The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-03-22

Gus key very deliberately from his pock
ct. lie greeted his customer politely il
French, and entirely without surprise.
Once more within the shop, the young
mans heart beat nervously. The place
wore n different look to his excited i'm
agination. The mitrcd saint Oh thu
glass panel seemed to gaze at him, thu
pictures to watch him, the broken stat
ucs to wait in their shadowy corners fol
the result. lie took the buckle from hi
pocket with assumed Indifference ant
inquired:
"Where did you obtain it?"
The collector shrugged his shoulders
suspicion lurkcd in his glance. "On,
gathers many things" he returned
guardedly.
''D0 You know the person who sole
it?" pursued Henry, fevcrishly, despite
all efforts at sclf-control.
eyes"
"This person is living?'
"Per BaccO! Yes"
The mitred saint OH the glass, the
faded pictures, the dumb cold statues
surely awaited the next question: Was
the owner stranger and man? Per-
haps. The collector became more vague
even busted himself sorting coins on q
metal dish. lie did not know.
Was this reticence sheer stupidity OIL
subtle caution? Henry severed the web
of doubt with one decisive stroke.
"If could learn the name of the per.
son who sold this buckle would pay
eighty francs for it," he said firmly. "a
would even gladly treble the first price
could see this owner"
GA x.o,, IN ananx of tbo o,uporo ~
"No, friend"
How the young mans heart bounded
The owner was, then, man? Explana.
tons were facilitated by the production
of two hundred-franc note. Yes, the
gold buckle had been brought for sale
only few days ago by the signore in
the next street. He had lived there
many years, and from time to time little
articles had come to the shop. An old
man and foreigner-probably Inglese
or Tedesco, the dealer believed.
In silence he conducted Henry Top
bingham beneath an arch which formed
a covered bridge from one old palace to
the next, past picturesque loggia,
where cobbler worked at his task out
side the door, and along q narrow
winding street, fanked by a closed
church and convent, now used as a bar.
rack, finally pausing before tall house
Indicating the floor occupied by the
lodgcr with his finger, he vanished, ev.
identity still doubtful of the strangers
good intentions, and left Henry to clmf
the stone steps alone.
When the latter had found the door
he was obliged to strike a match from
the box in his pocket to discover the
bell, the darkness of the hall being al
most palpable. The match flickered
over tiny card on the panel, and wen,
out. Henry pulled the bell vigorously
lie had read the name of A. Long OIL
the card.
a silence profound, intcrminablc
ensued. Again he rang. Then slow
shufiling footstep approached, and 6
faint voice demanded, in the wary Ital
ian formula, before opening door.
"Chi e?'
Henry reflected moment, then an
swcred, "Cesare Borghetti.'
"Ah!"
A bolt slid, the latch fell; he entered
boldly to find himself face to face will
the man he most desired to see on earth
Albert Long, pale, gaunt, and wan
with gray hair and grizzlcd beard, lean
ed against the wall, and regarded the
stranger in surprise.
81 come from your BROTHER" said the
young messenger, and his voice seemed
to ring through the deserted place.
"What is my brother TO me-" de
manded the other, sternly.
''He is dead"
''Them the judgment remains fol
him."
He turned away and dragged himself
into room, where he sank into chair
The feebleness of his gait alarmed Hen
ry. distinctive sympathy led him tC
pour little brandy from his pocket
flask between the pallid lips of Alber
Long, and to chafe his chill hands while
explaining the situation to him. The
place was utterly destitute of furniture
save for bed in one corner, with {
charcoal brazier beside it, and table
covered with MSS.
Joy seldom kills. The lonely crea
ture burst into wild laughter. Henry
feared his brain had turned.
"Look here." said Albert Long ,rous
ing himself, and pointing TO the MSS
on the table; "the great work is no
finished, but my strength is quite gone
What is the use of life2 In another
hour you would not have got in. / liv,
alone" He approached his lips to hi
visitors ear. "Thc last franc went il
charcoal for the brazicr, my friend
One falls asleep in the brazier fumes
and tomorrow | am rich YOU say
and am starving to death. have ha,
no food for twenty-four hours. This i
the end-ihe end! Yet | seem to b,
waiting-I hear your footstep." Then
in louder, rougher tone of voice, h,
added: "IIalfofthe property belonged
to me; he lied about me always ant
they believed him. Why was not be
lieved? | should have remained ant
fought my own battle. lie did not an
swer my letters afierward. He love,
money and power"
Hcnry's sole response was TO careful
! ly administer more brandy. lie die
not permit himself to falter. Fou
years and seven months had elapsed
since the death of an unjust man, anC
here was his heir starving, prepared t
terminate wretched existence by
means of charcoal brazierl Family
quarrels alone are cruel as the grave.
"Will you come with me nowY' fin
ally, demanded the young man, will
assumed cheerfulness.
eyes," wearily. "Do not forget tn,
manuscript"
This neglected and forsaken Alber
Long was taken TO the hotel, where /;
physician speedily arrived to prescrib,
the suitable nutriment TO revive him.
That night he looked at his arden
Young champion, who dared not express
his sympathy except by taking care o
him, and said, with melancholy smile
"You come like the Arciiangel Mi
chael of Raphael. young and strong, t.
trample on evil"
'Pray tell me if this sboe-buckle be
longed to your grandmother, Hannal
LongT Henry ventured to inquire.
eyes. How did you learn about her
thought The buckle was my last relic
and finally went to the shop. All, how
L countcd The fmaniu G.ancs .aca;.ra.