The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-02-11

me in silence.
"And is il thus | 6nd yon?" he at last
asked me.
AT first sight I had not recogniz d him
bu t the sounds Of his voice called to my
n md recollcctons of times long past
], was Valetiy; one oflhe few friends
had been intimate with while pursuing
my earlier studies. He told me he had
accidentally came 10 Florence, where his
father was residing, and occupying a
high station. lie bade me tell him all
without conceaIing the slightest circum-
stance, howerer unfavorahle 10 myself
| told himtho whole ofTdir, assu,iag-him
that no other guilt was upon me, save
that, dazzled by the brightness of GOLD, ii
had blinded me to The probability Of the
strangers story. ............ ....
$50 you did no, knoH Biancaf" he
asked.
assured himI had never seen her
until the fatal night.
Valelly now told me that terrible
mystery hung over the whole, and that
The Governor had pressed the inquiry
with The greatest hurry. A rumor had
been circulated, he added, that. TO avenge
myself of Blanca's marriage, | had mur-
dered het. | told him such a onjecture
might be APPLICABLE TO the red mantle
man, but it was cer:anly not applicable
TO me. Valeily, before leaving, embraced
me warmly, aud exhoried me to courage.
| knew him as man well experienced
in law, aud began TO hope that my life
nigh, ye, be spared. Two long days
passed in the anxiety of suspense. On
the third day Valelty appeared. 2-
II bring consolation. Your life will
be spared, and you will have your liberty,
but with tho loss Of your right hand"
lie then proceeded TO tell me that,
Notwithstanding the Influence Of which
his father possessed, the Governor had
obs,ina;ely refused to allow fresh inqui-
ry obe made. But he had consented,
in trdtr moi 10 appear unjust, TO regulate
my punishment, by that which had been
inflicted on an criminal in similar
case. Very fortunately, by the united
exettons of himself and his father, a
case similar TO mine WAS found recorded
in the annals Of Floreuline crimesj aud
the punishment awarded was The cutting
of the rigb, hand Of the criminal, confs-
cation Of his properly and his punishment.
Therefore | had nothing to do but to pre-.
pare for the hour in which was 10 be
deprived of one Of my most useful mem
pers. But will spare you The picture
of ,ha, hour, Il is sufficien, 10 tell that
in tie public market this fearful ampu,a.
ton was accomplished. a
Valety took me tc his home ill my
wound was healed, and provided mr.
with money 10 leave Florence. l re-
turned TO Consiantinople without my
money or hard. | was debating upon
which course should pursue in order 10
gain livelihood, when an old friend of
my fathet's came 20 me and asked why |
did not 60 10 my own house, inquired
his meaning, and he told me that stan.
ger, during my absence had purchased
house situated in the Greek quarter, in
my name, and announced 10 the neigh
bors that should soon arrive myself.
was directed 10 the spot, found out the
house, and also a letter from the mar
VIM had bough, il. !, rau thus. 4
"Two hands are in activity FOR you,
that ynu may not miss the one you have
lost. This house and all i, contains be-
longs to you and every year you will re.
ceive sufficient Ia take your rank among
the rich men of our nation. May you
forgive him who is more unhappy than you
Ga inqniring who bad left the letter
for me, was told that it was man
wearing red cloak.
Ten years have passed since that time.
Every year receive one thousand pieces
of gold, and i, is from inclination, and
no, from necessity, ,ha, make my com
morcial journey each year through the
deserts in caravans as | now do. But !
have never returned 10 Florence.
Il n
Zllencos was a man Of about forty
yeais, and possessing noble appearance.
Having been askRd or his journey when
the caravan halted, how he had lost his
hand, he had recounted his history as
above. When he had ceased to speak,
his companions expressed for him the
greatest sympathy. Among them was
Fienchman, who had travelled with the
caravan through the Whole desert, and it
was natural that z lencos, who had spent
some time in France, should seek his
When the time had come
for them 10 separate, Zalencos insisted
that the Frenchman should pay visit 10
Conslanlinople, and become his guest.
A month afterwards, as Zaleneos was
setting in bis shop stranger entered
He was about TO return the friendly salu,
talion, when lie recoiled, horror struck,
on beholdug bef.re him The unknown,
with the same red mantle on his should.
ers, and the same mask on his face. ~
"Nhy do you come here, terrible
lnan?" he exclaimed, as the figure a,ood