Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-01-20

whether you admired yourself during
the meal, or looked through into the
cafe, and caught glimpses of the billiard
players through the corresponding arches
beyond. Victor Bernardo placed himself
in the latter position, and commenced his
dinner. He slipped his backing water as
if he liked it, swallowed the wash which
was served for soup without a grimace;
ate the tenth part of fresh herring, with
a capcr on il, which was ushered in with
a long name, and then became aware of an
eye which was watching him through the
window opposite. We are told that a cat
may look at "a King, and certsinly his
majesty is not likely to be annoyed by
the inspection but when q cat looks at a
small bird, the case is different, and the
gaze which was nOwlfixed upon Victor
seem to exercise q like horrible influence
upon him. 1t proceeded from a man,
whose long hair, mustache, and beard
were so intensely black that his bloodless
pasty face looked quite unearthly by the
contrast, while I can only describe the ex.
preston of his glance by saying that the
least imaginative person who met it would
have been enabled to understand the
Italian superstition of the Evil Eye. He
was dressed in black garments, which
would have passed muster well enough
by candle.light, but looked shabby and
shining in the day; and ever his Shout
ders was thrown q short cloak or cape,
though the afternoon was warm one
Directly the man saw that he had attract
ed Victor Bernardi's attention he rose,
passed out of the cafe into the restaurant,
and came up to his table.
1.-THE night is dark" he murmured,
bending over towards him.
"But the day is breaking" replied Vic
tor in faltering accents. gs
"Come to me when you have finished
your repast; await you" And he re-
turned to his former place, where Victor
soon joined him, for swallowing another
mouthful was quite out of the question.
The young man had time, however, to re-
cover his presence of mind, and there was
firmness in his voice when he said, "What
do you want with me, Pedro Nero? |
cannot be forced into any fresh designs |
was freed from that by the task allotted to
me and now have settled my life, and
have other views than yours. Leave me
in peace, and 60 your way"
II seek to force you into no fresh plot"
replied the other, but only to warn you
that the task you are bound by oath to
perform is yet unaccomplished."
"And is that my fault!"' asked Victor.
81 say not that it is your fault. No one
brother has right to judge the conduct of
another; only to. accuse, .or to execute
=, i 10 M ~
blame or praise. l am sent to warn you
that the time has arrived for the perform
ance of your task, and to see that you
accomplish it." a Il
"But he is beyond my reach he is
dead"
"Not So he lives. More, he is in Eng
land, in London. Hark!" And the man
placed his lips to Victor Bernardi's ear,
and Kissed sentence which made his
blood curdle. He literally gasped for
breath; the room swan round, and he as
nearly tainted as man can without actu-
ally losing consciousness
al do not believe it!' he gasped at
length.
Eyes, you do, replied the other; shut
if you require proofs, you shall have
them. Meet me when your theater has
closed. And now, rouse yourself; it is
time that you should go, and suspicion
must not be excited by any alteration in
your way Of life"
What happy thing it is that our habits
are stronger than our passions. 1t in
creases the responsibility of life, perhaps,
because the former are for the most part
contracted of our own free will, and de-
liberately but it makes us much more
useful to one another socially. How in
convenient it would be if the baker,
when Tilted, forgot to make his bread ; or
the hairdresser clipped my ear off in a
state of pecuniary embarrassment or the
doctor could not attend TO his patients
when his own child lay. dying. Victor
Bernardo went to the Lyceum, took his
place in the orchestra, played his music
correctly, without full consciousness of
what he was doing 1t was the
same thing the next day, and the
next day, and the next. He could
hardly believe that he was really eating,
drinking, walking, playing but it
seemed to him that he must awake pres,
emily, and find all nightmare. Heavoid-
ed the Menars, who began to be alarmed
for him. Twice he met Marie on the stair
case, and stopped but he did not seem
able to make up his mind to say what he
wanted; and, after gazing upon her with
an agonized look, he buried his face in his
hands, and fed.
"He is ill. Your musical men are al
ways highly nervous, and opt to be queer
for awhile" said M. Menars to his daugh-
ter; but what he said to himself was,
"The young man is either touched in the
brain, or he has committed a bad crime;
and, whichever it is, he is not fit hus.
band for my Marie. 1t is pity, too, for |
liked him"
CHAPTER III.
On the fourth day, Victor Bernardo re-
covered--not his happiness indeed, but
his calmness his presence of mind. He
watched for NJ. Menars to leave the house,
and hurried after him.
~ wish to speak with you privately