North Carolina Newspapers

THE GUNMAKER i OF AtOSCOW. | By | SYLVANOS COBB, JR. 3 KWAmk VrttofeMk O CiflAPTF.R XVI. THWABtkh. cut not srm-OFT). It was long nfter midnight, ?n8 yet the Widow Nevei had not so^gM lier bed. She was now pac ing to anil fro across her kitchen, fed the boy Paul sat nodding in hi* cl .tli. Suddenly the woman stup 1 d, and Paul -i n ? <1 up. "l)o you think tiiat message was a false one?'' she ngked, looking the boy hi the fare. "I don't know," he returned. "If he game from the black monk, as ho said he did, then I think he spoke the truth." "Oh, they would not have de cei#ijd me." "No, my mistress; I am sure they wopjd not." "But it is very late." "Hark! There are bells." The widow heard them, and, with a wildly fluttering hcawt, she sank into A chair. "They have stopped in front of the house," uttered l'aul, whose ears were bent. "Go?go?open"? Paul started. The widow heard the door opened, and she heard voltes in the hull. In * moment more the inner door was opened, end she looked up. She saw a tnan lv form; she heard the magic word "Mother!" trembling upon the air. With one low cry of joy she started to her feet, and in the next moment she was clasped to the bosom of her son. "Did I not fell you I'd bring him bask to you?" cried Vladimir, rub bing his hands with joy. "Oh, God b'es you, sir!" the wid ow murmured, gazing through her tears into the monk's fsee. "So, so," returned the strange man. "The blessing of an honest 6onl is reward enough for one night, to I'll take myself oil for the pres ent." "No, no," cried Ruric. "You'll remain here till morning." But the monk could not lie pre vailed upon so to do. He had busi ness to attend to, and he could not stop, and he hurried away as quickly as possible to avoid the thanks that were showered upon liirn. After Vladimir was gone Ruric sat down and related to his mother all that had occurred since that day on which he left her to go and see the count. She trembled fearfully m he related the diabolical attempts that had been made upon him, and when he had concluded she sat for a few moments like one in a painful trance. "And do you think," she said at length, while n cold shudder ran through her frame, "that the Duke of Tula was the cause of all this ?" "1 am sure of it, mv mother." "Then you are not sate yet." "But I shall see the emperor." "1 have seen him. my son." "Ah! And what said he?" "Why, he said if we could find out who had done you harm he would punish them. Then 1 asked him, "Suppose it was a duke V and he said in tliat case he should have to look into the matter. Oh, 1 fear he would not dare to punish the powerful Olgn." "Perhaps not, but yet, my moth er, 1 will give him credit for tetter things. Vet," the youth continued in a sad tone, "there ie one for whom I care more than self and who is now within the wicked duke's power. Oh. she is his beyond any pdwer of the emperor!" "Not absolutely beyond his pow er, is she?" the mother asked. "Why, of course, Peter haa tire power to set aside any wardship, hut 'twould not te policy for him to in terfere in the domestic affairs of his j owerful nobles. 1 feel sure that jiis heart would bid him interfere, btw his judgment would oppose it. Ytu have so. n Rosalind?" "Yes." "And w , i .nhappy when she knew 'hat 1 v ,s t i-sing?" "Ah, IIu V returned the moth e.. with a b lit ? eye, "you do not know how that noble girl loves you! | Ob, her h . rt was almost broken j when she km v that evil had tefall- ! en you 1" The wi' v 1 1 it in her mind to tell o,f tin oene v ,ich had transpir ed upon the duke's coming into the | maiden's pr< -once when 6hc w-as ] il ? re, bu! thought a second time ere she s; ' e. end she then conclud ed not to rpsi of it at present, foi she knew :! 1 only serve to give her son i oional pain without be stowing any benefit. uttered Ruric at i t! i end a ti bled reverie and at' ti -a i ' - claeplaj his hands v ? u.cii ?? together, "waa ever man, in 'im : v impenetrable mys nr i fi. ? i ii - monk is surely a good Da; JIj has served me well, slli would serve me | more if opportunity ottered. Win irlio is lie? life y >u found out nil* thing concerning him?" "4 hare not, my eon." "Hut is it not strange ?" "li u." And sothcv conversed u-ntal theii drooping lida would no longer re main apart, and then, having finet rendered up their thanks to God and asked his help for the future, they retired to their respective places of rost. Ituric had strange dreams, and for the life of him he could not tell whether they were good or bad. Once he dreamed that he was a duke himself and that he had a wife whose face he had never seen. She would not raise her veil until the j ceremony was performed. Then she removed the obstruction, and ituric started on beholding the face of Vladimir, the monk! And then Vladimir seemed to say, "All this 1 1 have done for thee. Do you like it?" And Ruric dared not object, bccuuse Vladimir had done so much for him. And now while Ruric awakes j <rom his dreams and wonders wlrnt they mean let us look in and see what is going on in the ducal palace. It was early morning, and the \ Duke of Tula was once irvore in his own private apartment. lie had not slept well, for he, too, had had dreams, and they were troublesome ones. They hung about him even now, and they filled his mind with | dark and gloomy forebodings. lie paced to and fro across the apart ment, sometimes stopping and bow ing his head and then starting on again with new clouds upon his brow. Thus he walked and pondered until he was aroused by a stealthy footfall close bv the door. He stop ped and listened, lie knew the step. 