Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Pl '^e Gui ll Of Mo: K|| & 0 & By SY Eurie obeyed the request, and ? ?r he had seated himself he ga sadly into the sick man's face. "Say, Eurie," the count asi while an eager look overspread face, "wast true what Kopani t me-that you overcame Demetx the Greek with the sword ?" <el did," the youth replied ii Bg; "But you did not disarm hi You did not fairly take his sw< from him ?" "I ?id, Conrad/' "My sovil, is it possible? A ?here have you been all your life Bp i?In Moscow and in Spain/' "And vet obscure." "Xsver mind that now/'.int posed Eurie. "I have something ? ; more interest. .Do y ou- But y will pardon me for what I may SJ for 1 assure you I mean it all i your good ?" "Speak on," said Conrad, at t same time running his eyes aime .'enviously over the gunmaker's r bly developed breast and shoulders ??Then, f rst, I have just col J v from the Lady Eosalind- Ah, meant not" "Go on. I may have felt a pai at the mention of that name, but tnow she loves you, and were -strong at this moment as ever I relinquish all claims of her to yo So fear not" "Thank you, sir count, for thi But, I was remarking, I am not loi irom her presence, and between i iDoth we have suspected some dai things. Do you think the duke WJ h.- _ ' really your friend ?" The count started, and a straus ." . .gleam shot from his eyes. . "Go on," he uttered. "Then listen. Before you ev? came to my shop the duke had so emr>ly promised Eosalind that sh should receive no more trouble froi you-that you would claim her han . no more/* I vf '?Boyo? know this?" . J;. "i do/; "Bui it cannot be. Why shouf *he have sent me on that mission t cc? kz? taught one of his officer >;;.. the sword exercise, and he.knew. was your superior in strength an< gp; ; the use of the weapon." "Weil, go on," whispered th' count nervously and anxiously. "Why, he thought very likely thu \v."': -.?e should not meet on such a ques tion without a quarrel. He kne? your natural impetuosity and rn] strength of arm and hoped you ." ? -. -would fallr? ' - . "But-go on!" "His estate is running out, and h< ?ants the whole of Drotzen." ; jv>* "Ah, I see it now!" "The duke had proposed bimselj 'for Bosalind's hand," resumed. Ru ric. "He says be has loved her long and he will force her to marry hin if he .can, though he breaks bei Bp Wt." _ "My God!" gasped the count, ffi; fairly starting up to a sitting pos? ture. "How blind 1 have been ! Bv V ... say soul, he never was cordial, nevei kind!" Eurie gentlv laid the sick mau back, and then he said : "From all that S can see and un? derstand, the proud duke meant to get all your ?rcalth and all of Bosa \ - linds."" The count spoke not yet. He lay with his eyes closed and groaned in agony ai the strange revelations |-; - that were breaking in upon him. rDut. see! Why starts Rurie so suddenly, and why does he turn so pale? Why do his bands tremble, and whv is "his brow bent so eaorerlv ? "What is it?" asked the count, startled by the strange event. "Hold!" whispered Eurie in a frantic lone. "You were recovering ?^^^ance ?" "From this wound?" "Yes." K- "Yes. I was getting well fist, ^and the doctors said 1 should be stout and well in a month. But sud? denly this change came on. Let's nee. On Friday morning 1 felt the iirst relapse." Bp; * "The very time!" gasped Eurie to himself. The count moved his head for? rard and would have caught his ? * companion by the hand if he could. "For God's sake. Eurie, what is it?" "As I came this way I saw a humpbacked priest pass out from this house?" said the gunmaker in - terrogativeiy. "Yes, yes," returned the count, I speaking shortly and quickly. "It ' iras Savotano. He has attended 2ae. The duke recommended him." "And was he here Thursday ?night?" "Thursday? Ah, yes; he watched wi/ iVt nieht." maker I i :ow X !! ANUS COBB, Jr. j ? -.a VI ; ...............?.................?VI "And has he "been in atiendan since ?" ''Yes-every dav. But why < you ask? Say. what is that mea lag upon your face ? What is it T "At this moment the door of t' apartment was quietly, noiseless] I opened, and Kopani, the surgeo ! entered the place. "Ha!" cried Ruric, starting t ward him and grasping li im by tl ann. "Your patient is poisoned! deadly poison has been given hil ! and it is even nov,- eating his li ; away !" "Impossible!" gasped the surgeo straining iiis eyes to sec plainly wi it was that spoke lo bim. "Ah !" 