The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-05-16

II
dreaded than Burdois, surely, for he would
not stop until he had brought upon his
enemy sorrow, shame and degradation.
The Countess Blanca Tutti-this wo-
man, if never before, was now resolved,
purely for the sake of tritling to fascinate
Clarence Thurston still more deeply. The
only balm for her wounded vanity was to
be found i'll seeing the "pale-browed
Americana" deprived of the lover she had
regalned. The insult offered to her beauty
and social standing, boun by the Mark
hams and Clarence Thurston, was one she
could not readily forget, and she aimed
her power at the heart of the happiness Of
the reunited lovers.
These three persons-exponents OF love,
hatred and revenge-were now consplrlng
together to effect ruin and disgrace to the
Markhams. Secretly and silently their
plans cumulated, and those who witnessed
the blows struck we're too thoroughly stu
pited TO know from whose hand they came.
In a remote quarter of the city Of Rome,
at the date OF our story, lived miserable
old hag who eked out a subsistence by
tricks upon uRwary travellers, personating,
for lucres sake, the blind, the halt, the
dwarf, in fact, victim to every ailment.
To tins woman fit representative of the
Observation-Disclosures took his way, as before
stated, one morning after thoughtful med
itation.
! The dilapidated structure which she
called home was not a place sufficiently
inviting to induce the elegantly attlred
| Burdois to enter. Then, too, some gos
siping neighbor had dropped in, and he
merely beckoned to the old hag, who, with
an alacrity somewhat remarkable for a
being Of her age, hobbled out to the door,
| followed her visitor to little building
near by, devoted to lodgings and place
of restauration, and entered one of the
little stalls apportioned off for eating places.
Burdois looked carefully around to see
that no one was within earshot, and then
addressed the old hag
"Well, Mother Mangano, | suppose you
know what | want Of you
| The old woman smiled hideously.
''Those that seek me do so because they
want a person Of experience experience
means wIckedness. Some wicked scheme,
Monsieur Burdois," replied the woman
carelessly.
Exactly 50 p coolly replied Burdois,
lighting a cigar, and elevating his feet
upon the table. Have something to
drink, Mother Mangano," he continued,
as the waiter entered, "Wine, Waiter, and
the best too. Yes, yes, Mother Mangano,
he said as the vine was brought, ana the
servant retired. We understand each
other too fully to bubble over any delicacy
in alluding to business. A bargains
bargain and You never yet betrayed me.
Even when Rome was ringing with that
Lagorio affair, and one word from you
might have sent me-Where you never
spoke the woru.
And why should 2" piped the crone,
emptying her glass Of wine at sup. "Are
you not my own
Hush, Mother Mangano. Never speak
Of that except when you and l are sure
that no one Is within hearing of us. No
one would recognize the bare-footed beg
gar in Monsieur Bernard Burdois, Ell q
he asked, laughing coolly
''No, nor gleefully returned the old
crone. Nor III the generous gentleman
who lines my nest with gold so freely.
Burdois flung well-hlled purse ON the
table between them.
always after money, and always sure
to get it, faithful Mother Mangano. I'd
rather trust my innermost SECRETS in your
keeping than in the keeping Of the woman
| love.
Mother Mangano looked gratihed and
curious.
"A true boy :" she said, and then re-
sumed, in love Not a Lagario case y
"No, no. One such experience lasts
man lifetime. You have managed affairs
for me before. Manage this one. | am
smItten at last, and lind no possibility Of
gaining my proud ladys hand except by
force You know the old house in the
mountains near Lorio Is not that rene
gade priest, Father Dominic still living
there A claimant on my bounty, he
must surely be willing to work with me i'll
my plan. Now listen, and heed me, and
Burdois detailed the old hag his passion
for Claribel Markham, his desire to obtain
her hand in marriage, and her general
surroundings.
Iniquity was this womans element, and
her brain, quick and active in its workings,
whose wickedness soon brought forth the
more expedient course to pursue In the
matter. The nefarious contract was closed
which was to separate ClarIbel Markham
from those she loved, and Burdois, highly
elated, left the old woman, and directed
his steps homeward.
1t was the second evening succeeding
the interview between Mother Mangano
and Burdois. Claribel and ThurstoR were
seated in the little summer-house located
in the small garden surrounding the place
in which they had lived since their advent
in Rome. Color and Indication of re-
newed health we're rapidly returning to
the young artists face, and his mind
seemed much freer since the visit of the
Countess
''It is not because wish to leave Rome
that urge our marriage dearest, he was
saying to Claribel. "But because ] fear
the influence Of those about us. Since |
have been sick, my mind has wandered
over the events of the past six months,
and L find many suspicious circumstances
which tend to contirll my belief that |
have been the dupe Of Bernard Burdois,
and that for some reason he is determined
to do me all the injury he can in your
estimation. 1t was he who first introduced
me to the Countess, 1t was he who has
ever attempted to induce me to desbeheve
in the holiness and purity Of love"
"He is a relative, dear Clarence, re-
piled Claribel, land | must for my fathers
sake treat him with the outward semblance
of respect. fear, dislike him exces-
sively. Let us think of him no more.
There is no power on earth strong enough
to estrange my heart from you"
81 wal not urge you, dearest" replied
Thurston, tenderly. Il see your father,
and, as wish to have brief conversation
with him, will leave you for few mo-
| ments.
Claribel sat awaiting his return for some
time, and then, finally, tiring Of the same
ness Of the view before her, walked out to
the gate, and thence along the road, which
in the soft evening solitude was quiet and
pleasant Thinking that Thurston's inter
view with her father would doubtlessly be
somewhat protracted, she continued her