Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-20
other side Of the gap, where another train
and nnrinn aruaifad fhnnn

and engine awaited them.
This, of course, caused great confusion
and annoyance, put all our timetables
wrong, and subjected the public to a large
amount of Inconvenience. IN the mean
| while an army of navvies was drafted to
the spot, and worked day and night to re-
| pair the damage At this time | was drlv-
ing two through trains each day namely,
one from Mantua to Venice in the early
morning, and return train from Venice to
| Mantua in the afternoon,-a tolerably full
days work, covering about one hundred
and ninety miles of ground, and occupying
between ten and eleven hours. | was
therefore not best pleased, when, on the
third or fourth day after the accident, was
| informed, that in addition to my regular
| allowance Of work, | should that evening
be required to drive a special train to Ven
ice. This special train, consisting Of an
engine, single carriage, and break-van,
was to leave the Mantua platform at eiev.
en- at Padua the passengers were to alight
and find postchaises waiting to convey
ia another engine, carriage, and break-van
were to be in readiness | was charged to
accompany them throughout
"Corpo di Bacco," said the clerk who
gave me my orders, "you need not look so
black, man. You are certain of hand
some gratuity. Do you know who goes
with you2
"Not l."
"Not you, indeed Why, it's the Duca
Loredano, the Neapolitan ambassador"
Loredano |" l stammered. "What
Loredano ? There was Marchese-I"
"Certo He was the Marchese Loredano
some years ago but he has come into his
dukedom since then"
He must be very old man by this
time"
Yes, he is old but what of that ? He
is as hale, and bright, and stately as ever.
You have seen him before ?"
eyes," l said, turning away 81 have
seen him,-years ago."
"You have heard of his marriage 2"
shook my head
The clerk chuckled, rubbed his hands,
and shrugged his shoulders.
Gan extraordinary affair." he said
Made tremendous esclandre at the
time He married his mistress-quite a
common, vulgar girl-a Genoese-very
handsome but not received, of course.
Nobody visits her"
Married her !" I exclaimed. "Impos-
sible"
"True, l assure you"
put my hand to my head. felt as ifI
had had fall or blow.
"Does she--does she go tonight 2" |
40 dear, yes-goes everywhere with
him--never lets him out of her sight. You'll
see her-la bella Duchessa p
With this my informant laughed and
rubbed his hands again, and went back to
his office
The day went by, scarcely know how,
except that my whole sole was in tumult
of rage and bitterness. ! returned from
my afternoons work about 7.25, and at
1880 | was once again at the station. l
had examined the engine given instruc-
tions to the Fochista, or stoker, about the
fire seen to the supply of oil and got all
in readiness, when, just as | was about to
my watch with the clock in the
hand was laid upon my arm,
and voice in my ear said,-
Are you the engine-driver who is 60
ing ON with this special train 7"
had never seen the speaker before. He
was a small, dark man, muflled up about
the throat, with blue glasses, large black
beard, and his hat drawn low upor his eyes.
"You are poor man, | suppose" he
said, in a quick eager whisper, "and, like
other poor men, would not object to be
better off Would you like to earn couple
of thousand florins?"
"In what way?"
"Hush! You are to stop at Padua, are
you not, and to go on again at Ponte di
Brenta 2"
l nodded.
Suppose you did nothing of the kind
Suppose, instead of turning off the steam,
you jump off the engine, and let the train
run on?
Impossible. There are seventy yards
of embankment gone, and"
"Basta l know that. Save yourself,
and let the train run on 1t would be moth
ing but an accident"
turned hot and cold - trembled my
heart beat fast, and my breath failed
"Why do you tempt me ?" faltered
"For Italy's sake" he whispered " for
liberty's sake. l know you are no Italian;
but, for all that, you may be friend This
Loredano is one Of his country'S bitterest
enemies. Stay, here are the two thousand
FORMS
l thrust his hand back fercely.
"No, no !" said. No blood-money
If l do it, do it neither for Italy nor for
money but for vengeance
For vengeance !" he repeated.
At this moment the signal was given for
backing up to the platform. sprang to
my place upon the engine without another
word. When l again looked towards the
spot where he had been standing, the stran-
ger was gone.
l saw them take their places,-duke and
duchess, secretary and priest valet aud
maid l saw the station-master bow them
into the carriage, and stand, bareheadcd,
beside the door. l could not distinguish
their faces the platform was too dusk,
and the glare from the engine-fre to-
strong but l recognized her stately figure
and the pose OF her head. Had not been
told who she was, l should have known her
by those traits alone. Then the guards
whistle shrilled out, and the station-master
made his last bow l turned the steam on;
and we started