1 ; uttered as he became somewhat usc to the g?oom of the apartment. w. it you, sir ?" "Aye, but m iud not that no\ Cannot you do something for ti count? Ke has been poisoned." 'lt cannot be!" "By the hopes of my salvation, cried ConrH Damonoff, starting u to a sitting posture, "he speaks th truth ! That accursed priestl Ol Olga, Olga, I never dreamed tha thou wast mine enemy!" "But.what is it all?" the surgeo asked, gazing, first upon Ruric an then upon the count. "Speak, som one!" "Tell him," groaned Conrad. "Listen," said the gunmaker. " have my suspicions. But, mind you they are founded on facts, and th facts '?are ?these : The Duke of Tul; is well nigh free from the possessio] of property. His half of Drotzen i all mortgaged, and he wants th' other half. That other half he can not have while Damonoff lives. Th< duke, too, has sworn that Rosaline Valdai shall be his wife, so he woulc have her property also. This hump backed priest is Olga's tooL It wai Olga got bim into the church, and r was Gigs who freed him more thai once frOrn deserved punishment Last Thursday evening he was witl the duke in private council, and h< ..came from thence directly tb thii efface. I^ow you can judge for your ."self,"'. .. _ T^G surgeon started slightly, anc then he bowed his head. A few mo? ments he remain?cj thus, and ther he leaped up and clasped his hands. "By the Irving.God of ali things,,: he cried, "it is,-it is!" -There is nc burning up, as I thought, of icy. wintry fire, but the' hellish work is from a human hand ! Hold ! I know the symptoms! I know them now. Be quiet. Conrad. It may not yet be too late." As the surgeon spoke he, hastily opened a small leathern case be car? ried with him, and from thence he took a powerful emetic. The wo? man was sent for, and when she came she obtained warm water. The potion was given, a small quantity at a time, at intervals of about five minutes until the desired effect was produced. A strange mass of stuff was thrown up, and Kopani took it to the. light and examined it. Most of it was of dark, brownish cobr, but with streaks of yellow and coarse blot mes of red and green. The yellow substance was of a mu? cous formation, while the red and green seemed to more liquid. " 'Ti's poison the surgeon said. "And it has been administered in small quantities." "And cannot something be done?" asked Ruric eagerly. "Oh, save him if you can ! Save him, and I'll oless you ever! Y"ou can-oh, say you can !" The surgeon caught the youth by the hand. There was something in this noble spirit that moved him, and he knew now that all must have been forgiven between the two men. "fell try," he said. "I have anti? dotes with me. By heavens, all is not lost yet!" "Then hasten," urged Ruric, half crazed beneath the weight of thc great discovery which he had thus helped to make. "Be not uneasy. I will see that he suffers not for want of human skill." And as the surgeon thus spoke he moved to the sideboard and mixed an antidote. But he did not give ii until the invalid had vomited all he could. "Hold!" cried Ruric as the sur? geon took up the wine to mix the antidote with. "Touch not a thing here. Perhaps the villain has poi? soned them all!" "So it may be," Kopani said, set? ting down the bottle. He then turn? ed to thc woman, who had remained standing by the H re like one in a trance, and asked her to bring a fresh bottle of wine. She quickly ? obeyed, and when she was gone Ko i pani took all the articles upon thc table and set them on one side, He would not throw them away, for hf , meant to analyze them. When t?e woman returned. Ko pani rmxevd the new potion and ad? ministered it, and ere long after? ward the count fell asleep. "Eurie Neve!