THE OUNMAKER j
OF MOSCOW. |
By I
SYLVANUS COBB, JR. S
CHAPTER XVIII.
(TRANCE AND COMPLICATED.
Rtiric Nevel dreamed that he was
s great general and that-he was up
on the eve of an engagement. lie
gained a view of the commander of
the opposing army, and he saw that
it was the I >uke of Tula. Yet the
duke hud mi enormous hump upon
his hack, and instead of the usual
uniform lie wore the garb of a
priest. This was very strange?at
least so run Rurie's thoughts in the
dream. Soon the engagement com
menced, and the loud mouthed ar
tillery opened, its thunder. The din
was deafening and strange, and Ru
ric shouted in vain to his aids, for
the roar of cannon.drank up his
words direct from his lips. Louder
and more loud grew the crash, and
finally Ruric started for the charge.
His horse was shot under him, and,
with a quick leap, he reached his
feet.
"Ruric, Ruric, my master!"
Slowly the youth opened his eyes,
and I'uul stood by him in his night
clothes. lie gazed about him and
found that he had leaped from his
bed and now stood shivering upon
the floor.
"Don't, you hear that racket at
the door?" asked Paul.
"What? 11a! There is some one
knocking," Ruric uttered as he
heard the sound.
"And have you not heard it be
fore?"
?No."
"Why did you leap up thus?"
"1 was dreaming.
"1 thought 'twas the noise below.
Why, they've been making a perfect
thunder of noiso down there. Shull
1 go down ?"
"Yes. go, Paul, and I will dress
as soon jis possible. What time is
it?"
"It must be near daybreak."
Ami thus speaking Paul turned
and went to his own room, where lie
threw on an outer garment, and ]
then he went down. At the door he
found a stout man wrapped up iq
furs, while close by stood a sledge
with two horses attached to it. In
the cast the golden tints of morn
were already visible.
"A giiritnaker named Novel lives
here, does he not?" asked the apj li
cant after having first made some
passing remark on the trouble he
fiad had in starting some one up.
Paul feared that there might be
something out of the way, hut he i
dnr< ' i ' t 11 a falsehood where it J
could not possibly be of any use, so |
he answered in the affirmative.
"Then let me see him as speedily
as possible."
"IP preparing to come down,
eir. !' - ou will walk in, you may
see 1 iii \ei ? soon."
The stranger followed the boy in- j
to the kitchen, where it was quite
warm, the lire in the furnace hav
ing hcen burning all night. Kre
long Boric -ame downwind the vis
itor started up.
"Iiowl" uttered the gunmaker,
starting forward and extending his J
hand. "Demetrius V'
"Ave, my friend," the Greek re- [
plied, with a smile. "I am an early j
visitor, eli.
"1 shouiu say so. But early or
late \ ' i are welcome."
"T! you. But we must not
spend much time here now. My j
sledge is here at your door, and 1 \
wish you to accompany me."
"But wherefore is this?" asked j
the youth in surprise. "What ha." ;
happen.d now?"
"I'll tell you. Last night Olga, j
the duke, came to see the emperor. ]
1 hud just been giving his majesty
some cm r sp at the sword, so 1
was pr ent at the interview. The
duk ? ' for pow# to arrest you,
and iii explanation of the request
lie si it you were at the head
of a h lei robbers here in the city ! 1
and i ' hi ' id already committed ( '
sever, r r: -. 1 needn't tell you i
all he said, but he made you out to
be a most unmitigated villain, and,
with thi. ; e emperor granted his 1
request. Oiga wished for power to |
execute you ui once, but Peter would
not go so far as that, lie gave the
power of arrest, but ordered the
duke to bring you before him." 1
Ifuri.- stood for a few moments
like one confounded. i
"Tl: ? ' must carry me to tiio 1
emperor," he said at length.
"Ah." returned Demetrius, with a |
dubi< . kc of the head, "lie not ]
too re of that. I saw a look upon
In f ? when lie turned away that t
!? more than he dared to speak, j
As sui t as fate, he never means that'
yon s1 all eo the emperor. I know
j; I an in his evil eye." \
"B ? will he dare disolicy the or
di r ?"
"V . . r he hopes to escape by c
f How easy for him to (a
swear that he had to kill you to take
you!"
"I see, I ser 1" uttered Ituric.
