The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-09-30

she, not caring to irritatc him, com
Piled
She shortly after retired to rest,
drowsy and tired. Half an hour after
ward Che old man crcpt toward her room
muttering
"l.a Sonnamhula ! La Sonnambula
Luigi said that the opera at San Carlo
was like real life Somnambulists do
strange things
And he passed into her room.
Frank Lloyd was sitting in boat
waiting for his employer at the foot of
the steps of the Villa Santangelo He
was surprised to see a light burning in
the gardeners house at so late an hour
but he knew that Teresina often sat up
late after her uncle had retired indeed,
he had had many sweet stolen inter
view with her at the window, when
waiting as he waited now. AT this mo-
ment he heard the voice of Lord Ardley,
joining in duet with his fancee at the
villa. "lle won't come away just yet"
said the sailor to himself so, taking
clean jump over strip OF water that
separated the two Easements, he clam
bered up to the gardeners window. He
had placed his hands on the window.sill,
and was drawing himself up, and about
to give the usual signal, when, to his in
tense establishment, he saw old Baldelli
staggering from the opposite room, half
dragging, half carrying his niece. What
could it mean Was she i'll Was it
fresh air she required He had not
much time for thought, for the window
opened suddenly outward by Baldelli,
struck his hands from their hold, and he
had only time to drop lightly into the
water beneath. AS he came TO the sur
face-great Heaven he could neither
shout nor prevent 1.-THE slight form of
his sweetheart was hurled from the win
dow into the black water below; and
the old man, not daring to look upon
bis handiwork, closed the window alb
ruptly and disappeared. 1t was the
work of a moment for the young sailor
to reach the body of his sweetheart, and
to place her in his boat under cover Of .
sail But what was he now to do with
his precious burden, which lay. safe but
still unconscious, rear him He might
indeed place her under the care of the
ladies at the villa but then he feared
the chatter of servants, nor did he know
of what power her uncle might have to
claim her from them, for Italian courts
are slow TO recognize the interference of
foreigners IN domestic difficulties. While
he was still iu doubt he was Joined by
Lord Ardley, to whom he related his
adventure. The nobleman listened to
the agitated voice of the poor lad. and,
making a shrewd guess at their relations,
he said.
"Your sweetheart, eh, Lloyd ?"
eyes, sir not doubt of it."
"And you're going to marry her ?"
''Now more than ever, sir. All my
lord, you don't know what difficulties
we've had to fight against, nor yet how
dear she is to me > and then he told
the whole story of his attachment as
they rowed vigorously, each at an oar,
toward Santa Lucia, where Teresina was
| placed ON board the yacht.
On She following day Baldelli, hag-
sentcd himself at the 6anco di lotto.
Il have come, as the guardian of my
niece rcrcsina, to claim the money she
has gained in the lattery."
''Very good signore. And first the
ticket, if you please"
He eagerly presented it.
"All right and in order" said the clerk
''She presented herself here yesterday 2
'She did"
The clerk took ont large roll o.
notes, W hich he began deliberately ant
without haste to count.
"What stroke of fortune for one 81
young !!
BalAolii nodded his head impatiently.
The clerk, tied up the bundle of notes
and began to whistle ''Addo mia bell,
napoli
"Wcll, well, said the gardener sharply
sam to wait much longer 2
'.But. signore you seem to be in
greater hurry than the siguoria,"
"What do you mean 2"
"Why, we wait the arrival of Teresin
Baldelli, of course" ("Stupid old imbe
cile !" muttered the clerk to HIMSELF"
Baldelli looked aghast, and then blus
tered out
Don't tell you she has told me to &c
the money Have you not got the tick
ct What more do you want i? Am
not her guardian i? Do you doubt that
"Not for moment but this none
| will be paid in her presence alone"
"But how can she come here ? She
| ILL., The excitement was too much fc
| her.
"Ah, then we must wait until she ha
recovered
"But this is too much. Am ! not
respectable citizen? Am | not"
''BaSt0! That will do, signore," an
the clerk replaced the notes in his desl
Old Baldelli fumed and swore, whine
and entrcated, with no effect
"Giye me back the ticket, then.
: will report you TO your superiors!"
"The tickeH Certainly. Here it is
: And the gardener left The office
The clerk had seen Il good number
= strange things in his time, and was gi
en- 10 the observation of the cOuntena
! ces and the emotions of his fellow me
, so he wrote a note to the chief oflic
where in due time Badelli presentC
himself And the official at this pla,
, was altogether polite and amiable, al
5 much regretted that it was against Il
5 rules to comply with Baldelli's reques
p but if the signorina was unable to atten
: but still anxious for the settlement of h
claim, why, he would accompany Il
, gardener himself to the house for ii
: purpose; to which the gardener objectc
e strongly, and retired with face SO wo
and anxious and frightened, that III
4 amiable official thought it as well to sci
a detective officer to look after the O
man, and if possible, to get to the be
II tom of the mystery-for queer thin
y often happen with these lotteries.
The result was that nobody had hea
or seen anything of Tercsina, and c
n 5aldelli was unable to account for Il
q disappearance, and maintained dogg
IA silence on the subject, for the disappoi
u ment to his hopes and the consciousnO