The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-29

lhdy uo, ucAfoH OHiy kiioWs.
"She is unhappy, perhaps" Thorburn
suggested, wondering whether this, beau
tiful "uneanny" woman would prove
to be the model Desmond had been seek
ing.
"How should she be otherwise with
such husband as she has getY' demand
ed the barber's wife, shriIly. "Santia
Maria! if hewere mine, I'd cure him OF
Jealousy I'll warrant you"
"Ay your face would cure him OF
that mia BELLA" remarked her husband,
dryly; and this time the laugh was
against her.
"Ebbene, my friends" said the land
lord, as he set knife and fork, and plate
and glass before his guest; "it is getting
late, and as the Signor's supper will be
ready in the space Of credo-"
The visitors took the hint in perfect
good part, and at once withdrew, wishing
the stranger "buona notte."
The supper was not long in making
its appearance. 1t consisted of basin
of vegetable soup, favored with grated
cheese, portion Of roast kid, smoking
hot, scrap of Parmesan, on the same
plate with half dozen wizened little
apples, and a cup of black coffee to con-
clude with. Everything that was not
favored with cheese tasted more or less
of garlic. However, flask Of capital
Monte Pulciano made amends for the
defects of the cuisine, and when he had
finished it and taken a stroll in the
Piazza, where the quaint shadow of the
church lay black across the moon
whitened pavement, the artist asked to
be shown to his room.
1t proved to be long, droughty apart
ment with tiled floor; clean enough,
but supremely uncomfortable. Howev-
er, too used to roughing it to be critical,
he soon "turned in" leaving the lamp
burning. Tired as he was, It was some
time before he slept.
Fragmentary recollections of the past
day haunted him; the hill scenery un-
rolled before him in endless panorama,
he heard the convent bells, the tinkling
mandoline, voices of the gossips at the
the inn door. Then histhoughts riveted
to Desmond, whom he pictured arriving
next morning, brisk and blithe, and "de-
bonair, making himself at home in the
place at once, joking with the host, ram
bling about the old town in search of
his "Lueretia Borgia," and incidentally
making the acquaintance of every man,
woman, and child he encountered. :
With smile at the thought, Thorburn
at length fellasleep.
How long his sleep lasted he never
knew. He woke with a start-woke
completely, passing without transition
from the deep insensibilities of dreamless
slumber into full consciousness sat
up in bed, looking round him with be-
wildered stare.
Had be dreamed it or had he really
heard Desmond calling him?
He listened. Within and without the
house was all profoundly still-se still
that he could hear the owls heoting in
the wide, dark country outside the walls
of the town.
He sprang out Of bed and went to the
window; perhaps Desmond was waiting
for admittance in the street below9
Half in the forlorn light OF the waning
moon, half in the black shadow Of the
church. the Piazza lay, bare, SILENT soli-
tary, with no living creature visible save
vagabond dog creeping stealthily across
it. The town was silent as city of the
dead; in the distance the owls still hoot-
ed mournfully with a sound Of "Wde-
woeW '..
As he leaned on the window-ledge look-
ing out, and rendering over his strange
delusion, curious feeling Of numbness
and insensibiity began to creep over
him. 1t was as though a thick veil or
cloud were gradually interposed between
his senses and the outer. world. There
was an interval Of blank unconsciousness,
from which he awoke-into dream.
His wide-open eyes were still fixed on
the Piazza, but with some mysterious inr
ner vision he beheld q quite different
scene-one utterly unfamiliar 10 him.
He was standing, he thought, in the
interior Of a hall f-ruined tower, which
seemed to have, been the Campaaile Of
some church or chapel. Through q
breach in the walls he could see, outside,
a large, weed-grown courtyard, with the
remains of cloistered walk at one side,
and at the end low stone house, half
hidden by trees.
Suddenly he heard Desmond's. voice
calling him. 1t seemed to come, hollow
and mufled, from beneath the flooring
Of the tower, under his feet. He looked
around, and noticed for the first time 4
low, arched door in one of the massive
walls. 1t was open, showing flight of
worn stone steps. leading to a vault or
crypt below.
He was not conscious of changing his
position, but thefnext moment he seemed
to be in the crypt. It. had a damp and
earthly odor, and was profoundly dark,
except where faint, mysterious light
at one end showed him-Desmond,
stretched on the damp stones, in pool
OF his own. blood.
The.shock, Of horror which ran through
him at the sight broke the spell. His
vision suddenly faded into darkness;
gradually, as it had gathered, the cloud
passed from his perceptions, and he re-
gained consciousness to find himself
Gro nd;no at tha vindow uith b;s a,,as