The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-01-21
.hee What is his parsntagep Is Macari

U.s.. His perfect knowledge of your
tongue was Of great service; and he
fought-=yes, once he fought like q man.
Why did he turn traitor nowP Why do
YOU ask these questionsp"
"He has been to me and asserts that
he is Pauline's brother"
Ceneri's face, as he heard this intel
ligence, was enough to Danish lie num-
Der one from my mind. My heart leaped
as / guessed that number two would be
disposed of easily. But there was a
terrible revelation to be made when l
came to ask about that Isl. tll,ft
"Pauline's brotherp 'stammered Cen
eri. "Her brother She has none"
A sickly look crept over his features
as he spoke-a look the meaning OF
which could not read.
"He says he is Anthony March, her
BROTHER
'Anthony March!' gasped Ceneri.
"There is no such person. What did
he want-his objectP" he continued fe-
verishly. r
"That should join him in memori-
al to the Italian Government, asking
for a return of some portion of the
fortune you spent"
Ceneri laughed bitter laugh. "All
grows clear" he said. "He betrayed
plot which might have changed Gov
ernment for the sake of getting me out
of the way. Coward! Why not have
killed mo and only me? Why have
made others suffer with mep Anthony
March! My God! that man is Il vii
lain!n
"You are sure that Macari betrayed
you?"
"Sure! yes. 1 was sure when the
man in the cell next TO mine raped it
on the wall. He had means of know
ing
~ don't understand you"
prisoners can sometimes talk to
each other by taps on the wall which
divides their cells! The man next me
was one of us. Long before he went
raying mad from the months of solitary
confinement, he raped out over and
over again: Betrayed by Macari.' |
believed him. He was too true man
TO make the accusation without proof.
But until now could not see the object
of the treason" ..t .. .'.
The easiest part of my task was over.
Macari's assumed relationship TO Pau
line was disposed Of Now, il Ceneri
would tell me, must learn who was the
victim of that crime committed years
ago, and what was the reason for the
foul deed. Imust learn that Macari's
explanation was an utter falsehood,
prompted by malice, or else my journey
would have benefited me nothing. Is
it any wonder that my lips trembled as
| endeavored to approach fhe subject?
"Now. Dr. Ceneri," / said, II have
question Of heavier import to ask.
Had Pauline a lover before married
her?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Surely you
have not come here to ask that ques-
tion--to have tit Of jealousy cured'"
"No." | said; ''you will hear my
meaning later on. Meanwhile, answer
me-
''She had a lover and Macari pro-
fessed to love her. and swore she should
be his wife. But l can most certainly
say she never returned his love"
"Nor loved any one else?n
"Not TO my knowledge. But your
manner, your words are strange. Why
do you ask? l may have wronged you.
Mr. Vaughan. but save for the one
thing, her mind, Pauline was fit to be
your wife.
'You did wrong me--you know 1t.
What right had you TO let me marry
woman whose senses were disar-
ranged? II was cruel TO both?"
felt stern and spoke sternly. Ccneri
shifted in his chair uneasily. If / had
wished revenge it was here. Gazing on
this wretched, ragged, broken-down
man, and knowing what awaited him
when he left me, would have filed the
measure desired by the most vcngcful
heart.
wanted no revenge on the man. His
manner told me he spoke the truth
when he denied that Pauline had ever
been in love. AS, when last gazcd on
her fair face, knew IL would, Macari's
black lie had been secuted, Pauline
was innocent MS an angel. But must
know who was the man whose death had
for awhile deprived her of reason.
Ceneri was glancing at me neryously.
Did he guess what / had to ask him?
Tell me-" said, "the name of the
young man murdered by Macari in Lon
don, In the presence Of Pauline; tell me
why he was killed?"
His face grew ashen. He seemed to
collapse-to sink back into his chair n
helpless heap. without the power OF
speech or movement, without the power
Of turning his eyes from my face.
"Tell me-" ! repeated "Stay, /
will recall the scene to you, and you
will know / am well informed. Here is
the table; here Is Macari, standing over
The man he has stabbed; here are you,
and behind you is another man with a
scar on his cheek. In the back room,
at the piano, is Pauline. She is sing
ing, but her song stops as the murdered
man falls dead. Do Idescribe the scene
truly?" "
had spoken excitedly. I had used
gestures and words. Ceneri's ears had
drunk in every syllable; his eyes had
followed every gesture. As i pointed
TO the supposed position Of Pauline, he
had looked there with a quick, startled
glance, rs II expecting TO see her enter
the door. He made no attempt 10 de-
ny the accuracy Of my representation.
] waited for him 10 recover. He was