the chain and there rested parallel with the ceiling. Up on each end of this bar were straps of iron armed with springs and screws. At a motion from the monk the prisoner was led back till he stood directly beneath the bar, and then his arms were seized and , raised up. He struggled some and cursed more, but he was soon over- ( come. The iron bands were passed ( around his wrists, and connected with these were two small cups . which were slipped over the thumbs. After these had been firmly secured . the chain was tightened, and the fcl- t low's hands wer ? raised far above ( his head. There were two results j produced by tightening the chain. | It not only tend d to draw the { thpmbs back upon the wrists, but it also twisted the thumb, the two cups j being armed with filelike teeth witn in and closing tightly upon the flesh. , "Now, sir," spoke Vladimir lowly j and deeply, "I am going to ask j these questions again, and you will , do well to answer them truly. Will you tell me where Rurir Xevel is?" j ] "1 don't know." "Will vou tell me where you saw i him last ?" j ' "1 haven't seen him since he . fought the .duel with Damonoff." "Beware 1" "I have not." "Mark me, I have had you watch ed, and I know that you have seen ? Neve! within these three days. This I know, so I have no hesitation in the course 1 am about to pursue. ( Unee more. where is Burlc Novel?" The riian hesitated now, hut hi* answer whs gtill tlio same. He would not tell. Vladimir made a motion to the two men who stood hv lite wall, and i the* gave h pull upon tliecbaip "() (lod "* ga-pcd 'he prisoner! as the (Mtinr~.il twist and wreuch came upon Ins thumb* "Will von an wer "I low can I ' I low run I **It\ wpeuktii'.'. what vou know" "1 know not It ug " Another si-, md was mail" to the men at the elunn. and lliev pulled again; another groan from the pris oner. hut no other response Another signal and another pull. "Menv!" shrieked the poor wretvh. quivering with pain. "Will vou answer?" "I don't know " "Then we must trv again " "No. no; O (iod, no more!" "But vou must answer." "I don't know." "Then you must have forgotten, and such treaeherous memories need ?tart itig tip." As Vladimir thus spoke he waved j his hand again. "<> (iod. have mercy! OL-o-o! Save nte! Save me!" "Save yourself." The wretc h was in torment now wit limit censing. Nearly the whole of his weight bore upon his wrists and thumbs, and the latter were drawn over almost to the wrist. But he would not answer. He had a deeper fear than this. He feared to break the horrid oaths by which he was bound to the scheming priest. One more pull upon the chain, and the man's feet were clear of the floor. His whole weight now bore upon his thumbs, and tie groaned in the agonv of torture lie bore i't a few moments, but his coward sou. could bear no more. "O (iod! Down, down! Let me down!" "But answer. Where is [{uric Ne ve! ?" "I?I?don't"? "Hold, thou f l,o hearted vil lain!" shouted Vladimir in a voiee of thunder. "Thi i-- the last of this torture, but when we take you from here we etui put you into a state compared with which the pain you now experienee is real joy. Each particular limb shall be wrenched all out of shape, and your very eyes shall start out like"? "Down, down! 0 great God, down!" "Where is Ruric Novel ?" "I'll tell you! I'll tell you if you ?pare tne!" "Tell me first!" There was a moment more of hes itation, one single moment, and then the miserable wretch gave up. "He's in the bathhouse." "Ha! Where?" "In the old bathhouse near the river on the Tula pass iu one of the vaults!" "Very well. Let him down." The chain was slacked up, and Frederic Yiska was once more upon j his feet. lie trembled yet, for there J was pain in his arms. "Now carry him out," ordered Vladimir, "and bring the other one in." In a few moments mora Lesko Totma was before the strange tri bunal. He trembled fearfully, for he had been where he could hoar his companion's groans without hearing what he said. "Lesko Totma," spoke the monk in a low, deep tone, "we have given you time for thought, and mayhap you have your memory brightened bv this time. Now, where is I!uric Nevel?" "I don't know." "Ah, you still forget, eh ?" "I never knew." "A most strange forgctfulness, I must confess. Let the interpreters be adjusted Y' "Oh, mercy! Don't murder me!" But no notiee was taken of his j cries. The straps and conical cups were adjusted and the chain drawn ' tight. At the first turn of the self' acting screw the fellow shrieked. It was not so much with the present! pain as with the fear of what was to come. The very presage of the place, so dark and dismal, had more effect upon his mind than it had up on his companion. At a second pull of the chain he groaned and begged for meivv. lie had heard of this dark place, and he fancied that men who can.e there seldom went away alive. "Hark ye, base wretch," the monk said, "if you do not tell me where the young gunmaker is I'll have you torn limb from limb. Another pull, there!" As the wrench came again the vil lain fairly shouted with pain. "Oh, let me go! Let me go! I'll tell all!" "Then tell. You leave not this olnce alive until you l ave told." "He is?0 God! lie is?in the ?Id bath!" "Where?" "The duke's hath, on the pass of rula!" "Whereabouts there ?" "In the lowest, farthest Tiult. 