"Then come with me."
"Did the emperor send you?"
"No; but I take tlie responsibili
ty. 1 will take vou to him myself.
Be sure the dukes hirelings will be
here before long Trust to me, and
all shall lie wed "
Ituric pondered a few momen's.
and he saw that hi* friend was right.
"I.ei ice go ami mi i;:\ mother,"
he said, "and then I will go with
you."
"But make hns'e." urged the
Gretk. "for the duke's men mat be I
here .*00:1. and I do not w ish tin in
to see vou. And tell your mother
to inform whoever may call 'lint -he
knows not w here you are gone, but
that \<>u will he back by night."
The vout h nodded a-sent and
then went into his mother's room,
where he explained to her what had
happened and w hat he was about to
do.
"And how long must the?e things
be?" tin' mother uttered, gnzing ea
gerlv upon her son.
"Not long," returned Rurie. "1
mat do ntueh toward nettling the
matter today. But fear not, for I
am now safe and shall be until I see
you again "
The widow promised all lluit her
son asked and soon heeumc assured
that all was well. Inn Paul was left
vvith the duty of attending to those
who might eotne for Ituric. though
they might see the widow if they
persisted The hot promised to ttl
till that asked for his master that he
was gone awat on business and
would not return till evening.
'i lii' mother runic nut beTore Itu
ric Willi readv to -tart, nuil her ox
arr.in.ition or tlio Greek's rounte
nanoo -c<'tried to li" satisfactory, for
the anxious look loft her face, and
she looked upon the visitor kindly.
As Kuric entered the sledge the
dawn of dav was plainly announced
in the enst and the stars were paling
in the sky. The Greek did not take !
the direct road to the Kremlin, hut j
struck oil' to the westward and so
entered by the Neglina.
An hour later a party of five men
drove up to the gunmaker's cot.
They wore dark, villainous looking
inon, and murder w as plainly stamp
ed upon their faces. They entered
the dwelling, hut they found not
their prey. They stormed and swore,
but to no purpose, and when they
were convinced that the gunmaker
was not there they went away.
An hour later still another par
ty drove up to the same cot. It
consisted of two men in a double
sledge, one of whom was \ ladimir,
the monk. The fat, mystic man en
tered the cot, and there lie remained
for some time. V hen he came out,
the widow and Paul accompanied
him, and they all got into the sledge
and drove off together.
What did it mean?
It was noon. The proud duke was
once more alone in his private room,
and he was pacing uneasily to and
fro. There was a cloud upon his
brow and trouble in his soul. His
lips were firmly set and his hands
clhichcd. Ever and anon he mut
tered to himself, and when he did so
his hands would work nervously and
emphatically. He looked often at
his watch, and often he stopped near
the door and hearkened.
At length came that well known
shuffling, uncertain, catlike tread
He threw open his door, and the
dark priest glided in.
"Ha, Savotano, I've waited for
you," the duke uttered, sinking into
a chair, for his nervous walking had
made him weary. "Now tell me the
work is done. Oh, for God s sake,
don't tell me again of failure!"
"Alas, my lord"?
"Hold, Savotano! By the host of
hosts, you are not going to tell me
of failure!"
"Not really a failure, my lord,
the priest returned nervously, "hut
our men did not find the gunmaker
at home. He had gone when we got
there, and no one knew where."
"No one knew? Did not his
mother know f"
"No. She said he did not tell her
where he was going. He only left,
word that he was going on business ;
and should not return till evening.' i
"By heavens, 1 think lie has lied 1
"No, my lord, 1 do not think so.
[ think lie must have had business." I
"But what time were you there?" j
"Shortly after sunrise?"
"And he gone then ?"
"Ave! lie had been gone an
hour."
"It looks suspicious. But the men
must be there this evening. He
Shall not escape nie now.'
"There is no fear <>f that, my
ord. I will sec thai iie is appre
icnded as soon as lie r turns.
"Right, huvoii.'.u . right! And now
o the other enuitcr. I am to be
narried this afternoon I
"Ah! So soon?"