'Twas the one lie had been waiting j for. He moved to the door and opened it, and the humpbacked | priest, Savotano, entered the apart ment. "By St. Paul, Savotano, I feared you would never come," the duke uttered as his workman closed the door behind him. "I would have come sooner if I could, my lord, but even now it is early morning. The sun is hardly above the city walls." "Well, it is early, I know, but I have not slept'well." "I have not slept at all, my lord." "No, Savotano. Von look worn and weary. But you have been at work." "Ave; I have." "And you have come to tell me j the result of that work. ? Does it move you so to do such work ? 1 thought you were used to it ?" The priest gassed into his master's face, but he did not speak. "Hah!" uttered Olga contemptu ously. "What is the killing of a man? But tell me, did you conceal the body so that no one will find it?" It was some moments before Sa votano spoke. His frame trembled, and his hands worked nervously to gether. Rut at length be said in a hesitating tone: "He is Dot dead, my lord." "Not dead yet? But you promis ed me he should be." "1 know, but we could not do it." "Bah ! 1 gave you credit for more firmness. Not kill a man? What is there so terrible in that ?" "You misunderstood me, my lord. We did all we could toward killing him, but he escaped us." "Hold!" cried the duke, starting forward and grasping the priest by the shoulder. "You do not mean that Ruric Nevel has escapdd you?" "He has, my lord." "But not entirely. You do not mean that he has fairly gone from out your hands?" "He has, my lord. But listen"? "Listen, thou bungler! By the saints, what story can you tell to make that smooth and reasonable? You had him in your power, and you should have kept him." "But, my lord, the devil himself is working for that man. We went j last night to kill the fellow, and 1 } waited all of two hours for Totina and Viska, but the rascals did not come, and 1 engaged others." "And did they prove treacher ous?" cried Olga in sudden passion. "No, my lord; they did their best, but thev were interrupted bv that accursed monk, who came bucked by some dozen men." "What! Do you mean that Vladi mir came there?" "Yes." "And with a band of armed men?" "Yes." "Then, by the gods, there's treachery somewhere." "1 know not what to think, mv lord," returned Suvotano in Hn un easy, perplexed tone. "The only men who are absent are I.esko Tot ma and Frederic Viska, and they arc surely our best men." "But you see plainly that there must have been treachery," exclaim ed the duke passionately. "Oh, how I would like to know the man I And did this monk carry off the gun maker?" "lie did. And Le captured four i of our men. I escaped without be inwen." '"That is for? unate"? "I mean tliat I lie monk did not see inc. nor did aiiv of his followers. Rut lie gunmaker muv ma" 'Ami ilo vou ll iiik he mistrusted | you hud any h.i.-J in the matter -of his imprisonment?" "1 siAiuld jst! :o so," r-'turncd the pri'-t, willi 11 | ecu liar twinge of vengeance about the lips. '"The vil lain knocked n;e down. "iial" "Ave; the moment he raw me." "But do you think he knows any thing about it ?" "No. 1 do not think he does. lie can only suspect." "Then we'll be prepared for hiin j if your own men are to be depended upon. But leave that to ine. I'll fix that matter with the emperor. I'll see him this very day, and be sure he shall have a story that ean destroy all evidence which these fellows can hatch up." "But I must flee, my lord." "Not yet, Savotano. 1 must have yoirr help with in n very short time. Bv the true (iod, I swear that the Countess Rosalind Valdai shall be mv wife within the present week. I'll place tire seal of fact upon that matter at once. Fear not, for 1 know iny influence over the emperor will shield you from al'l harm. Why, Peter would sooner lose his right hand than lose roc." "Then most surely I will remain, my lord, for 1 much wish to perform that ceremony for you. But who is this black monk?this Vladimir?" The duke started across the floor, and for some moments lie continued pacing to and fro. When he stop ped, he brought his hands together with an energetic movement, and, looking the priest sternly in the face, he said: "Let that monk be who he may, whether man or devil, God or saint. I'll destroy him! I have the power, and I'll use it. As warden of the city I have the power to arrest him upon suspicion of conspiracy. I'll do it! Where is he now ?" "1 know not." "Never