Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-25

lOt IN tcllNt lHt VI tllt
night would have been sublime.
1--WE ought to have arrived" said the
Doctor
There is the Casa degi Inglesi,'
answered the guide.
And he pointed to short wall having
two windows and door, which its posi-.
ton had protected from the snow, about
fifty PAGES away to the left, and nearly
400 feet below the summit of the cen.
trail zone. This was the house con-
structed in 1911 by the English officers
then stationed i'll Sicily 1t is built on
q plateau, at the base of the larva mass
named Piano del Lago.
Note Works have now been com.
menced by the Italian government and
the municipality Of Catania, for trans
forming tho Casa degli InSlcsi into an
observatory This house. which is
sometimes called the Casa Iltnca, after
having been kept for a long time by NJ.
Gcmellaro. the brother of the geologist
OF that name, had just been restored 10y
the Alpine Club Not very far away,
there doomed in the darkness the ruins
of Roman origin known as the Tower OF
the Philosophers. From it legend
states that Empedocles was precipitated
into the crater in fact. it would require
q singular dose of philosophy to spend
eight hours of solitude in such spot,
and we can quite understand the act OF
the celebrated philosopher of Agri-
gentum.
However, Doctor Antekirtt Pierre
Bathory and the guide came up to the
Casa degi Inglesi, and rs soon rs they
reached it they knocked ut the door,
which was opened Immediately. A
moment afterwards they were among
their men
The Casa dcgli Inglesi consists of
only three rooms, with table. chairs,
and cooking utensils; but that was
enough for the climbers of Etna, after
reaching a height of 9iG9 feet Till
then. Luigi, fearing that the presence
of his little detachment might be sus-
pee ed, had not lighted fire, although
the cold was extreme But now. there
was no need to continue the precaution,
for Zirone knew that the Doctor was to
spend the night nj the Casa degli Inglesi.
Some wood, found in reserve in the
shed, was therefore piled on the hearth,
and soon n cracking flame gave the
needed warmth and light.
The Doctor took Luigi apart and
asked him if anything had happened
since he arrived.
Nothing answered Luigi; "but |
am afraid that our presence here is not
rs secret rs we wished.
And Why"
because after we left Nicolosi, if
am not mistaken. we were followed by n
man who disappeared just before we
reached the base of the cone.
THAT is n pity, Luigi that may pre-.
vent Xirone from having the honor to
surprise me Since shutdown no one
has been looking round the Casa degli
Inglesi =
NO one. sir. answered Luigi. eve
even took the precaution to search the
ruins of the Philosophers Tower; there
is nobody there
See that man is always on guard at
the door You can see good way
tonight for it is so clear, and it is
important that we should not be sur.
prlNed.
TIE Doctors orders were executed,
and when he had taken his place on .
stool by the fire, the men lay down OF
the bundles of straw around him. Cape
Matifou, however. came up to the Doc.
tor; he looked at him without daring
to speak, but it was easy TO understand
what made him anxious.
:" You wish TO know what has become
of Point Pescade :" asked the Doctor.
Patience He will return soon,
although he is now playing game that
might cost him his neck"
An hour elapsed and nothing occurred
To trouble the solitude round the central
cone Not II shadow appeared on the
shining slope in front of the Piarro del
Lago. Both the Doctor and Pierre
experienced an impotence, and even an
anxiety that they could not restrain. If
unfortunately, Zrone had been warned
of the presence of the little detachment,
he would never dare TO attack the Casa
degli Iugesi. The scheme had failed.
And yet, somehow, it was necessary to
get hold of this accomplice of Sarcany,
failing Sarcanv himself
4 little before ten O'Clock, the report
of gun was heard about half a mile
below the Casa degli Ingles.
They all went ont and looked about
but saw nothing suspicious.
ut was Enthusiastically a gun! said
Pierre.
Perhaps some one after an eagle or a
boar = answered Luigi.
Come in, said the Doctor, land
keep yourselves ont of sight"
They went back into the house.
But ten minutes afterwards, the
sailor on guard without rushed III
hurriedly.
"All hands " lie said; & think 1 can
see"
Many of them" asked Pierre.
=" No, only one -
The Doctor Pierre, Luigi and Cape
Nation went to the door, taking care
to keep out of sight.
They saw man bounding along like
a chamols, and crossing the lines Of old
lava which ran alongside the plateau,