/' said the surgeon as soon as he was sure the invalid would sleep, "will you remain here awhile? I wish to go and analyze some of these things. I have only to go to the academy. I will be back in an hour at the furthest." . The gunmaker gladly consented to this, and, having gathered up the rials and ihe wine bottle and con? cealed them beneath bis pelisse, the surgeon left. Eurie Nevel was happier now, for hope was with him while he prayed that God might spare-^he unfortu? nate count. CHAPTER XL . AN ASTOUNDING AFFAIR. Half an hour had the gunmaker sat by the side of the sick man's bed when he was aroused from the rever . ie into which he had fallen bv the mt gentle opening of the door. He turn? ed a:id beheld a human form, emerg? ing from the narrow, dark entry? way. As it came into the room the watcher started, for he beheld the humpbacked priest. Savotano. "Who is here?" the arch fiend whispered, shading his eyes and try? ing to peei* into the gloom. "Sh !" uttered Eurie. "The count is alseep." By this time our hero had so far overcome the first emotion caused by the villain's entrance that he could be balm. "And who is this?" the priest whispered, moving nearer to the bed. "Hal The gunmaker!" "Yes," replied the youth, watch? ing everv look and movement of the fellow most closely. "You are in a strange place, I should say," Savotano whispered, not looking the young man directly in the face, but casting upon him a sidelong glance, as though he dared not look direct. "Speak not too loud, sir priest," said our hero, determined to enter into no conversation with the man if he could avoid it. "Do not awak? en the count, for he is very faint and weak." And then Eurie had another rea? son. He feared if Damonoff should awake that the strange discovery they had made might be revealed, and, of course, he wished not that the villain should yet know how well he was 'understood. "But why are you here ?" pursued Savotano, who seemed determined to know. "I am this poor man's spiritual comforter, and I surely have a right to know wherefore is the presence of one bearing the pe? culiar relations toward him which are sustained by you." E?ric's first impulse was one of disgust and wrath, but he managed to keep it to himself. "Sir priest," he ?eturned, moving his chair noiselessly nearer to the visitor, so that his whisper might not disturb the sleeper, "I heard that the count was dying, and I would not have nim die without first fbraving me for all that I had_ done." "And has he done it?" "He has." "And why do you remain here? Where is his attendant?" "She is out somewhere. The count has had a strange fit-a star? tling spasm-and I feared if he had another the woman could not manage him alone." "Ah!" uttered Savotano. "A spasm ?" "Yes, a most strange one, as though something were at his heart, as though his brain were ou fire and his whole system shaking." The priest turned his head away, but Ruric saw plainly the exultant look which rested there. There was no mistaking any more. That one look-for Ruric saw it-was proof enough. "Well, well," the misshapen vil? lain said, "1 will call again when he is awake. I would not have him die and 1 not by him." Thus speaking Savotano arose and moved toward the door. His step was eager, and his every look betrayed some anxious purpose. Ile stopped as he reached the door and looked back, but he did not speak. Ruric was afraid he might go to the sideboard to look at the medicine, but he did not. He simply cast one more glance at the watcher and then left the room. In half an hour more the surgeon returned. His face wore a clear, em olia tic expression, and his move? ments were all quick and prompt, as though each one was for the pur? pose of announcing some self evi? dent decision. "Well," he uttered, with a quick? ly drawn breath, "we have put the medicines to a test." And then he leaned back and looked into Euric's face. "And what did you find?" the young man asked. "Just what we expected. We have detected arsenic in three of the medicines which the count had to take. But this poison is not alone. There is much opium in the wine, even so that we could smel' ii Wben our suspicions guided DJ. The poison has been most adroitly fixed. The priest must have one o? tno recipes which have been used by sc eu ti fie poisoners, for no physician Moscow could have concocted tl deadly poison." "But wherein was it so wondrou ly peculiar?" asked Eurie, with i terest. "Whv, in this: Arsenic was tl principal poisoning agent, but th, alone would produce sympton which any physician would know ; once. In this case there was som thing present which overcame a the outward signs of the poison ar only let it eat upon the vitals, know not the secret, though I kno there is such a one. Had it n< been for your fortunate suspicioi the count would have