3h, spare I" - j I \ tailinnr u a * od his hand, and the. quaking arr;. h was freed from his torture "Now <?<>?' ' li t tin-in hoth to the diingeonn hii I lin k ilion up They must not r n at lame fur tlie pres ent. i .el l !? hi lie m'i ure " "No. no." iTied \' ,-"ka. who had been limn;:' t 'i.u k on were tu let me go if I In .I vmii " "Not free sir." -i?u' Vljuliniir "But vou haie n ? ri In to ho'd me thus I urn ri. n: \ dead with pain now w'nere vou have torn mv hands in pieio- lit the" ? "Silenee. do"! Mv authoritv here is mv power Mv riiflit is mv might I have vou. anil I will keep vou Were I to let you go I might not have the power to ea' ih vou again, as legal olliiers pould Loud them off, and then we'll turn our atten tion to the duke's bath!*' CHAPTER XV. WHAT HAPPENED AT TUB D. KE'S BATH. Rurie Neve! could k^ep no ac count of time. Darkness, and dark ness only, dwelt with him in his pris on house?darkness so utter that the only effect of opening the eyes was the nervous reality of the mo tion In fact, 'twas lighter with the eves closed than with them opened, for when tightly closed there were peculiar fantastic shapes floating in the imagination, and even this was a relief. And then there was a sort of kaleidoscopic succession of colors when the lids were tightly pressed that seemed grateful to the nerves and gave vari ety to the mind. But when the eyes were open only a cold, impene trable blackness was present, within which there were no shapes, no forms, save the one form of utter chaos. Ruric felt sure he had been there four days, and at times it appeared longer than that. Food and drink had been brought to him thrice, and he was now without both, yis strength had- not yet left him, though there were pains in his limbs and a chilling sensation about the heart. He had broken the rope from his arms on the first day of his confinement, and he had hoped to overcome the man who brought him food and drink and thus make his escape, but no human being had yet come in to him. His food had been passed in through a small wicket. "And this is the end of life!" he murmured to himself as he paced slowly to and fro across the dun geon. "Thus ends all the hopes of youth, and here the prayers of a life time must close in one last hope? one hope of heaven when earth has passed away! My mother, no fare well can reach thee from the lips of thy 6on. He will lie down in the dark slumber of death, and thou shalt not know his resting place! And thou, loved pnc?oh, thou fondly cherished, wildly worshiped being?thv smiles can shine no more for me! <)h, Rosalind, would that I could see thee but onco?that once more I might press thee to mv bos om and bid thee remember me when I am gone! Had I newer seen thee I might not be here now! And yet, 0 God, for life itself I would not wipe away the written story of that holv love from my heart!" The thought of Rosalind came heavily upon him. All else he could give up in a higher hope than that of earth, but for her he held a atrange fear. She would be anoth er's. "And most it be so?" Ire contin ued after some minutes of painful reflection. "Alas, she will be nothing to me hereafter! My mother will know her son, but Rosalind will know another! And yet ahe may carry the old love with her always. She may never forget it. Oh, could 1 but once"? He stopped suddenly, for he heard a footfall in the low passage close by the dungeon. He listened, and he heard more. There were sev eral feet, and soon he heard voices. He moved back to the extremity of the vault and listened. The feet stopped, and the sound of grating irou. like the drawing of a bolt, was heard. Soon afterward the door was opened, and the light from a lantern flushed into the place. For a few moments the prisoner was blind hv the sudden transition, but by degrees he overcame the difiicul ty ar.d was able to look up. 'I be first object upon which his eyes fell was the humpbacked priest, t-..v<naiio There were four others behind him. hut Rune noticed them not vet lie saw before him the imin whom he believed to be the in str. mer.t of his su T< ring, and with ore bound lie rouckeu hiin and felled linn to the floor. "Hold!" cried one of the others, one who ! eld the la item. "We have come to conduct thee out from here." ".la! Say ye to ?" "Most s*ir?'iv i e I'its " "Then stand aside and let me go." "dust as you s; v. The doors are open, and you may . o. You may fol low us, or you may go in advance." ?Then lead on*"' returned Ruric, "and 1 will follow." "As you say." fj'hus speaking, the man assisted the priest to his feet and led him out from flie cell. In a few mo ments tno?e the others went out al so, and Ruric prepared to follow. He heard the priest cursing, but he noticed tfeatt one of the others led him o!T. The youth steppod forth into the passage, but he did not place the rujlest confidence in what he hn?l heard. He reached the foot of the stairs, and the others were nearly up. He started to follow them and had nearly gained the top when a quick, lightninglike shadow flitted before him. He would have started hack, but 'twas too lute. There eaine a blow upon his head, and, with a dull, crashing sensation, be sank down. He realized that he was turned over and that a rope was being lashed about bis arms. Hut the