The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-02-17

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The year passed. l went down at
Christmas, AMI for twenty-four hours
was alive; came back, and had a rise of
twenty pounds in salary for the next
year. / waited for opportunity, and 1t
came not.
This jog.trOt routine ,of Office work
continued for two years more, and at
the end of that time l was worth but
my salary. of 1851 per year-135. a
long way from 500l. Oh, for oppor-
tunity | must quit the desk, and he
come merchants all successful men
have been merchants; money begets
money. But to oppose all these thoughts
of change came the memory of Alice's
last words at Christmas, "Wait and
hope, Guy; wait and hope" Certain
ly; its so easy to.
Governor wants you, Westwood.
Hes sharp this morning sharp;
50 look out, my dear nephy."
'You understand little Italian 2"
said my uncle
"a little, sir"
"You will start tonight for Florence,
in the mail train. Get there as rapidly
as possible, and find whether a Colonel
Wilson is residing there, and what lady
he is residing with. Learnall you can
as to his position and means, and the
terms on which he lives with that lady.
| Write to me, and wait there for further
instructions. Mr.. Williams will give
you check for 100l.; you can get cir.
Cular notes for 50l.; and the rest cash.
If you have any thing to say come in
here at five O'Clock; If not good-morn-
ing. By-theby, say nothing in the of
fce." g..
I need not say that hope made me
believe my opportunity was come.
hurried to Florence, aud discharged
my mission; sent home careful letter,
full of facts without comment or opin-
ion, and in three weeks time was sum,
moued to return l had done little or
nothing that couid help me, aud in q ,
disappointed state of mind l packed up
and went to the railway station at st.
Dominica. A little row with peasant
as to has demand for carrying my bag
gage caused me to lose the last train
that night, and so the steamer at Leg
horn, The statiOn-master, seeing my
veXatlon, endeavored to console me.
"There will be special through train
to Leghorn at nine o'clock, ordered for
Count Spezzato: he is good natured,
and will probably let you 60 in that"
It was worth the chance, and hung
about the station till was tired, and
then walked back towards the village
Passing a small wine. shop, / entered,
and asked for wine in English. / don't
know what whim possessed me when
did it, for they were unable to under
stand me without dumb motions. l at
length got wine by these means, and
sat down to while away the time over a
railway volume.
had heen seated about half an hour,
when courier entered, accompanied
by railway guard. Two more differ
eDt examples of human race it would
be diiiicult to describe.
The guard was a dark, savage look
ing Italian, with "rascal" and "bully
written all over him; big, black, burly,
with boodshot eyes, and thick, heavy,
sensual lips, the man was utterly re-
pulsive
The courier was little, neatly dress
ed man, Of no age in particular; pale,
-blue,eyed, straight-lipped, his face was
a compound of fox and rabbit that only
fool or patriot would have trusted
out of arm's-length. H' s
This ill-matched pair called for
brandy, and the hostess set it before
them. l then heard them ask who and
what was. She replied, must be an
and did not understand |
the Italian for wine. She then left.
They evidently wanted to be alone,
and my presence was decidedly dis |
agreeable TO them; and muttering that i
/ was an Englishman, they proceeded |
to try my power as linguist.
The courier commenced in Italian,
with remark on the weather. / inn
medately handed him the newspaper. |
! didn't speak Italian, that was clear
to them,
The guard now struck in with re. |
mark in French as to the hneness OF !
tho neighbOring country. l shrugged |
my shoulders, and produced my cigar |
case French was not very familiar to |
me, evidently.
"Those beasts of English think there |
own tongue so fine they are too proud |
to learn another, 4" said the guard.
| sat slipping my wine and reading.
"Weu, my dear Michael Pultuski,"
began the guard.
"For the love OF God, call me not by !
that name. My name is Alexis-Alexis |
Dzentzol, now"
"Oh oh I" laughed the guard ''you |
have changed your name, you fox; it's /
like YOU. Now ] am the same that you |
knew fifteen years ago, Conrad Ferrate \
to day, yesterday, and for life, Con.
rad Ferrate. Come lad, tell us your
story. How did you get out OF that |
little affair at Warsaw? How they |
could have trusted you, with your face, |
with their secrets, / can't for the life !
of me tell: you look so like sly knave,
don't you, lad" IaT-
The courier, so far from resenting
this familiarity, smiled, as il he had /
been praised,
"My story is soon said. found, az.
ter my betrayal 10 the police Of the
secrets of that little conspiracy which
you aud Joined, that Poland was tuo
hot for me, ard my name too well
known. / went 10 France, who valge
..I Ton q. F..t,r r-..r.... .a..- t.gg.