died from tl effects of the wound. The poise was working silently and sure! without pain and without outwai sign different from the usual sinl ing of the worn and fainting bod; But I have hopes now. The villai must not know that we have disco1 ered him. We will let the thing ru for the present." Kopani was not a little surprise when he found that the priest ha been there during his absence, bi before he could make anv furthe mt remark the count awoke. He fe] very faint, but that strange sicknes of the stomach was lessened. Th surgeon prepared some suitable di' uents, and, having called in th woman, he gave directions that the should be given in large quantitiei and also directed her to prepar some strong barley water for the pa tient to drink as he wanted bevei age. Ail the vials were replaced upo: the sideboard and then refilled wit' liquids somewhat like those the had before contained. But the nurs was directed not to use them. Ev erything that her patient was t take she was to keep under her own charge in the kitchen, and she wa also most particularly cautionet against allowing the priest to gai] anything from her. But Kopan meant to be sure on that score. H had a little business to transact, am then he was coming back to spen< the night himself by the count' side. He meant at all events th? the poisoner should have no mor opportunity to exercise his diabol ical science upon the sick nobleman He promised the count that hi should have safe and competen watchers thereafter. It was fairly dark now, as Ruri< could see by raising the curtain anc looking out. He had no idea it wai so late. Time had passed withon his notice. He moved, to the sid< of the bed and took the invalid's hand. ."I must go now/' he said. "Bul if you are willing I will corni again" "\ro? will come," uttered Gonrac" in reply, returning the grasp of th? hand with all his feeble power. "Oh you must come often now. I hope I shall live. Perhaps I shall. If J do, I shall owe my life to you. A,nc Go'd knows-for the feeling is ever now firm in my soul-that I will always remember how you saved me, and I will never think, never, of the sad blow you struck me. Come-come io me when you can. for now - now - as God lives, 1 speak the truth-now 1 love you!" "God bless and keep youl" mur? mured Ruric in a husky, tremulous voice. And with these words, com? ing from the very depths of his soul, he turntd away and left the room. He heard the voice of the count as lie moved toward the open door and thanked God that 'twas a blessing which fell upon his ears. Ah, those who know not what true forgiveness is know not the ho? liest emotion of earth ! Ruric had left his sledge at a neighboring inn, and as soon as he gained the street he bent his steps that way. He had gone half the dis? tance from the residence of the count to the inn and was just upon the point of crossing the street when he heard his name pronounced by some one behind him. He stop? ped and looked around and saw a man approaching him. It was too dark to distinguish faces plainly even at a usual conver? sational distance, yet Ruric was not long in concluding that the man who had thus hailed him was a stranaer. He was a medium sized man and so closely enveloped in his bonnet and pelisse that his form and features would have been hidden even had it been lighter than it was. 'Did you speak to me?" asked the youth as the mau came up. "Yes, sir. Is your name Ruric Xevcl ?" "It is." ''Then you are wanted a few mo? ments at the residence of a lieuten? ant named Orsa." "A!:iric Orsa?" asked Ruric. "Thc same." "But he does not live here in ilse K rernlin." 'ile is here now, at any rate,am!. A uiiM sec you." 'Bal you said he was at his res; oVnce." suLriresU'd our hero, v. was fearful that sonic evil might be meant for him. "i know nothing to thc contra? ry, fir/" ti:e stranger returned promptly. "Ail I can say is Alaric ''0x78 has frHen upon tho icc ana Hart himself severely and upon ' ing informed that you were near with a sledge he asked that ) might be sent for." "Been hurt, has he?" "Yes, sir." "Badly?'7 "I believe no bones are brob but he is sa badly sprained that cannot walk." "Ah, then perhaps he wants : to carry him home." "I can't say as to that, sir. Th only sent me to find you. I do; know the man myself." There was something so frank the