Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-10-02

had received from her unknown rider.
Three or four times she had plunged
and struck out or leaped fearfully for
ward, as the rowels penetrated her
tender sides: but Count Donati main
tanned a good seat in the saddle, and
still he pressed her on, when suddenly
rear ny. the palfrey cut her on the
gambrel (being close behind herr she
plunged madly out. and boiling, threw
Count DOnati with dreadful violence
against "A ledge of rock by the side Of
the path. Then turning, rs she thus
relieved herself of her unwelcome bur
den, Francesca saw, with painful hOr-
ror, that Donatl's foot was thrust
through the strrup. Peri was quite
rs much alarmed rs was the wife OF
Rodolpho, and wheeling once more,
away She dashed, wildly. madly. des-
perately, with her late rider dangling
at her heels. The work of death was
brief but terrible. The horse only
knew thai some cXtraord nary event
had occurred and at "A murderous leap
she went oil toward the stable in which
she had been housed for several days
When she reached IT., she dashed head
long into the courtyard, leaped the
palng. and fell, covered with sweat
and dust and blood. near the outer
door.
The groom instantly caught her
head, and aided her upon her feet.
The foam dripped from her des. and
she was badly scared The head-gear
was out OF shape. one strrHp strap
was missing. the saddle was turned
down under her belly, and it was PLAN
some shocking accident had taken
place. Aid was sent out at once from
the hotel i'm the direction that Claudio
had been known habitually TO take IN
his equestrian eNcurs ons. and matters
were soon explained in a measure.
The body of man was found by the
roadside, awfully mangled and bruis-
ed. around whose right ankle there
hung stirrup. which matched the
other in Pcri's saddle. But this man
was a stranger 1t was not the young
Count, but an older person. How
came he there? How could he have
occupied the Signors saddle? Where
was the lady, too? There wa, pla nly
foul play in some way. and the cople
who huddlrd about the body became
excited aud curious.
Send for Doctor ,uggested
some one IN the crowd at last.
Rather too late replied another.
taking up the mans hand. The i.
dead.
A surgeon was sent for, however
the body was removed 10 a more suita
BILE place for exam nation. But al
was useless. Count Donati. the one,
supposed father of Francesca, and tn,
/ sworn enemy of her husband the ban
/ dit and robber, the celebrated chief
tain Barnardo-w no more.
But Claudio hurr ed along, and a,
/ he advanced the exercise rather aideC
/ him. He was all in doubt and con
fus on-hopeful, yet, fearing to know
the result of this nights work, when
he heard horse galloping down thu
road toward him at a rapid rate from
! the direction of the town. A the ami
NAL approached nearer, he stepped {
little aside until Of he had rider) h,
might be hailed. when he shouted
Hi, hi" which brought both palfrel
and rider TO a standstill, for that voice
was well remembered.
"Claudio' shouted Francesca in Ye
Spouse. a. she leaped from her saddl,
at Il bound. Claudio, my husband
are YOU safe? Are YOU safe? Are yoI
not hurt Speak, quick
mo. loved one | am not hurt much
But where is Peri? Whence come yo,
and what does all this mean?'
''Oh. Claudio. in one word | be!
YOU hasten Count Donati lies bleed
ing by tho road not u hundred yard
hence
Count Donati''
Yes, yes; do not pause now. do no
ask a question. | beseech you; bu
haste in humanity's name, hasten Il
aid him
How came he here?' said her hus
band confusedly, and insisting upOl
placing his wife in the saddle again
Where did Count Douatl come from
pray?'
Away Rololpho For my sake
now away, AMI save him if possible.
continued Francesca. kindly. And il
very little time they reached tn
spot where lay the form of the one
powerful robber. who had now cease
to breathe. Id vain was sympathy
kindness or Surgical skill. The di
was cast-Count Donati was dead
The body was removed, as we hav
stated, and brief explanation too
place. 1t was clear 10 the examining
authorities that this man was upo
the wrong horse, At any rate; and
was quite rs clear that he not only ha
no right there. but that his death oc
Cured by being thrown and dragge
against the rocky road. However. b
was dedd and they could not procee
further toward him. even if he ha
cr,minally possessed himself for th
time being, of { laudio's horse. )
they suffered him TO take charge of tn
mangled body. and the event was 500
aftetward forgotten.
Francesca though deeply agtate,
and alarmed, reached her hotel in safe
~ at last. where she quickly eXplaine
the whole affair to her husband in dc
tail. Claudio bore no malice in hi
composition; and so. after hearing hi
wife's story, though he saw that Dc
natl would have robbed him of Fran
cesca, and left him TO die by the road
side. in order that he might thus tri
umph. yet the old Italian was no,
beyond harming him further, an
he forgavo him for the mul
tifold injuries he had sustained at hi
hands. and went about the work O
hav ny his remains cared for in suit
able and respectable manner.
After Some consultation betwee
Claudio and his wife. such version
of the story of his death as seemed ii
/ 20 them under the circumstances wa