The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-12

"A descendant Of the famous condotticre
whoee conqueste went to the duke Of Milan"
Canes 500 6ed 70 venice and was registered
on the Golden Book To-day there 10 neither
book nor Cane" He finished with violent,
rebellious gesture.
have been rich How did you Lose your for
tune."
At this question Of mine he raised his head
- if he was really looking at me-s most trss-
ic action-end answered.:
Through misfortunes."
I stood lost In . dream Of Venice and the
Adriasic Facino Cane stepped playing, stood
up, and took my arm
lie. US leave this place. he said, abruptly,
and We Ts INT" tns 70
Will you trust to me! You shall he richer
than the ten richest houses Of Amsterdam
or London; richer than fairy tale."
He led mo on to solitary quarter. and atlsst
poured its light upon his silver hair. The noise
Of the tumult Of the boulevards came to US
family. II WAS . fantastic scene
II am twenty years old, and You talk to me
Of millions. DO you think there 10 any hard
ship would hesitate 10 undergo to obtain them.
Don't amuse yourself 1t my expense on suchs
subject" 1 cried
MAY die without absolution," he swore
violently, IF what am going to tell You is no,
was rich, Handsome, noble. beQn my life
like . lava food Years ago fell in love with
one Of the vendramini. eighteen years old,
twice her age and wildly in love with his wife.
My lady love and l, still innocent an the angels.
were talking Of love one day, when the sposo
| surprised us. l was unarmed He missed
me. sprang upon him and .trangled
his neck like fowls l wished TO fy with
| Blanca but she would not follow me- So much
for women. I fed alone. was indicted, and
my goods were sequestratcd for my heirs
monde, fve rolled pictures by Titan, and all
me gold l went to Milan, where ] was not
distnrbed-my affair did not interest tie state
Whether wonian's fancios influence the I'M
born child or not, 1t u fact that my motnct
had passion for gold, and my mania for 1t
amounts to such an intensity Of desire, that in
/ all vicissitu,les Of my life / have managed to
keep come about me. must handle gold con-
stantly. When was young always had two
| or three hudred ducats about ne"
As he spoke, the old man drew two ducats
from his pocket and showed them to me.
Il havs q special sense for gold as well" he
continued; "though l am blind, ! stop IN
| stinctively before the jewelers. windows. The
passion s. has been INV perdltion Ibecame . gam.
bier 80 a. to stake gold was not swindler, 30
was swndlcd l ruined myself. When my
fortune was gone was seized with desire to
zee Blanca I returned secretly to Venice,
| Iouuu auu WWs uWpPy iOi StA iiioutsASs nv
den and cared for by her. thought to finish
nv life no. But sutton Of Blanca guessed q
rival-they have remarkable intuitions in Italy
set spies ON us and surprised US in each
cd him seriously. He called his followers and
had the place surrounded. l defended my
self, and Blanca helped me. Formerly che
would not fly with me, but after six months Of
happiness she wished TO die with me, and re-
ceived several blows. was overcome, rolled
in cloak and carried in . eondola to Gel
containing Q deep pit None Of my wounds
were mortal ] was condemned to be behead
ed, and feigDed illness to gam time. believ
ed myself to be in cell adjoining tho canal
my project was TO escape by penetrating tn
wall and swimming across the canal ut TIM
risk Of drowning myself. Whenever the jaileI
brought me food I read written signs ON thu
wall, like Palace Side,' Canal Side,' 'Subter
ranean Side. With the genius Of . Gagged thin,
pining for liberty succeeded in decipherint
with NV finger tips on the surface Of stOns
an Arabian inscription, by which its author in
formed ms successors in the cell that he hat
taken two stones ont Of the last course and hat
ding eleven feet under ground To continue
his task it was necessary to heap up ON thu
floor Of the cell the earth and mortar produced
by the excavation: but even il the warders ant
construction OF the building, which only re
qurcd an exterior watch, the position Of tn
pits. down to which two or three steps led, mad
} the disposal Of the earth easy, 30 that the Jail
ers need perceive nothing. The immense tasl
had been in vain, at least for him who hal be
gun it, for its non-compIetion proved tin,
death Of the unknown. TO profit by his labor
, those prisoners who succeeded him must hav'
known Arabic, but had studied Oriental Ian
, guages at the Armenian convent,
u worked for a month without any visible
result, but while worked, and when fatigu'
ovcrpowered me, heard the sound OF gold;
saw gold before me: M eyes were dazZied b.
diamonds. One night the old sword wa
working with touched wood i sharpened tn
, steel and made a hole in the wood. 1t was TIN
last night but one that should spend in prison
made one final effort; pierced the WOOD an,
my tool reached nothing ON the other side.
applied my eyes to the aperture; had pene
I trated the wainscot of vault where feebl
aud one of the Council of Ten were in til
! vault What th.. they said informed me tina
, beleld the secret treasury Of the republic
, was saved! When the jailer came l pr opose
me, carrying of ali we could lie agreed
ship was setting sail for the Levant: all on
, precautions were taken and Blanca appraised o
our plans. She was 10 join us at Smyrna
That nigh, .0d the hole stood u my t ss
cret treasury of Venice. What sight
have seen four tuns filed with gold In n
! adjoining room much silver was heaped N
in two banks on each side, leaving land dow
the middle Of the apartment between piles q
coin five feet high. l thought the jailer woul
I lose his senses: he sang, danced, laughed, an
pranced among the gold: Itllreatenedto stran
gle him il he lost time to make noise. In hi
+ Joy he did not see the table where the diamond
7 were I fell upon it, and filled my sailor
: shirt and trousers pockets; even then hard
. " took one third Of what there was. Cnde
the table were bars Of gold. pursuaded N,
$ companion to take only gold; the pearls an
! diamonds would betray us, told him. Gres
as our greed was We could only carry OF two
thousand pounds OF gold, which necessitate
Q six journeys across the prison to the gondoii
: The sentinel at the water gate had been bouSl
Of, Az for