statement thus made that E ric believed it all honest, and stood no longer in doubt. "I will go," he said. "But le the way quickly, for I have no til to waste." "I will lead as fast as you w want to follow," answered the mar And thus speaking he turn hack, and, having gone some doz? rods by the way they had both con he turned down a narrow stre which led toward the river. Ha way down this he went, and then 1 turned again-this time to the le -and thus Eurie found himself : a narrow, dark lane, within whi< the snow was deep and almost TI trodden. "Look ye," cried the youth, sto? ping as he found himself over kne in snow, "I think we have goi about far enough in this direction "This is the shortest way," sa: the stranger guide apologeticall "I did not think the snow was f deep here. But it's only in the ne: street." "Then on you go." Again the stranger started, an Eurie followed on. The lane was crooked one, and more than om the youth had another inclinatio -to stop. He had no direct fear, bi yet he had some just grounds fe doubt. Had he not seen what ha been attempted against the com he might have had no such doubl now, but as it was he thought th* if one attempt had been made t ruin him through the emperor's di: pleasure by the man who was no trying to murder the count it woul not be at all improbable that som more effective plan should be adopi ed toward him. He was ponderin thus when they came to a cross lan full as narrow as this, into whic the guide turned. "Look ye once more, sirrah! cried the youth, now stopping shon "Do you call this a street ?" "Yes, sir, and on this street w shall find the man we seek. It i only a short cut from where he i to the inn where your horse is, s you won't have to retrace these du bious wavs. Only a little farthei sir." "But I don't like this." "Why, bless you, sir, if you wis] to go direct to the inn where you horse is this will be the neares way." "Well, on you go." And on they went, now slipping on the ice, now in the snow to thei knees and anon stumbling alon? over frozen hubbies and deep holes At length the guide stopped an< opened a small gate which was fixei in a high, thick brick wall. Eurie hes itated here again. He had no weap on of any kind. If he had had evei a pistol or a sword, he would hav< cared not. But he did not show hL thoughts to his guide. The gat? opened with a creak upon its frost] hinges, and by the dim starlight th< youth could see an open court be? yond, and farther still a house oj some kind loomed up. "This place seems not to be usec much," remarked Eurie as he sa^ the snow in the court was trodder but little, only one or two tracks being visible from the gate to thc house. "Ah-yes-you said-what ?" "I said this place didn't seem tc be used much," the youth repeated, though he was sure the fellow heard the first time. "Ah, ves-a-the ?suai entrance is the other wav, bv the sledge path." "And where is that?" Eurie ask? ed, not being able to see any such path. "Oh, it's around on the other side." Bv this time they had reached the door of the house, which our hero could now see had an old, dilapidat? ed appearance, and the guide plied the iron knocker with zeal. Ere long a man made his appearance with a lantern in his hand. "Ah! Has the gunmaker come?" tho latter asked. '.'Yes," returned the guide. "Well, I'm glad he's here, but ? don't believe Orsa is fit to move." said the first speaker. And then, turning to Kurie, he said: "But I'm glad you've come, sir. for thc lieutenant wishes to see yon : very much. This way, sir." i This was all so frank and promut ? that the young man began to.think ! he had been a fool for being fright ! cued. He followed the man with ; the lanteru into thc hal!, ami from ; thence down a long flight of stairs I imo :i basement. Thc lantern did noi give much light, but it was suf'i cient to reveal the fact that the ho-.ise was an old one and not very ! Jar^c, for ?::r:c could zee windows upon the opposite side of the hall which looked out of doors. As he reached the foot of the stairs he found 'himself upon a brick floor, and he saw the walls were of stone. A little farther on a door was open? ed, and this led to a small apart? ment, within which was a fireplace and a good fire burning. "There, good sir/' said the sec? ond guide, "if you will wait a few moments I