The Daughter of an Empress

Joseph Ribas turned toward his new and unexpected enemy. The lamp

lighted his face, and falling back Carlo shrieked, "My brother!"

Joseph Ribas broke out into a loud, savage laugh. "At length we meet,

my brother," said he. "But this time you shall not hinder me in my work.

This time I am the conqueror!"

"No, no, that you are not!" cried Carlo, beside himself with pain and

rage. "Confess what you want in this house--confess, or you are a dead

man!"

And with a drawn dagger he rushed upon his opponent!

A frightful struggle ensued. Natalie, in her night-dress, pale as a

lily, knelt upon her bed and prayed. She had folded her hands over her

breast, directly over the place where the papers confided to her by

Paulo, in a little silken bag, always hung suspended by a golden chain.

"Grant, O my God," prayed she--"grant that I may keep my promise to

Paulo, and that I may defend these papers with my life!"

And the two brothers were still struggling and contending; like two

serpents they had coiled around each other, and held each other in their

toils.

"Flee, flee, Natalie!" groaned Carlo, with a weakened voice--"flee away

from here! I yet hold him, you are yet safe! Flee!"

But in this moment the maiden thought not of her own danger. She thought

only of Carlo. Springing from her bed, with flashing eyes she boldly

threw herself between the contending men.

"No, no," said she, courageously, "I will not flee--I shall at least

know how to die!"

A shriek resounded from Carlo's lips, his arms relaxed and fell from his

enemy, leaving his brother free.

"Ah, finally, finally!" gasped the panting Joseph. "That was an

amusing carnival farce, my virtuous brother! Farewell! I am this time

triumphant!"

With a wild leap he sprang to the door; brandishing his bloody dagger

in his right hand, he ran through the corridor, down the stairs, and out

into the garden.

"Saved!" said he, breathing more freely. "I think this Russian will be

satisfied with me! I bring the money and the diamonds, and at the same

time have effectually opened a vein for this troublesome protector! Ah,

it seems to me I have very successfully put in practice my studies in

the high-school of the galleys!"

And, humming a jovial song, Joseph Ribas swung himself into a tree close

to the wall, and let himself down on the other side.

Above, in Natalie's chamber, Carlo long lay stretched on the floor,

pale, with the death-rattle in his throat. In a bright stream flowed the

blood from the wound made by his brother's dagger. Natalie knelt by

him. No tear was in her eye, no lamentation escaped her lips. She seemed

perfectly calm and collected in her excess of sorrow; she only sought

with her robe and her hair to cover Carlo's wound and stop the flow of

blood.