"Yes; 1* waste no ntore time. |
iVhat is the use?" n
"None, my lord?none at alL
"Then you must remain, for the j
icremony "shall be performed a3 Boon
ig Dossible." - ~ ***"
"A::J ?!?>."*? 'sicm know 01
your dcicrti.m i '
"N i - SI.i k i ere she retired i
last i:i Jit I i d h r slip should
noi e-cupi avail) iiii could carry :
nn name wiih her lli the muss, i
sir, she sealed i.> r own <1 >om I Ha |
ha. ha ! T:." I'i <? of T: !. will have
his coffers 1 led a .tin M on.must
come somel.oW. hi d how else so eas
ily US ill's I'"
"Sure enough." r. i rned the
priest, with tlm. o I. i-oir o. ? : *k
td smile sure ciuo. h. in* lord ?
bow ?"
"In no way. I!o. I" I f?ut the seal
upon that budget and stamp it ?
mine! So here vou remain until I
am married. Today?unit! that cer
emony is performed I am nol sure
Itut tomorrow they cannot harm mo.
Oh, she shall be mine. Sarot^no!
Today she is my wife, tonight siie
shares mv bed, and tomorrow all
heaven and earth and hell combined
cannot undo the work. I have wait
ed long enough. I have worked and
schemed and have puzzled niv brain
to one great purpose, and yet each
step I had marked out has failed
me. D.imonofT lives, the gunmaker
lives, the black monk lives?but I.
too. live! lis! I live, Savotuno
and now the work shall be Alone in il
might have been done at first had 1
been so disposed!"
The duke had arisen to his feet
while speaking thus, and his man
ner had been franlic and excited.
As he ceased speaking he sank into
his chair and gazed the priest in the
face. He was all iron now. Kvery
nerve and muscle was set. and a
fierce determination was in his soul.
There is one more scene in the
ducal palace, and it goes- on at the
verv time while the duae and his
tool were together.
Vladimir, the monk, was in the
chamber of the countess, and the
fair occupant and her maid were
there with him.
"And you are sure he means to
make you his wife today," said the
monk in continuation of a conver
sation which had been going on for
some moments; "that he will have
the ceremony performed whether
you consent or not ?"
"Yes, sir," the countess murmur
ed. She gazed into the strange
man's face a few moments after she
had spoken, and then, starting
quickly up, she threw herself upon
her knees before him.
"Oh," she cried, with her clasped
hands raised toward him, "can you
not help me in this hitter moment?
Do not say so. Oln I know you have
some strange power, and you nay
help me. You cannot know the
misery I suffer. Oh, earth has no
pangs more cruel! In all the long
catalogue of woes there is nothing
more hitter! Sir"?and the maiden
raised both hands toward heaven as
she thus continued?"sooner than
be that man's wife I would with my
own hand let my lifeblood out were
not the act a sin against my God!
But you may help me."
"Alas, lady, I cannot assure you
now."
"Oh, say not so! Y'ou can help
me flee from here; you can find
some hiding place ? some place
where my days can be spent in safe
ty from this great evil."
" "But how can I help you away,
lady?"
"Because you know some secret
entrance to the palace. \ ou know
some secret passage, else you would
not be here now."
"True," the monk replied in a
perplexed tone, "1 do know such a
way, for by that way I came, and by
that way shall I return, but I can
not convey you away thus. I am
sorry that"?
The monk stopped here, for at
that moment a heavy footfall sound
ed without. He had started up from
his seat when the door opened and
the stout duke entered. The count
ess uttered one low, quick cry and
sank down. She would have sunk
to the floor had not Zeuobie caught
her and bore her to the couch.
The monk stoqd erect, with his
arms folded across his breast, but
his right hand was hidden within
the bosom of his robe. The duke
started back like one thunderstruck,
and it was some moments ere he
cou!d gain the power of speech.
11c turned first pale as death, and
then the blood mounted, hotly,
fiercely to his brow.
"By the living God," he gasped in
11 his?ing. frantic tone, "how came
vc !. .<? '
"'t o le. rn of yo'.'.r wickedness,
Duke of Tula," calmly responded
Vladimir.
"Ila! Do you beard me in my
very palace, dog? But you have ven
turi 1 hero once too often. As sure
as li.erc is lite iu me, you go not
hence alive!"
"Hold. Olga!" sf >!;c the monk,
ami so strange and potvc r I was the
tone that, though the duke had
turned toward the door, \ et lie stop
ped. "Thi- lady tells me you mean
to make her your wife. Is it < > ?"
"Out, accursed monk! Who g.ue
thee right to question me?"
