The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-02-24
A Perilous Journey.
"rhere is a tide in the affairs ( meu.
Which taken at the food, leads on to fortune

"Here's to Count Spezkato May he
die like dog May his carcase bring
the birds and the wolves together May
his name be cursed and hated while
the sun lasts And may purgatory keep
him till pray for his release IL
The mans passion was something
fiightful to see, and was more than
half inclined to leave the place; but
something, perhaps the distant murmur
of the rising tide, compelled me to stay.
| pretended sleep, allowing my head
to sink down upon the table.
lie sat still for few moments and
then commenced walking about the
room, and abruptly asked:
"What brought you here, Alexis?"
"My masters horse, SignOr Conrad. "
Good, my little fox; but why did
you come on your masters horse ?''
because my master wishes to reach
Leghoru to night, to meet his bride,
Conrad"
"Then his is the special train ordered
at nine, that am to 60 with2" ex-
claimed the guard eagerly.
"That is so, gentle Conrad; and now
having told you all, let me pay our
hostess and CO."
"Payi No one pays for me, little fox;
no, no, go l will pay"
The courier took his departure and
the guard kept walking up and down
the room, muttering to himself:
"To. night, it might be tonight. II
he goes to Leghorn, he meets his fu-
ture wife; another life and perhaps a
dozen, No, it must be TO night or
never. Does his mother go? Fool
that am not to ask Yes; it shall be
to night" and he left the room.
What should be "to.night?" Some
foul play of which the Count would be
the victim, no doubt. But how? when?
That must be solved To follow hiur,
or to wait--which? To wait. 1t is al
ways bestto wait; had learned this
lesson already.
/ waited. 1t was now rather more
than half-past eight, and had risen to
90 to the door when Isaw the guard re-
turning 70 the wne-shop with man
whose dress Indicated the stoker.
"Cnme in, Guido; come in" said the
guard; "and drink with me-
The man came in, and was again
absorbed in my book.
They seated themselves at the same
table as before, and drank silently for
a while; presently the guard hegan a
conversation in sOme patois | could not
understand; but Gould see the stoker
grow more and more Interested as the
name of 3eatriX occurred more fire.
Quently.
As the talk went on, the stOker SEEM
ed pressing the guard on some part of
the story with most vindictive eager
ness, repeatedly asking, His name
The accursed ! His name?
At last the guard answered, 1.-THE
Count Spezzato.
"The Count SpezzatO |" said the
stoker, now leaving the table and speak
ing in Italian.
Eyes, good Guido; the man who will
travel in the tain we take to 0-niglit
to Leghorn."
"He shall die The accursed He
shall die to night l'' said the stOker,
''If lose my life, tho betrayer of my
sister shall die -
The guard, returning to the unknown
tongue, seemed to be endeaVOring to
calm him; ahd L could only catch
repitition of the word "EmpOli" at in
tervals. Presently the stoker took from
the seats beside him two tin bottles,
such as you may see in the hands OF
mechanics who dine out; and could
see that one of them had rudely scratch
ha nf ftANilIiam A Thin
son." l fancied the guard produced
from his pocket phial, and poured the
contents into that bottle; but the action
was so rapid, and the corner so dark,
that | could not be positive then rising,
they stopped at the counter, had both
bottles filled with brandy, and went
out.
1t was now time to get TO tho station;
and, having paid my modest score, I
went out.
A little in front of me, by the light
from a small window, saw these two
cross themselves, grip each Others
hands across right 10 right, left to left
and part.
The stOker had set down the bottles,
and now taking them up followed the
guard at slower pace.
Arrived at the station, | found the
Count, his mother, female servant,
and the courier. ...
The Count came up to me, and said
In broken English, "You are the Eng
Iish to go to LeghOrn with ne ? Very
well, there is room. like the English.
You shall pay nothing, because | do
not sell tickets; you shall go flee. Is
that so ?''
/ thanked him in the best Italian l
could muster. ...r
"Do not speak your Italian to me;
speak the English as a native; | can
know all you shall say to me in your
own tongue. See, here is the train
special, as you call it. Enter, as it shall
please you" ..a.
The train drew up to the platform;
and l saw that the stOker was at his
pest, and that the engine.driver was an
l endeavored In vain to draw his at
tention to warn him, and was cOmpell-
ed to take my seat, which did in the
next the guards break
the train consisting Of only that car
riage and another, In which were the
Count, his mother, aud the servant.
The guard passed along the train,
locked the doors, and entered his box.