will go and see how the lieutenant is." As soon as Eurie was left alone he looked about him. The room was of moderate size for a small house, and the idea of inhabiting the cellars was a common one in Moscow during the winter season. The windows, two in number, were close up to the ceiling and very small and were patched with pieces of board in two or three places. Ere long the man came back, and with him came three others, one of whom the youth recognized as the individual who had conducted him to the house. "Orsa will see you, sir," said he with the lantern. " Eurie arose to follow him, the* other three men approaching the 1 fire as though thev would remain there. He had reached the door and passed through into the room beyond when he thought he heard footsteps behind him. It was a slid? ing, shuffling sound, and he turned his head to see what it was. As he did so he received a blow which staggered him and which would have felled an ordinary man to the floor. He gathered himself quickly up, but before he could fairly turn about he received a second blow,, heavier than the first, which brought him upon his knees. In an instant all four of the men were up- ) on him, and he could see that they had ropes in their hands with which to bind him. With all his might he threw the fellow who held his right hand back against the wall, and an? other he sent in an opposite direc? tion, and in a moment more he would have been upon his feet, but just at that instant a noose was adroitly slipped over his head, and as the rope tightened about his neck he was drawn back upon the brick floor again. "Now, resist any more, and we'll choke you as sure as fate!" cried the man who had held the lantern and now had a hold upon the rope. "Oh," groaned Eurie, while the massive cords worked like cables in his arms and shoulders, "give me a fair chance ! Let me up and free then lock your doors, if you please!" "No, no, good sir," replied the ruffian, with a wicked smile. "We know your power, and we are not disposed to test it further. We have 1 had trouble enough already. Shall we" The man stopped speaking, for at that moment another noose was slipped down over Euric's head, and ere he could avoid it it had been drawn tightly about his arms. He was now at the mercy of his captors, and, having rolled him over upon . his breast, they proceeded to secure his arms behind him, which; being done, they bade him to rise. Ol" course he could have no desire to lie-, there upon the cold bricks, and he got upon his feet as well as he could. "Now, Eurie Novel, I will conduce you to your own apartment," said the leader of the gang. "But wherefore is this ?" the gun maker gasped, rendered almost speechless with the mingled emo? tions of surprise and anger. "Why have ye done this ? Whose hirelings are ye that ye thus waylay and seize upon an honest man who has done no harm to any of you ?" "Never mind that now, sir," the ruinan coolly answered. "Suffice it for you to know that you are safe for the present/'* "'But will ye not tell me what this is for? There is some intent." "Yes, and come with me and yon shall see. Come." Thus speaking, the man turned once more, and, having picked up his lantern, he moved on, while the others,, taking Eurie by the arms. . followed after. The prisoner made no resistance now, for he knew that it would be ?selos At a short dis? tance another flight of stairs wa> reached. "Down here?'' uttered Eurie, with a shudder. "Of course. You'd freeze up herc." These words struck harshly upon the youth's soul, for it meant that he was to be detained in this lone? some place. At the bottom of these stairs they came to a vaulted passage, at th 4 end of which was a door. This wa* opened, and Eurie was led througi; into the place beyond. Ile cast his eves quickly about, and he found himself in ? narrow apartment, the walls and floor ot' which were of stone and the roof of brick, the lat? ter heirn: arched. In one corner vas a couch; and upon it were some oh! skins. And here the youth was to be left. His guide simply pointed to the low couch and then turned away. Eurie asked a question, hut it was not an? swered. In a few moments more the heavy door was closed upon him,and lie was in total darkness. He sought the couch, and, with a deep groan, he sank down. . - . . ? ^- ',.'^.>j^M