"Bv mv soul, proud duke,
shall"know that anon. But listen
If you force this lady to that tiling,
you do it at your peril! You had
letter seek the fabled potion of the
t ods and drink und be a dog than
do that thing!"
"Hold a moment, monk!" cried
the duke, now nearly blind uith pas
sion. "You go not hence alive!
What, ho, there! Without, I say!
Zenobie, pull that bellcord?quick!
Back, innnk! You pass not here
alive! What, ho! Without, there!"
"Beware. Olga!" spoke the monk
as calmly as before, at the same time
drawing a heavy pistol from his I
bosom and cocking it. "I would
shoot vou as I would a dog! Offer
nte one motion of impediment to mv
passage, and you die cn the in
stant!"
Instinctively the duke moved to
one side. There was something in
the look and tone of the strange
man that he dared not eope with
then. The monk passed out, hut as
soon as he was gone the duke sprang
to the bellcord and pulled it till he
broke it. In a few moments more
the servants came rushing in.
"Out, dogs.'' the madman shout
ed, "and stop that monk from leav
ing the palace! Kill him on the
spot where vou find him if he dares
to offer the ieast resistance! Kill
him! You have my orders, and I
am alone responsible!"
Thus speaking, the duke rushed
from the apartment to start up
more of his household. First to the
gate of th.e court he went. But the
monk was uot there, nor had he
been there. Then he rushed to the
postern, but that was locked, and
the snow was untrodden before it.
lie returned to the hall, and one by
one the servants came back from
the search.
No mona could be found!
At first Olga was tempted to be
ueve that his servants deceived him.
But he quickly set that thought
aside, for lie could see by their coun
tenances that thev were as much
astonished as he. The search was
renewed, but the strange man was
not to be found! There was some
wonder and some uneasiness.
CHAPTER XIX.
CONCLUSION.
Pale as death sat the fair young
countess in her dressing room. She
did not tremble now, for every nerve
had become fixed in utter despair.
"Will you not change your dress, i
my mistres's?" asked Zenobie in a
low, tremulous tone.
"Xo, no," the maiden replied, and
her voice sounded strangely even in
her own ear, it was so low and hol
low. "Why should I dress for the |
sacrifice ? The dumb beast may suf- i
fer garlands about its neck before ^
being led to the heathen altar, but,
alas, God has not given me a brute's
ignorance to help me now. Xo, no, (
Zenobie; I will not dress for the
bride."
"But the duke expects it."
"1 care not. lie cannot ask me to
do it. He may do all he wills, for I
am helpless here, but he dare not
ask."
"Oh, my dear mistress!" cried the
faithful girl, throwing her arms'
about the neck of her mistress and
weeping as she did so, "would to
God that I could bear this for you."
"I thank you all the 6ame, my
best of friends,"- the countess re-1
plied, gazing gratefully up into her
attendant's face. "But it matters!
not much now. I shall not suffer
long. My sorrow will soon cease."
Zenobie looked inquiringly up,
but she did not speak.
"God will soon take me home,"
the wretched maiden murmured aft
er a pause. "I feel the chill hand j
upon my heart even now, and I j
know that earth cannot bind my |
spirit long with such a curse upon
it."
Zenobie had no more words of con
solation to offer, so she did all she
could do. She drew the head of her I
mistress upon her bosom, and there
she held it for a long time. She held
it thus until the door of the apart- j
ment was opened and a female 4I0-!
mestic entered.
"Lady," the newcomer said, trein-1
bling perceptibly while she spoke,
"the duke bade me tell you he
awaited your coming below in the j
hall." j'
She stopped here and seemed to <
wait for an answer. But Rosalind '
did not speak. '
"What, answer shall I give him.
lady?" '
At this the countess started up, 11
but she sank back again without <
speaking.
"Tell him we will come," inter
posed Zenobie, who saw that the an- 1
nouncement had taken the last pow
er of effort from her mistress. 1
"Yes, yes." whispered the count- 1
ess as the messenger hesitated and
gazed inquisitively into her face. I
And with this the woman left the
apartment. 1
"My dear mist re--," spoke Zeno- 1
hie, now calling all her power of self ;
control to her aid, "all means of j
help and escape we have tried in '
vain. The time has come"? <
"O God, have mercy!" groaned
the countess. *
?"and we must meet it, since
there is no further hope. It will be
better to go down at once than to
arouse the bad man's anger by more
delay. Were there the least glim
mer of hope, we would not go. But
there is not. You know what 1
mean."
