The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-30
s"True. I assure You. :"

as if / had had fall or blow.
docs she-does she go to-night?"
I faltered.
so dear, yes-goes everywhere
with him-never let's him out of her
sight. You'll see her-la bel! Du-
chessav'
With this, my informant laughed,
and rubbed his hands again, and
went back to his Office.
The day went by, L scarcely know
how, except that NY whole soul was
in a tumult of rage and bitterness. /
returned from my afternoons work
about 7:20, and, at 1890, l was once
again at the station. had examined
the engine: given instructions to the
.Fochista, or stoker, about the fire;
seen to the supply of coal, and got
all IN readiness, when, just as [ was
about to compare my watch with the
clock in the ticket-offico, . hand was
laid upon my arm, and voice in my
ear said:
care you the engine driver who is
going on with this special tramp
l had never seen the speaker be-
fore. He was q small, dark man,
muffled up about the throat, with blue
glasses, II large black beard, and his
hat drawn low upon his eyes.
''You are poor man, suppose"
he said, in quick, eager whisper,
"and, like other poor men, would not
object to be better of. Would you
like to earn q couple of thousand
forins?"
''In what way?"
"Hush! You are to stop at Padua,
are you not, and to go on again ut
Pontc di Brenta?"
I nodded.
Suppose you did nothing of the
kind. Suppose, instead of turning
off the steam, you Jump off the en-
gine, and let The train run on?"
"Impossiblc! There are seventy
yards of embankment gone, and
''Basta! | know that. Save your
self, and let the train run on. 1t
would be nothing but an accident.
L turned hot and cold; trembled;
my heart beat fast. and my breath
failed.
why DO you tempt mc?" I fal-
tered.
For Italy's sake" lie whispered;
''for liherty's sake know you are
no Italian; but, for all that, you may
be IL friend. This Loredano is one
Of his country's bitterest enemies.
Stay. here are the two thousand flo
rims"
1 thrust his hand back ficrccly.
"No-no" / said ''No blood
money. Ii I do it, 1 do it neither
for Italy nor for money, but for ven
geance."
"For vengeance!" he repeated.
At this moment, the signal was
given for backing up to the PLATFORM
l sprang to my place upon the engine
without another word. When | again
looked towards the spot where we
had been standing, the stranger was
gone.
I saw them take their places-duke
aud duchess, secretary and priest,
valet and maid. [ saw the station
master bow them into the carriage,
and stand, bare-hcaded, beside the
door. | could not distinguish their
faces; the platform was too dark, and
the glare from the engine fire too
strong; but [ recognized her stately
figure and the poise of her head.
Had [ not been told who she was.
should have known her by those
traits alone. Then the guards whistle
shrilled out, and the station-master
made his last bow. 1 turned the
steam on, and We started.
My blood was on fire. [ no longer
trembled or hesitated. I felt as if
every nerve was iron, and every i'm
pulse instinct with deadly purpose.
She was in my power, aud L would
be revenged. She should die-she,
for whom had stained my soul with
my friends blood! She should die,
III the plentitude of her wealth and
beauty, and no power upon earth
could save her!
The stations flew past. I put on
more steam; bade the fremen heap
in the coke, and stir the blazing
mass. l would have outstripped the
wind, had it been possible. Faster
and faster-hedges aud trees, bridges
and stations, flashing past-villages
no sooner seen than gone-telegraph
wires twisting and dipping and twin
ing themselves in one, with the awfu,
swlftness of our pace! Faster and
faster, till the fireman at my side
looks white and scared, and refuse,
to acid more fuel to the furnace.
Faster and faster, till the wind rusLes
III onr faces and drives the breath