The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-04-15
THE SPIRIT OF
THE KIDNAPPED LOVER,
HTsadora +"

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The startled girl came to an abrupt
halt, and light cry burst from her lips,
as man advanced from a clump of
mountain bushes.
"Well, Rupertino, what would you
with p she asked trying to subdue
the nameless terror that had taken pos
session of her heart II cannot tarry
here, sister is anxious concerning my
return in the cottage, and if you would
talk with me you can walk by my side
to the broken crag."
A strange smile played with the lips
of the tall and handsome fellow, as he
stepped to the girls side, he took her
hand and raised it to his lips with some
| incoherent words which bore an amor.
Gus sound.
The maiden's eyes told that the Ital-
ian's freedom vas extremely distastful
but she dare not withdraw the hand, so
she let him hold it to his lips for long
time, and when he at last released it he
threw his arm around her waist.
They looked like lovers In the mel
low rays of the moon, which. dropping,
as it were, over the dim crags far above
their heads, clothed them in a romantic
beauty seldom seen among those noun
tains.
f. Isadore Giovanni was the incarnation
Of warm Italian beauty. and the snow
white garments that habited her fault.
less figure lent an additional charm to
her loveliness. She stood upon the
verge Of her nineteenth year. and her
intellectual look told the observer the
beauty of the mind re, eled the lowell
ness of person. But she seemed too
pure, too beautiful, to become the wife
of the man who walked by her side, and
breathed low but passionate words into
her ears.
True, he was handsome, perhaps re-
fined, as his look indicated; but his fam
tastic garments-the brigandish trous-
ers, the gray jacket, below which gilt
tered the polished barrels of two pis-
tolls, and the dark hat trimmed with a
tuft of cleaning red feathers, declared
him what he really was-a mountain
buccaneer.
Isadore did not expect to meet the
infamously renowned Rupertino on the
eve of her wedding, and well might his
voice startle her as she hurried home
from the old trysting place, to which,
for the first time, Bernardo had failed to
come.
In the twilight just departed,a strange
boy had placed note in Isadores
hands, and upon the spotless paper she
recognized her lovers chirography
'sMeet me at twilight on the old low
er's spot, commanded the missive, and
when Isadore turned to question the
bearer regarding Bernardo and his rea-
sons for sending such note to her on
the eve of their wedding, behold the
boy was gone.
While the trusting girl could not
fathom her lovers reasons for secret
meeting, when he was welcome to her
mountain home, she decided to obey the
summons, never dreaming that he had
been forced to pen those lines with a
stiletto at his heart. At the old tryst-
ing place Isadore saw the twilight fade
while waiting for her lover, and when
the tardy moon crept over the crags,
and bathed the spot IN beauty, she turn
ed reluctantly away, believing that some
strange circumstance had kept her loverf
from her side.
She had proceeded homeward but a
few steps, when her maine greeted her
ears, and, to her terror, she confronted
the Red King Of the mountains.
"Isadore," and the brigand's voice
was fraught with lily concealed triumph,
.'you came to the oak tree tonight to
meet Bernardo.
A flush crimsoned Isadore's cheeks at
tns bandits half interrogative, land a
dark scowl crept over his face.
s'But Bernardo did not meet his Isa.
dore,' he continued, when the maiden's
gaze rested upon the ground, land her lips
were silent.
"He is tardy lover at the best, girl
I would fling him aside, and take one
more worthy thy affection"
Instantly her eyes were raised to him,
and her little hands touched his gold
braided sleeves.
"Rupertino, do not talk thus of Bern
ardo." she said, not without rising emo
ton. "He may be thy rival but think
not i'll of him.for that. The heart de-
cides, Rubertino, and mine has decided
for Bernardo"
The scowl grew darker on the Red
Kings face, and his hand mechanically
crept to silver. mounted pistol beneath
his jacket.
The girl saw the movement and trem-
bled.
"Rupertino, you would not harm him
because-because I love him ?'' she
cried, again touching his arm. 81 re-
spect you, despite the deeds men say
you do, and there was time when"
when you loved me, gill?' he cried,
harshly, angrily.
"Yes, yes, Rupertino, l confess that
there was time when / loved yoh. But
you went to the crags, you know, and
then Bernardo came"
"He came before men drove me to
the hills"
"No, no, believe ne Rupertino. he
did not cross my life path until you had
become famous among the mountains"
81 see it's no use to argue with you
women" said the bandit, biting his
dark mustache; IL know when he came
to you with pack Of lies, and l can't
forget the hour, either. Isadore. have
loved you for twelve years. Among
the crags of italy we have grown to
manhood and womanhood side by side,
and untilthat dark night, last June, our
lives had never been crossed. What
demon took possession of your heart I
do not know, nor. do l seek for the
knowledge. You turned TO another
man, silly fellow, who filed your
heart with lies about me, and even or
ganized band to hunt the Red King,
his rival, to death. But the hunted has
entrapped the hunter"
"Rupertino, where is Bernardo Z"
"He is far away, but your short arms
may reach him"
"And save him p
"And save him."
For moment silence drew its cur.
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