A few moments Rosalind sat like
one dead. Then she started up, with
her hands clasped, and raised her
eyes toward heaven. She did not
speak aloud, but her lips moved,
and she surely uttered a prayer to
God, and it was none the less elo
quent because it was silent. Then
she turned to her companion. Iler
lips were set and eoloriess. and a
deathly look had overspread . her
whole face.
"Zenobie," she said in a tone
which bore no feeling more than
the gliding of a cold, icy sound, "1
am ready. Once mere, before the
last joy of earth departs from me.
let me bless thee and press thee to
my bosom. 1 am pure now!"
She opened her arms as she spoke,
and when she closed them again Ze
nobie was within their embrace.
"Bless you, bless you ever! God
keep and guide you to the end of
life and then receive you home to
himself! Kiss me. There. 1 err
ready now!"
The broken hearted girl wiped thi
tear from her eve, and in a motnon
more she was as cold and passionless ;
as before.
"Lead on. Zenobie. 1 -hill walk
without help."
Without looking around the Mo
lem maiden led the way to the ha'l
She walked slowlK and site fancied
she could hear the heating of hct
mistress' heart. In the hull stoou
the duke with some half dozen of his
own mule attendants, lie took the
hand of the countess us site ap
proached him and gazed earnestly
into her face, but he did not speak.
He led her toward one of the draw
ing rooms, and when they entered
there they found the humpbacked
priest already in waiting, liosalind
came well nigh fainting when she
sai\ this miserable villain ready for
his work. She knew now that the
priest was like the master.
"You see, my dear countess,"
spoke the duke in a low, hypocritical
tone, "that we have all prepared. I
trust we shall have no trouble be
fore this holy mail."
This last sentence was spoken in
a threatening tone, but it had no
effect upon Rosalind. She hardly
heard the words he spoke.
"Come, father," said Olga, turn
ing now to the priest. "We are
ready."
Savotano moved forward and
mumbled a Latin praver. Then he
looked upon the twain before him
and directed them to kneel.
"No. no, no!" gasped the fair
countess trembling for the first
time. 'I cannot do thati"
Kneel! hissed the duke between
his clinched teeth, and as he spoke
he grasped the maiden more firmly
by the arm and forced her down.
She uttered a quick cry of pain as
she felt the unmerciful grip, but
she could not resist the strong arm
of her persecutor.
Now go on!" the duke cried as
he held the maiden down. "Go on
Savotano, and let the business be
done as soon as possible "
"Hold!"
It was a voice of thunder which
yoke thus, and it came from the
door The duke started to his feet
and he beheld Ruric Nevcl, the gun
maker, approaching the spot. But
the youth came not alone. Behind
him came the huge bulk of Vladi
mir, the monk, and more still, back
of the monk came the widow, Clau
dia Ngvel, and the bov, raul, and
then there were, besides all this, a
heavy tramp of feet in the hall and
the clang of steel.
' ?toP this accursed mock
ery ! Ruric shouted as he strode up
the apartment.
"Miserable dog!" gasped the duke,
mad and frantic with rage. "How
dare you come hither ?"
"Look ye, proud duke," the monk
interposed, coming quickly forward;
"1 am at the bottom of all thia. I
have come to stop this foul work
Rosalind had started to her feet
when she first heard Ruric's voice,'
and now, as the monk spoke, a ray
of hope darted to her soul, and,
with a quick bound, she reached her
lover s side.
"Ruric, Ruric!" It was all sho
rould say, and, with a flood of tears .
she pillowed her head upon his bos
om, and his stout arms were wound
fondly about her.
'Tear not," he whispered, "for
Vb Rosalind, thou art safe now." ' I
The mad duke saw the movement,
and, with a bitter curse, he started' I
toward them.
"Now, by the living gods," he
'houted, with his fists clinched and '
bis eyes flashing fire, "vou have'
pome to your death! What, ho,
Ihere. Without! Slaves, where are
fe r
In a moment more the side door
was thrown open, and a dozen of the
lukc s servants came rushing in.
