Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-07-17
CHAPTER NJ.
BRAvADURA CONSENTS TO ABDUCT
FRANCESCA

FRANCESCA.
Rudiga, after leaving the palace Do
natl, walked slowly home, turning
neither TO the right nor left, wrapped
up in her thoughts, taking no note of
external objects Her dark. careworn
face was overspread with still deep
er storm than ordinary, and within
her heart ragged a very tempest of pas
sion.
She had found her daughter, and
yet, though she claimed her, could not
tear her away from the false mother.
But the bitterest drop in the cup the
Woman in Red had to drink was the
fact that her child her Naomi, looked
upon the Countess Donati as her moth
er. and cherished for her deep afiec
ton.
A fierce determination took root in
the heart of the Jewish woman TO re-
cover her child at any cost; and as she
traversed the almost deserted streets,
but one thought occupied her mind,
and that was as TO the means by which
her object should be attained.
At all risks. at any price, she deter
mined that her child, her Naomi,
A Jewess in Chr sUian land. she knew
that the laws would be strained to her
prejudice, more especially when those
against whom she appealed for redress
were numbered among the nobility of
Genoa. Well she knew that an appeal
to the tribunals against the Count and
Countess Donati would be futile; even
though her case should be indisputably
proven, the prejudiceS and class feel
ings of her judges would infallibly
weigh against her. Failing this, then,
two courses were open to her: to meet
! fraud and force, by force; or To prove
he title, and appeal to the sense of
duty and goodness of heart of her lost
| daughter. Suddenly she remembered
! the thieves who had broken into her
| house; one had refused her offered
| bride, but the other two might not
look on a thousand perhaps five thou
sand ducats with such scornful con-
tempt. To think with the impulsive
Jewess, was TO act. She halted in her
walk
Those men, she muttered. 81
must find them; one at least of them is,
by his looks, villain, ripe for any
thing. | will find them, and offer gold
enough to tempt their greedy souls to
! blacker crime than that of restoring a
daughter to her mothers arms.
The Woman in Red, during her resi-
dence in Genoa, had found use fol
many agents whom she had employed
to ferret out the secrets of those who
sought, or were likely to seek, her aid
either in the capacity of fortune-tellel
or money lender
Bravadura and Spada, his worthy
accomplice were seated at table in 9
cdbarot or drinking shop, in one of the
lowest quarters of Genoa, when they
were both struck with astonishmen
and dismay by the entrance of the
Woman in Red. Remembering tina
only on the previous night they ha6
broken into her house, both the vii
lains imagined that she had tracked
them, and now came with the agent
of police TO arrest and consign them t
prison. With Il terrible oath Bra
vadura started to his feet, and draw
ing great broad-bladed knife, pre-
pared to defend himself. Spada, hi
companion also. rose, and Selling tn
stool on which he sat, stood ready &
do battle for his liberty and life; 70
well both of them knew that their al
rest would quickly be followed by thei
being brought to the gibbet.
Rudiga held up her hand, and ad
dressing them said: Fear not; hav
not come TO harm you"
I Bravadura glanced uneasily around
: as though expecting to see the polio
! burst in; but when he was quito cor
) vinced that the Jewess was alone, h
placed his knife in his sheath, an
again took his seat.
well, what is it?" he gruntec
!. what want you with meP"
4 Are you willing to earn money!
Earn ftp" That depends on III
4 sort of work TO be done for IL. )"
n Would you undertake dangerot