The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-12-11
TooNrINuID FROM 3RD PAGE. I


did
The cathedral consists of two old Ro-
man churches, one dedicated to the
Virgin, one to st. Just, the patron saint
of Trieste, and it is hanked by very
b high tower which rises from the angle Of
the 'front.' pierced with large rose win
dow, beneath which is the chief door.
This tower commands view over the
plateau OF Karst Hill, and over the whole
city. which lies spread as on o map
below. From this lofty standpoint they
could see down on the roofs of all the
houses, even on to those clustering on
the earlier slopes Of the hill away to the
shore of the gulf. II was therefore not
impossible to follow the pigeon in its
flight and recognize the house on which
it found refuge, provided it was not
bound for some other city Of the nlyrian
peninsula.
The attempt might succeed It was
at least worth trying. They only had to
set the bird at liberty.
Sarcany and Z;rone left the old ceme-
terry, crossed the open space by the
cathedral and walked towards the tower.
One Of the oglval doors-the one under
the 'lripstone beneath st. Just's niche
was open. They entered and began to
ascend the stairs which led to the roof.
It took them two or three minutes to
reach the top. They stood just under
meath the root, and there was no balco-
ny. But there were two windows open
ING ont OF each side of the tower, and
giving view to each point of the
double horizon of hills and sea.
Sarcany and Zirone posted themselves
ct the windows which looked out over
Trieste towards the northwest
The clock in the old sixteenth century
castle on ths top of the Karst behind
The cathedral struck four. It was
still broad daylight. The air was
clear and the sun shown brightly
on the waters of the Adriatic and most
of the houses received the light with
their fronts facing the tower. Thus far
circumstances were favorable
Sarcany took the pigeon in his hands,
he stroked it, spoke to il, gave it o
last caress and threw it free.
The bird tapped its wings, but at first
it dropped no quickly that it looked as
though it was going to finish its career
OF aerial messenger by cruel fall
The excitable Sicilian could not re-
strain cry of disappointment
"No! It rises!" said Sarcany
And the pigeon had found its equili-
brium in the denser lower air and then
making sudden curve it few off to-
wards the northwest.
Sarcany and Zirone followed it with
their eyes.
In the flight of the bird there was no
hesitation. He went straight to his
iome-which he would have reached m
hour before had it not been for his
compulsory halt among the trees of tho
old graveyard.
Sarcany and his companion watched
it with the most anxious attention.
They asked themselves if it was going
beyond the town-and then all their
scheming would come to naught.
IT did nothing of the sort. f
81 see it see it all the time ~ said
Zirone, whose sight was of the keenest.
what you have to look for" said
Sarcany, sis where it stops, so as to fix
the exact spot" tv
A few minutes after its departure the
pigeon settled on house with one
tall gable rising above the rest in tho
midst of q clump of trees in that part of
the town near the hospital and public
garden. Then it disappeared into
dormer window opening on the mansard,
which was surmounted by weather
vane of wrought iron that ought to have
been the work of Quentin Matsys-if
Trieste had been in Flanders
The general direction being ascer-
tanned it would not be very difficult to
find the weather vane and gable and
window, and, in short, the house in
habited by the person for whom the
cryptogram was intended.
Sarcany and Zirone Immediately
made their way down the tower and
down the hill and along the roads lead
ing to the Piazza della Legna. There
they had to lay their course so as to
reach the group of houses forming the
eastern quarter of the city.
When they reached the junction of two
main roads the Corsa Stadion leading to
the public garden and the Acquedotto. o
fine avenue of trees leading to the large
brewery of Boschetto, the Adventures
were in some doubt as to the true di-
rection. Should they take the right or
the left? Instinctively they turned to
the right intending to examine one after
the other every house along the avenue
above which they had noted the vane
anOno the trees