Ha! Olga cried. "You are in
:une- Seize these dogs! Kill them
on the 6 pot if they offer one act or
resistance. At them now! Down
with the dogs!"
"Hold!" It was Vladimir who
spoke, and every arm dropped as
they heard that voice. It was dif
ferent from the voice they had
heard the fat monk use before. <
The duke started as though a
thunderbolt had burst at his feet. .
"Who art thou?" he gasped, stag
gering farther back.
"Olga, duke of Tula," spoke the
monk in tones which sounded
strange for him, because they were
so different from those he had been
wont to use, "I am thy master!"
As he 6poke he threw open the
long black robe which enveloped his
person and cast it upon the floor at
his feet, and there it lay, a huge
pile of wadding and stuffing! The
vast rotundity of person was gone,
and the strange man now stood in
his own fair form. His chin?that
prominent chin?was no more hid
den, and he was but a small man?
not much larger than the boy Paul,
who stood near him. Next he placed
his hand to his head and tore away
the tight skullcap, and the ring of
gray hair came away with it, leaving
a cluster of glossy hair floating
down over the neck and shoulders!
"Great God of mercy," gasped Sa
votano, staggering back, "it is the
emperor!"
"Aye," cried Peter, turning his
darkly flashing eve upon the stag
gering duke, "I am your emperor!
Paul, go and call the guard."
The boy hastened from the pal
ace, and when he returned he was
followed by a party of the Imperial
guard.
"Mercy, mercy, sire!" gasped the
duke, sinking down on his knees.
But the emperor answered him
not. He only turned to his guard
and bade them secure the duke and
the foul priest.
Rosalind Valdai gazed upon the
transformed man until the strange
truth worked its way to her strug
gling mind, and then she turned
onee more to Ruric. She gazed up
into his face, and she saw the holy
smile which rested there. The joy
ful truth came to her now, and, with
one long, low cry of frantic hope
and bliss, she sank upon her noble
lover's bosom. She could not speak.
She could only cling closely and
more close to her loved protector,
and, with her head pillowed close by
the heart that beat for her, she wept
away all the grief of her opened
soul.
? "Olga," spoke the emperor after
the nobleman had been firmly
bound, "your race of iniquity is
run."
"No, no, sire!" the duke cried in
humble, supplicating tones. "Say
not so! In this single thing I may
have been wrong, but let mv mad,
consuming love be some palliation
for my offense. Oh, you will not
crush me with public shame for
this! You will not cast from you
one who loves you well!"
"Oh, miserable man," uttered Pe
ter, with a look of utter contempt
upon the base wretch, "add not per
jury to your already accumulated
crimes! Hark ye, some months
since I knew there was conspiracy
in my capital, anc'. 1 knew there was
much of evil, too, which was never
reported to me. I resolved to ferret
it out, and to that end I meant to
mingle among my people without
their knowing me. So I had that
robe made and so stuffed and wad
ded that I could even hide my chin
in the seeming fat. 1 assumed the
garb, and my own master at arms
did not at first know me. Once in
awhile I made ray page assume the
garb and be seen in it about the
city, and thus all thought of sus
pecting me was cut off. 1 have been
at the work, Olga, and I have found
out all I sought. It was mere acci
dent that first threw me in the way
of this young gunmaker, and it was
by accident, too, that 1 overheard
the Count Damonoff and his com
panion discussing the subject of
their mission to the gunmaker's
shop. Of course I followed that
scheme up, and I should have
snatched our fair young countess
from your grasp ere this had 1 not
been desirous of arriving at another
point first. Perhaps you know that
the Prince: - Sophia and the Minis
ter Gallitzi:i have planned a grand
overturn of my throne? Ah! You
tremble! And now, my noble duke,"
the emperor continued in a deeper
tone, "1 have learned of your own
guilt in that affair. Oh, you do love
me, do you ? Rut I know you now.
Two of your tools are in my hands.
They are named Totma and Viska.
They have made a full confession,
and I now know all your villainies.
I know what you have planned
against this noble countess and
against her noble lover. 1 know
what you planned against the Count
Damonoff, nnd 1 know, too, what
you have planned against your em
peror. Not a word, sir! You are
the Duke of Tula no more. A more
worthy man wears the ducal coronet
l'rotn this hour. Ruric Nevel shall
assume the station you have dis
(Conc luded on Seventh Page.)