Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-08-18

pOItraltS, winch served as the ante
chamber to the great hall filled with
books and manuscripts. On the wall
hung q highly-colored portrait of
Byron. The monk brought out the
autograph-book and laid it befor them,
and they sat there while he occupied
himself at the desk in the library with
some manuscripts he was illuminating.
l doubt if Miss Nevil saw much of the
manuscripts she scanned so closely,
with now and then word of COM
lnent. She felt nothing but Eliot
Vance's presence, his rough coat as it
brushed her sleeve, the touch of bis
hand as he turned the leaves, his
strong self-reliant atmosphere that
stilled for the moment all her doubts
and fears. And he, in his turn, felt
his heart drawn out through his lips by
the soft perfume Of her dress, the soft
flesh of her throat. More than once
lie bent his head that his cheeks might
be brushed by her hair. They bad not
noticed how the black clouds had piled
themselves up, how the lagoon had
roughened into white-capped waves !,
how the wind soughed through the cy-
presses, bending their dark shapes. Sud
denly a gondolier appeared at the door.
eve must get back to Venice now,
signor, or we shall not get back to-
night"
"Come child" said Vane, starting
up; ..it wont do for us to be caught
here over night"
At that moment fearful peal Of
thunder shook the building-the lightn-
ing seemed to envelope it. There was
crash of hailstones on the rcof-the
air was whitened with the falling stones,
so that the sky seemed AS black as ink.
A boat out in the lagoon was stripped
Of its sails and hurled about like a
cockleshell.
"Too late!" said the gondolier. 81
won't risk my life by going now. 1t
may be over in half an hour"
Vane compressed his lips in anger
A pretty situation if they should be
kept there all night! He glanced at
Miss Nevil. Her face was pale, her
eyes hard and resolute. She under
stood. But she was not q girl to sink
down and cry. She sat down again
the autograph-book.
Come back again when you think it
will be safe to start" said Vane to the
gondolier.
They sat there listening to the pelt-
ing hail; Vane with heart divided
between the pleasure and anger, Miss
Nevil, striving resolutely to repress the
apprehensions that crowded upon her.
Pere Gabriel looked up now and then
from hi, work with twinkle in his
black eyes. He was not bad-hoarted
fellow, and he enjoyed a bit of romance
in quite an unmonk-]ike fashion.
"How do you happen to know these
people so wel?" said Miss Nevil at
length.
81 lived here once, more than five
years ago-when l was more romantic
than / am now--all one vacation. 1t
was quite delightful. l believe l cor
rupted some of the younger monks.
We used to smoke together out in the
cowhouse, and l fancy the old prior
was not sorry to see me depart; but
I've always kept up an interest in the
place.
"Mr. Vane, is there no way of get
ting back before dark? | will take my
risk. Think how l shall be talked
about if stay here over night"
Mr.. Vane went to Pere GabriePs desk
and talked with him.
81 will pay anything they ask if they
will only 60"
"You would be drowned, and she
also" said Pere Gabriel. 'No one need
know it. You can trust to me, l
think"
There is no help for it, little one"
said Vane. II am infinitely sorry, |
would rather anything had happened
than this"
In flash the future came before Do
tina Nevil. There would be twelve
hours more Of life and happiness; then,
from the moment she set foot in Ven
ice, disgrace. Her aunt's reproaches
would be hard to bear; she would take
her away from Venice, and tell her that
no man would marry the heroine of
such scandal as would be concocted
at Venetian tea tables. Life would oe
all dreary blank, with no outlook or
future In the meantime, for few
hours, life would be everything worth
having. Vane would be by her side
for, perhaps, six hours-she counted
them. She would dream of him so
many more; then there would be the
homeward journey in the sunrise; and
when he should leave her, there would
at least be a memory in her heart to
brighten the dreary future before her.
At dusk the great bell of the convent