Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-05-01
TIE LOST HEIR OF ANCOCa.

ces. half-castle. haIf-palace. which are 80
cften found from one end OF the country
TO the other. and which point ont the dwell
ling pisces Of those rulers of the soil. the
nobility. Who can traee their lineage far
back. To those days when Rome was the
great republic Of the world. My Lord Of
Ancoha was oftbis class. and he full ofpride
OF birth and station rs any in the country.
Desides. be ssas the richest. nan In the
valley; o. rather he shared hi. distinction
With ansfher nj the farther end Of it. sone
halfdo,en leagues away who conld count his
gold and number his servants in abou, the
sane ratio as himself. The Lord of An
cnna had one great drawback To his hap.
rincss He was childless His young
wife. now many years in her grave. had
borne him one son. who for \ few short
months was the joy Of his heart aud then
bis light went out forever.
Ore day the child VAS missing It's
nurse had il in the garden. and laid i,
sleeping bcu"nih tree while she went 20
a little distance from the spot that she
might better carry "n fir,aiion with ,hc
gardener who wa. at work. When she
came back to the spot where she had left
her charge. it was gone.
Hour after hour, and day after day. the
scarch for the missing heir of Ancona was
kcr, M. bu, without avail; but when n
weeks time had passed. the body of an
infant was taken from the basin Of the
fountain
1t was 20 much dccavcd that its fea.
lures were not 10 he recognized. but the
garments upon it were those that the lost
heir had worn. aiid there was no doubt
bu, what its fate had at Inst been solved
| The body Of the child was consigned to
| the tomb. and in little time is mother
followed it The loss Of her child had
hcen too much for her fond heart. and 90
the Lord Of Anc"na was be.cft Of all he
| had set his heart upon
He did not wed again. and as the wears
wrnt on he adopted the child Of sister.
who. dying. cnnhd. d her little girl 10 his
care. and he reared her icnhcrly as his
own, with the intention of making her the
hercss Of his wealth
When Agnes. for that wa. his niccc'>
name. had arrived nt the age Of sixteen,
he thonght thst il wa. time that she was
| betrothcd. 20 he paid visit TO his rich
neighhor. the Count of Maz,nna. who had
son some six years older than his niece.
and matters were at once arranged be-
tscen them that the young people shouM
wed. after the proper time had elapsed
To this proposition Antonio Mn.inna
gladly nsscntcd. for hc knew that she vas
beautiful as we'll as rich, and one had ne
much attraction for him rs the other; but
when the subject WAS revealed to A Arncs.
she vehemently declared that she would
never wed with the ilI-shnp"d. dwa'f>h
son OF their ncighbor. Over aud over
again she declared to her uncle that she
had rather leave his house, and go into a
convent. or TO live in poverty all her days
But hc took it all rs idle words. and as
'hc tim" went on. caused every rrerara-
,ion 10 he made for the wedding. and nj
last it was so nigh at hand that only one
day intervcncd between them and |,
Agnes knew Of all these preparations,
and laid her plans accordingly. When
Antonio had cnme tn see her. she had
treated him with coldness and disdaiu, hui
when she found that he was not to he re.
buffed. she determined to fee then to III,
Convent "f ST. Martin. where the Lady
Superior was corsin Of l,er father. and
whom she knew would give her tha, p,o
lection she desired.
just as the sun slipped down helind
the mountains on this afternoon. she wa,
sitting In her cham Der. pohdrring over he,
contemplated fight. when she was disturb
ed hv the entrance of h"r maid.
What is il. Nina - she asked glan.
cling lang uiily up. rs the maid approach
ed her with n my stcrious look upon he,
sacc
"IIe has come again. me lady"
"Who has come ?" and Agnes c'-nec,'
quickly up, with bright flush upon he,
check. which had hcen rs white m"men
before rs the rnsc which the maid La
t~iped in her hair an hour before.
"Guidio. my Lady"
"Whcre is he ?"
In the garden. Tie sent q messar
BY me for you to meet him d, tie olc
place
Hand me my mantle. Nina. and dc
you accompany me. but mind that you q,
no. stray too far away With Jsequcz"
Il hear. my Lady; but hai you bette
20 nut tonight 20 meet him r.
why not J"
"Yon know. nv lady. the stories ar,
rife that he is not merely the artist that h,
seems: There are whispers that he be
longs TO brigands. and. more. that be is
leader among them" -
IL behave them not-so come will
me"
~"Bu, your uncle. my Lady r.
What you do not still fear him p
Remember we fy Tomorrow to q spc
where he cannot harm Us. esen ifhe would
Still you can, stay behind If you cheese
aud mayhsp we'd Antonio" 7"
The maid made hofrii grimace.
II would no, give jacques for dOse
J IKE him. with all their gold"
Come with me then. The time wi
seem long to Guido while we thus ling
. err, -. 3. -
They vent down into ,be garden Il
geshcr. es
Then Nina fingered behind. maxim
trfxnxis 70 Ter tower. xhiie Agnes wel
. slene. end % lsss reached The rus,i
scat where shs had, spent % many hspr
mcshenls n he eon'psny Of Guido the a
tist. ..s. -