prisoner bad not Itcco fully stunned. He returned to eon sciousness as they lifted him to his feet, and his first impulse was to try to foree his bonds asunder, but this he could not do. lie gazed up now, and he found only two men with him, and thev wore masks up on their faces. They were stout, powerful men. and their very bear j ing was murderous, and his heart sank within him. "Come " said one of them. "You'll go with us. We won't force you if you'll walk." "But where?" asked the youth. "What mean you ?" "You'll see when you get there. But there's no time to waste, so ' come." W hat could the prisoner do ? His hands were firmly bound behind j him, anil his great strength availed not a bit He knew that he could not resist, so he simply bowed his head in token of submission and prepared to follow his conductors. But they left him not to follow at will. Tliev took him by either arm and thus led him away. He remem bered the room into which he had been first conducted on the evening of his capture, but he was not de tained there. From here a long cor ridor led off to where a wing of the building had been partly torn away, and they soon came to a large circu lar apartment, in the center of which was a deep basin where in years gone bv people had been wont to hatha, the walls looked grim and ragged by the feeble rays of the lantern, and the chill wind came moaning through the cracks and crevices in the decaying masonry. "There," spoke one of the guides as he set his lantern upon the top of a broken column. "We will stop here." The words were spoken in a sort of hushed, unmerciful tone, and Ruric felt them strike fearfully up on him. He gazed upon the man who had spoken, and he saw that he was preparing to throw off his pe lisse, which he had thus far worn. As soon as Shis was off he moved too where his companion stood and oommenaed whispering. Could Ruric mistake longer? What reason but one could there have been for bringing him to such a place ? To the left, where the ba sin had enee emptied itself, there was a dark, deep, cavelike place, at the mouth of which a heap of rub bish had collected. What a plaee in which to hide a dead body! So thought Ruric. But he was startled from the dark reverie by a darker reality. One of the men had taken a club, a long, heavy bludgeon which the youth had not before seen, and was just balancing it in one hand while he spat upon the other. "You will not murder me here in cold blood 1" uttered Ruric, starting back. The stout ruffian clutched the club in both hands, but made bo verbal answer. "Speak! For God'e sake answer me!" the prisoner exclaimed, start ing back another pace. "Ho you meen to murder me ?' "Whv," answered the man with the club in a cool, offhanded man ner, "since you are so anxious to know, I'll tell you. You will die within a minute!" "And will you take the life of one who never harmed you? Hold! If money be your object'? "Stop!" interrupted the villain. "You can't nrgue us out of it in that way. You've got to die, and the sooner i*u go the sooner you'll get over it. You won't suffer a bit if you don't go to kicking up a fuss. There, now. If you hadn't bothered me 'twould have been alj over by this time." Oh, what would Ruric have given at that moment for the use of one of his arms! But that was beyond praying for. Yet he had hi3 feet. He said nothing more, but he allow ed the man to come within a few yards of him, and then he prepared for the only means of defense he had. The huge club was raised, and at 4hrtt tirtflMvt saw that the other man also had a club. He knew then that they had been con cealed there until now. "Hark!" uttered the second vil lain just as his companion bad rais ed his club. "What noise is that?" (Continued on Sevrnth rage.) For Sixty Days. For Ibe next sixty days we shall sell goods very cheap for cash Id 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 I'aui Fitzgerald is with us and will be glad to have his friends call and see him. ). M. VINGON & CO., Selma, N, C. July 1-tf. FCCorsets 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 satisfactory." Look tor this Trade Mark on inside of corset and on box. * KALAMAZOO CORSET CO. Sole Makers. Kalamazoo, Mich FOR SALE BY UVI. G. Yelvington, SMITH FIELD, N. C. You NEED IT. It is Ciood to have on hand. X 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. MADE AND FOB SALB BV J B MOZ1NGO, Smlthfleld, N. C. For sale by Hood Bros., Smithfleld; Haywood Price, Beulah township: Hare & Son, Set ma, N. C.; W. E. Smith, Micro, N. C.; (3. F. Wood ard, Princeton; Alex, Edgerton, Pinkney; Pope Bros., near Kenly; J. It. Kains. Bagley. March 1ft?tf NEW MILLINERY. Go to II. W. Mitchell's for bar Cains in fancy millinery goods. Hats Trimmed to order -BY Miss Annie Glisson, a special saleslady. Call and see us before buying elsewhere. Respectfully, Miss Claudia Mllchell. CLAYTON, N. C. THIS IS The New Number 8 Domestic Sewing Machine, FOB SALE BY J. M. BEATY, 8MITHFIELI), N. C. OPIUM C0CAINE antlWHISKY I lUlvl Habit* Cured at four home or at AAnitorium. Best off reffrrenFf* Book on Home Tra ntment **it FREE A deftest B. M. WOOl KY, M. D., Bo* 33, Atlanta. Oa. Our clubbing offer of The Her ald and the Atlanta semi-weekly Journal for f 1.50 is withdrawn. No more subscriptions will be taken at this price.