mind; I'll to the emperor first. I'll study my p'an, and ere the sun sets it shall he carried out. By heavens, I'll he Ladled thus no more. I could have wished that this gun maker had been quietly out of the way, for then all would have been clear and plain, and I should not have feared the trouble of his clam oring about my ears. But let him go. 1 would not give much for the life he has left. I'll dispose of him soon. But that monk I By heavens, he dies at once and without consul tation with the emperor, for I can swear he is a conspirator." "Good!" ejaculated the priest. And thus the business was ar ranged for the present. Passion helped the duke wondrously in his conclusions, and the wish was made into the power. But even before the priest left the stout nobleman began to wish that he had a very lit tle more power. In fact, as he came to reason he began to doubt, but he gave up not one idea of the plan he had formed for the vengeance his soul so madly craved. CHAPTER XVII. TRANSACTIONS OF A NIGHT. "I dare not! Oh. I dare not1" "But it is your only hope." "And whither shall we go?" "Anywhere rather than remain here. Oh, my mistress, if you do stay here you know the fate which awaits you. There is no other means of escape from the wicked duke's power." "And I must thus east myself among strangers, lose my all of earth"? "Hold, Rosalind 1 By St. Paul, there is surely one in Moscow who will help you! I*et us go to the em peror. Oh, if he be the man I have heard, he will surely listen 1" "Ah, Zenobie, the duke is high in power, and his influence is great at court. Peter would not dare to thwart him." "It may be so, but I do not believe it. And yet, my mistress,-just think for one moment how you stand in that respect. You have nothing to lose. This life of earth, with all its pains and sorrows and with it - most exquisite tortures, holds nothing worse for you within the bounds of possibility than to become the duke's wife. If there were but one | chance in the thousand, you had ! belter try it. Remembe r, you can not possibly lose anything, but the chances are for you. Let us go to the emperor." "But how. Zenobie?" "This evenin". after the darkness of night ha? gu;!n i, J over the city, let us go. I t<'.! vui ! do no: believe the emperor will d iibc-itelv s ilr; r a great wrong to il for the sake of pacifying the d :ke lie hus more nobic indepen! are than that." The young countess did not an swer at once. She pressed her small ! white hand hard upo,n her brow, and thus she remained for some time buried in profound thought At | ?II ?!:? r I her head, and the : re of i . [ci iii.1.1! i'lii was in her eye. "I v.. ' ^ 1." she said. "I* will go ? lie wiR help me if el * a I 11 un li irt." "Vn.i one satisfaction, my listp * ? in <ai !.<?! harm yuu." "Cannot ?" "I mean that you can, but be made to marry with 01;: . and all other harm would be as 110 hing compared with that." "Aye; you are r'-M, "enobie. We will go this very r i ht." The more Rosalind pondered up on this new resolve the more hope did she derive from it. Ere long she conversed more freely with her at tendant, and at times that old smile would struggle for a moment upon her face. Yet she had gloomy mo ments too. Her fear was too deeply fixed to be swept away so easily. Hie afternoon passed away, and as the shades of night gathered over the great city the two girls were astir. Zenobie gathered together such articles of clothing as would he needed and then proceeded to pre pare her mi.-dress for the adventure. "Fear not," she said as she drew on Rosalind's robe of fur, "for there can be 110 danger worse than that we flee from. Try only to remember that you floe from the duke's foul embrace." This served to nerve the fair young countess up to the task, and her frame ceased its trembling. "I shall not falter now," she said. "Hut shall we find the emperor at this late hour?" "Bless me, 'tis not late! But even if we do not see him tonight we can do it in the morning. We shall find plenty in the imperial palace who will shelter us till then." The girls were now ready, and all that remained was to start on their strange mission. With noiseless steps they left the apartment where they hail dressed and proceeded along the corridor to the great stair case. Zenobie knew there would be less danger there than to go down the other way among the servants. Having descended these stairs, they came to the great hall which opened one way into the saloons. They took the former course and were soon in the court. The only trouble now was in passing the porter's lodge at the gate, for they knew the great gate was not open, and to gain the street they must pass through the room where the porter always staid. Zenobie went ahead and look ed in. The porter sat by the fire playing with his dog. "My mistress," whispered the girl as she came hack, "old John is in the lodge, and we need have no fear. He is a simple, good natured fellow, and I ain sure I can get by him. Do you go in advance; cover up your face; don't look at him, and be