Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-04-18

face
" He has come again, my Lady"
Who has come ?" and Agnes glanced
quickly up, with a bright flush upon her
cheek, which had been as white a mo-
ment before as the rose which the maid
had twincd in her hair an hour before
Guido. my Lady"
"Where is he y
I'm the garden. He sent message
by me for you to meet him at the old
place"
Hand me my mantle, Nina, and do
you accompany me, but mind that you
do not stray too far away with Jacquez."
II hear, my Lady but had you better
go out Tonight to meet him p
why not p
"You know, my lady, that stories are
rife that he is not merely the artist that
he seems. There are whispers that he
belongs to brigands, and, more, that he
is leader among them"
Il believe them not-so come with
me-"
But your uncle, my Lady p
What! you do not still fear him p
Remember we fly tomorrow to spot
where he cannot harm us, even if he
would. Still you can stay behind if you
choose, and mayhap wed Antonio"
The maid made horrid grimace.
Il would not give Jacqaez for dozen
like him, with all their gold"
Come with me then The time will
seem long to Guido while we thus lin
ger"
They went down into the garden to-
gether
Then Nina fingered behind, making
/ signals to her lover, while Agnes went
on alone, and at last reached the rustic
seat where she had spent so many happy
moments in the company of Guido, the
artist
A young man, gaily dressed in the
garb of the times, with a sword at his
side, and spurs on his heels, rose at her
approach, and joyfully welcomed her
She allowed him to take her hand and
to impress a kiss thereon, while she gazed
upon him as though lost in amazement,
in finding so gallant gentleman in the
artist she had known.
"Why come you here in this garb :"
she faltered, in bewlderment.
II will tell YOU" he answered, as he
gently drew her to seat beside him,
but first let me hear from your lips
that you love me as well in this gurb as
you did when | wore that of an artist?"
"Why need you ask me that p she
said with fcrvent smile. "You know
that love you, and you know also that
| can never be yours. Tomorrow | go
to the Convent Of St. Martin to become
the bride of the Holy Church"
''Nevcr!' exclaimed the young man,
passionately. "You shall never be the
bride of Antonio, nor of the Church.
Tonight you fly with me, to be all my
own This is why | have come rs |
have. My good stced waits outside the
wall, and once upon his back we can
defy pursuit. have friends, strong
ones, who will receive us, and who will
be at my back when my sword flies out
Come, dearest, let us GO"
But she hesitated and refused, and, at
last, consented, as might have been ex-
pected, when her heart was gone, and so
they stole out of the garden in the gath
ering gloom, and once beyond the wall
they found the steed in readiness, and in
little time they were upon its back and
away
Not half league had they gone before
they came to the cottage of Dame Pia-
H.. L. III Of
heir Of Ancona, when it had been lost
A light CLEANED brightly out, and there
was the sound Of hasty words and hur-
ried feet within Then the door was
burst open, and woman rushed out cry
ing to them appealingly:
Dame Pipa has a fit! Dame Pipa is
dying with terrible secret in her soul
If we be Christians, come in and hear it,
for she may die before the priest can
come"
In such haste as the lovers were, they
could not resist this, so they dismountcd
and entered the cottage
On low cot-bcd lay the rigid form Of
the dame, wrestling, as they could plain
" see, with death
Has he come, has the priest Gomez
she cried, as though in great agony.
Not yeti but he will be here direct
| ly," answered the woman who had called
them in, and who was caring tenderly
for her charge. ''But here are two fine
gentlcfolks who will hear what you have
to say, for fear that it may be too late
when he comes"
1t is too late now feel that am
dying. The fends have hold Of me,
and are tormenting me before my time
But hear me, hear me p she shricked in
louder key. 1.-The heir Of Ancona is
not dead. It was my hands that threw
the body of the child into the fountain,
at the command Of my lover, who was a
brigand chief That was my child, who
had died, and the living one, that of my
lord, gave into his hands, and he car
ried it away into the mountains. He
hated my lord for some injury he had
done him, and 50 the child was stolen
out Of revenge. He is alive now, and
almost every day he passes my door
His name is Guido, and he is an artist
There! that's his face looking down upon
me now -
In their eagcrness to catch every word
they heard not the sound Of swift flying
feet outside, nor were they aware that
tho sfnndq had r,auand ~ tho door