The Osceola times., 1880-11-27

thought crossed my brain. unlocked
my pistol. 1T seems said, that You
are not in a mood TO die at thI present
moment. You prefer to breakfa fast. As
you please, | have no desire 10 disturb
you DO not concern your elf about
my affairs he replied, and be good
enough to fire. However, as you please;
you have still your shot to fire, and
shall always be at your service. | with
drew with my seconds,t to whom said that
for the moment | had no desire TO shoot,
and SO the matter ended. | resigned
and retired to this village. Since that
moment not day has passed but have
thought of my vengence. Now my hour
bas come"
Silvio drew from his pocket the letter
which he had received that morning and
gave 1t to me to read Some one, evi.
IDENTIFY his lawyer, wrote to say that the
person in question was soon to be mar
ried to young and beautiful lady.
you can guess who the person is"
said Silvio. 81 am gong to Mos, ow
We shall see If he will look upon death
in the midst of a wedding with as much
coolness as he did before a pound of
cherries"
With these words he flung his cap on
to the shelf and began to stride up and
down the room like tiyar in his cage.
listened to him motionless and tor
mented by thousand contrary senti-
ments.
A servant entered and announced that
the horses were ready. Sllvio pressed
my hand. He mounted little carriage,
on which there we're two cases, one con
tanning his pistols, the other his baggage.
We said adieu once more and the horses
started.
A few years passed and family affairs
compelled me TO exile myself in mis-
cradle little villege in the district Of.
Busy with my own interests, ! did not
cease to sigh when l thought Of the
noisy, careless life l had hitherto led
| What l found most painful was TO &C.
custom myself to pass the spring and
winter evenings in complete solitude.
Until dinner time contrived to kill the
time in one way and another. But
as soon as it began to grow dark l did
not know what to do.
AT u distance of four verus was fine
property belonging TO the Countess
| B, hu. her steward alone was there;
the Countess had only lived at the cha
teau once IN the first year of her mar
rage, and then she had only stayed a
month.
| One day fin the second year OF my
| herm,t's life learned that the Countess
and her husband would pass the summer
ut the chateau. They arrived indeed in
the month of June. The arrival If
rich neiphbor makes an epoch in the life
of country folks. For my pant | was
| dying with impatience to see the coun-
tess, and my first Sunday after her ar.
| rival l went to pay my respects as being
| her closest neighbor and her most hum
BILE servant. A lacky conducted me to
the cabine. of the count, which was fur
| nished with most consumate luxury.
| The door opened and | saw enter
handsome young man of thirty years Of
age, Sho received me in the most
a.niIble manner. We were just set
| Ting down IN % easy conversation when
the Countess appeared. She was really
beauty. The Count introduced me. |
| wished to assume an easy air, but the
more | tried the more awkward and EN-
ba-rassed became. My hosts, to give
me time 10 recover myself, began to talk
| to each other to show me that thev
| treated me already as EeIghbor and
without ceremony. | walked about the
room. looking at the hooks and pictures.
| | am no connoisseur, hut | stopped be.
fore view of Switzerland, not so much
because / was struck by The merits of
the picture, but becase it Was pierced by
| two bullets which had evidently been
fired through the same hole, one af.er
| the other.
That was fine shot," / said turning
towards the count.
"Yes," said he, strange shot indeed.
Are you an adapt with the pistol, sir?"
ITO Ger ain degree" | replied, de-
lighted to find some topic of converse
ton within my powers. "At thirty PAGES
! | could hit card, OF course with pistols
| that knew"
"Indeed?" said the Countess, with an
air of great interest. And you my
dear, could you hit a yard at thirty
| pace"
ave will see," said the Count. "In
my time was not bad shot, hut have
not touched pistol in four years"
| "rhe Count" | said, 81 dare bet that
you would miss, even at twenty PAGES.
| Pistol-shooting requires constant prac.
| tce. know ii by experience. The best
shot ever knew used to shoot every
day, at least three shots before dinner
He never missed taking his glass of cog
nae before the SOUP"
| "And how did ne do it?" asked the
Count.
How? He would see fly on the
wall-you smile Countess? | swear that
it is true. 'Ehl Kuuzkal pistol Kouz
ka brought loaded pistol Bdna! and
there was the hy fdttened on the wall"
"Wnat skill" cried the Count. "And
what was his naIne?"
"Silvio."
"Slvio?" cried the Count, jumping to
| his feet. "You know Silvio?"
ave were close friends; he was with
us in the regiment like a comrade. But
now five years have passed away since
had any news OF him. And SO he has
the honor Of being known to you,
cuunt?"
"Perfecty. Did he ever tell you a
strange adventure that happened to
him2"
"a blow that he received at a soireeT
did he ever tell you the name of the
man?'
"No, Count, he did not tell me. Abr
l exclaimed, guessing the truth; excuse
me, can it have been, you, Count2'
Myself" replied the count, with an
air OF confusion. "and that picture with
a hole in it Is souvenir of our last in
terview."
"Ah! my friend, do not sp ak of that"
said the countess, at terrifes me still"
"No," said the count, II must relate
the affair to the gentleman; ne knows