sure you don't tremble. Leave it all to me. Rfmember, now, you have"? "Fear not, Zenobie. Go on." So on they went, and when they reached the lodge lb>salind went in first and stood by the wicket, while Zenobie followed and opened the door that looked into the porter's room. "Good John," ?he uttered in anx ious tones, "come and open the wi<!k et for me, quick. My good mistress is very ill, and Tilda and I are going for the doctor. Come; be quick." "But why don't some of the men go?" asked John as he started up and forced his dog back. "Because 'twould take them lon ger to do the errand than 'twill us. But don't detain us. We shan't be long." The honest porter had orders not to allow the countess to pass out, but he thought not of that now. He had known the gentle girl from a child, and so well did he love her that he might not have stopped her even had he known she was then waiting to pass out. At all events, he could not refuse the present re quest, so he came out and opened tlfe wicket without further ques tion, and the girls passed through. "Now, now," uttered Zenobie in nervous haste, "we are clear of the palace. Here is the street. Our walk is not long." Rosalind answered not; but. draw ing her robe more closelv about her to keep out the cold, biting wind, she hastened along by the side of her companion. Hope was now alive wi'hin her. She turned one glance behind her, and she could see the .?g!:. which she had left burning in Iter chamber. It seemed at that mo ment to !>e the ficrv eye of a demon gazing after her, and in-tinqtively -he quickened her pi: c. ? ?????? Twice during the day did tlse Jtuke of Tula call at the imperial I a'.ace without b ing ab'c to find the emperor, but in the evening he was mere for; , c.t'" The <1 peror was ru, an J tilga ?j.- ii'.milled Ht. once to his pre.-i r.oc. "Well, niv 'oid ?! ' iid Pi'ter as Oiga upproHi "it business calls you from home it tin- hour?" "Business of im .. ru m e, sire? business of less num. ut to me tiiun to the state." "Ah! Proceed." Onlv two attendants were with the emperor. one of whom ifns t> metriu.i Hftv Greet. ami the place of audit nc< was in one of llie private ^ttr: nr iTf- agar the Utlel.aiula'r. where o^ili [>r?iloged ones were e\er Eiltrnvetl o i'mne. "tiire,' tai'nit need the dube, ?you remember the gimnmkorwho was before )xwi sot long since?" "Ah, yea?the arte wbo nxrk my Greek's swwrti from liim?" "The same, sire. Have you heard from him aince?" "By my soul, Olga, I had well nigh forgotten the fellow. \ es, yes; I remenrtier him well now. He was a right stout knave." "Aye, and a dangerous erne, too, sire?a dangerous man," said the duke, with a dubious 3hake of his head. "Ah! WTiat has he done?" "Why, he has been engaged in va rious robberies to my certain knowl edge, and only a few evenings since he knocked dawn one of our holy priests and robbed him of all he had. He is at the head of a numer ous band of desperadoes." "Is it possible?" "I know; ft, 6ire." "By St. l'aul, I should not have believed this!" "Nor wfiild I have believed it, ' sire, had 1 not received proofs not : to he quesHoned. I, as is my ditty, have long been anxious to ferret out 1 this gang of robbers"? "But I never heard of them, 01- ' ga," interrupted Peter. "Ah, sire, because I gave direc tion that you should not he troubled with the alfair. But 1 have them 1 now. It is only last evening that I got a clew uyion them. We found i them in an old building near the river her.' in the Kremlin, and this i same Iturie Nevel was with them. 1 But he made his escape." "I do retnember me now that the : fellow lrarf a bold hearing and a fearless look," said the emperor half j to himself, "and if such a man turns villain tlfcre must be danger in it." "Aye, sire, you speak truly, and now, with your order, I can appre hend the feliow at once." "I can send and have it done, my dear duke." "But your officers may not find I him. I know where he is and can have him taken at once. He has j several hiding places." "Well, then you might do the | work with more advantage." "Aye, and I can have him tried j and "disposed of without further trouble to you, sire." "No, no, I wish to see him," re turned the emperor. "I will give you the nesessitry order, and you may bring him here." Peter then turned to his secreta ry and balls him fill an order for Ru ffe N evel's arrest. The stout mas ter at arms looked on with a trou bled countenance, and his glances toward the duke were anything but loving. He did not seem to relish the business at all, and the expres sion of his countenance would seem to indicate that he did not believe all that th.e duke had said. However, the order was soon i made out and in the duke's posses sion. "Remember," said Peter, "you will bring him before me." "You shall be obeyed, sire." If the emperor did not notice the strange, dark look of the duke 1 m he turned away, the Greek did, and he fancied, too, that he knew what it meant. But he said nothing the$. Olga bowed low ta he clutched the , order, and, having once more prom ised obedience, ha hurried from the imperial presence. As he passed out through the aide court he walk ad slowly ahd t ho eight fully and with his head bowed. But soon he start ed up, his hands came together with an emphatic movement, and lie mov ed on more quickly. He had gained the street and approached a small oourt within which stood a house f>f enter?mtiment, where he stopped. In a few moments more a man came out from the inn, and as soon as he had satisfied himself that the new comer was fhe duke he spoke. "Olga, m't you ?" "Y est," It netfded but a 6inglc glance in the dim starlight to recognize the form of the humpbacked priest. He walked quickly to where the duke stood, and the two moved off to gether. "Now what luck?" Savotaflo ask ed as the gained the street once more. "Good?as good as I could even hope," returned the duke. "I have the powr for arresting the gun maker." "And for executing him ?" "It amounts to the same. 1 am ordered to bring him before the em peror, but that is easily managed." Here the duke stopped and gazed about him, and then, bending his head so that no word could possibly pass beyond his companion's ears, he continued: "You can call upon three of your best men,and I can furnish two from among my own servants. Early in the morning, by the time the sun is up, tney must oa at tne gunmaaers dvqllini;. Thcv must make him un ,jfv?of course he will resist?and tlven kill him. It is very cni'ple-? very. Thev cun easily <Ii>|m11*hr hiin thus, ami then we have only to (fell the emperor tllal he resisted the im perial authority even unto deittti. So, you see, this is even better th^n it would have been had I received direct authority for his death, for then some form of trial would have been necessary, but now we have only to go to his house, provoke him tp quarrel, kill him and then tell the emperor how it happened. What think you?" "Why," returned the priest, with a wicked chuckle, "I can only say that Master Nevel is done for?he is a dead man." "Exactly. Nothing could be bet ter?nothing." After the explanation of thia fiendish, hellish scheme the two walkgd on some distance in silence. "Stop!" uttered the duke, catch ing hrs companion by the arm, "'] nere come two persons this way. We must not meet them. Hece? into this passage?quick!" It was a narrow, dark passage leading U> the next street, into which the duke dragged his compan ion, and here he meant to remain until the two persons had passed. The fact was the duke did not wish to be seen with the priest at that hour in the street, and it is no mat ter of surprise that he should at that moment have been influenced by guilty fear. The two pedestrians came on and passed the spot where (he men stood. They were females, and one of them the priest saw in the face. The features were upturn ed to the 6tarlight, and he recogniz ed them. He caught the duke quick ly and nervously by the arm. "By the host of heaven," he whis pered, " 'twas the countess!" "Rosalind ?" gasped Olga. "Yes, as sure as death!" "Then come, quick!" Savotano understood the mean ing of this, and he followed the duke quickly out. At a few bounds Olga reached the females, and one of them he caught by the arm. She uttered a sharp, quick cry, and as she turned her face up she revealed the fair features of the Countess Rosalind Valdai. The priest had no need to stop the other girl, for she stopped of her own accord as soon as she found that her mistress was captured. "Aha!" Olga uttered when he saw that pale face. "What now, eh? Where are you bound at this un seemly hour?" U uoa v it was all tne poor girl could utter. She taw the dark face of her hated and feared guardian, ond the last glimmer of hope faded from her goul. "By my soul," the duke resumed, fastening his grip surely upon the maiden's arm, "it is fortunate 1 have found you, for you might have fall en into difficulty else. You were bound for the imperial palace, eh ?" At first Rosalind thought of struggling for escape, but she lelt the strong grip upon her arm, and she knew that such a movement could result only in her own harm. "Say," repeated the duke, "were you not bound for the palace ?" "Aye, proud duke, 1 was," the countess replied, gazing up into the man's face. "I was trying to es cape from your accursed power P* Aha! But come; we'll turn to ward home^ You'll be better off there. Ana this is our little Zeno bie, is it ?" The attendant looked up, but she made no reply. Then Olga turned to the priest. "Savo'tano, hurry off your men in the morning, and then come to me. I'll have work for you tomorrow. By St. Paul, the work delays no longer!" And then, with a sinking, break ing heart, Rosalind Valdai was led back toward the ducal palace. TO UK CONTINUED. Diplomacy. >,*7'r- I ?, ? Butcher?Are you sure that your mother said a pound of the toughest Rtcak i have In my shop? "Yes, 'cos father he's got poor teeth, and If I takes back tender steak he'll eat the lot, but If It's tough the rest on us will 'ave a chance of getting some." The Herald and HomcS Farm ">np year for $1.25.