The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-16
THE BANDIT CHIEF.

A'ii'rtIiiii anu MS VIE anu daughter
Blanca, Blanca asahandlame, high
spirited girl, the favoritc OF all the vii
lage. Especially was she beloved by
Antonio Brlndisi and Stephano Eos
carl, the two handsomest youths in all
the town. At the ti,nemys story opens
Blanca had declared her pre~ferenceior
Antonio, and they were publicly be-
trothed. Stephano was OF a fierce,
jealous disposition, and, threatening
vengeance. he suddenly left thevillage.
All ~endeavors to discover his where
abouts proved OF no avail; but that
he had not gone far was evident from
his occasionally appearing at home,
where his mother dwelt alone, with
many comforts for her, for with alihis
faults he mad been q dutiiul son. BIZ
anca troubled herself verylittle about
his place OF retirement, anddid notal-
low his threats to alarm her.
One day some days after the disap-
pearance OF Stephano, as Blanca was
walking i'll the garden, she was star
tied byarustlmgamong the vines, and
upon turning to the spot she saw Ste
piano standing before her. Shesalut-
ed him very coldly and haughtily, and
turned to enter the cottage when Ste
piano sprang before her and prevent
ed her from moving.
"Bianca, have come to make YOU
one more appeal-to give You one
more chance to avert hemisfortunes
which shall surely overwhelm you, il
you continue to resist all my entreat-
les"
60, you are tiresome,'' camly and
colby spoke Blanca.
Blanca, hear mel Hove you far bet
ter than the coward To-
you only are thecoward, irving to
win q wife by threats" angrily retort-
ed Blanca.
Beware! tell you love you, and
you only spurn me, / have pleaded
enough. Know, then, proud girl, that
haye joined the bandits, and yourfa
theirs property shall be DESTROYED,
himself taken captive, and only your
consent to become my wife shall free
him from Il lingering, painful death.
What do you say now, Bianca2" he
said mockinsly.
Nothing; | will never marry You; |
will die sooner and, maintaining the
same calm, cold exterior, though her
heart throbbed wildly, Blanca brushed
hastily past her tormentorard enter
ed the cottage, and, upon entering Der
chamber she threw herself upon her
knees before the cruciiix, praying with
white and trembling lips the Virgin
Mary to ave her family from the I'M
pending trouble. Rising, she, by a
violent effort, controlled her feelings
and returned tothe sittingroom where
her mother sat spinning.
All the rest Of the day a shadow
hung owe Blanca; every noise made
her start painfully, and when ehou1
for her fathers return home cameand
passed, and still he fingered, she
snatcled up her hat and set out tc
meet him across the fields. She had
not gone lar when she met q body o.
peasants bearing q litter. Antonio
Brindisi lbs i'll front, and immediate
ly upon seeing Blanca, he sprang for
ward, and Selling her hand, endeav.
ored tenderly to lead her back; bu,
Blanca resisted steadily, and sudden
ly, by a little inpetuous motion, drew
her hand from Antonio, and stepping
to the side of the litter, she raised The
cloth which covered the body, anG
saw the features OF her father. One
dreadful shrek, and she sank
senseless in her lovers arms
Cl,,,.1,- Cha raon,,ral ard +hn ,,o,,
ants bore their sad load into thelittlt
from a high rock, struck upon his
head, and died instantly without &
groan. SO said the kind peasants
but upon going to her DON Bianca
saw a folded paper upon the window
sill, which she opened and read as fol
lows:
ga push for Bianca,' Isaid, and tn,
old nan fell headlong over the rocks
Do you not falter now"
A week later and Blanca again fell
the vengeance OF her t%ormentor, fol
Antonio Brindisi, her betrothed was
missing, andnoc lew could be obtained
as to his place ofconfnement, although
every search wasmade. A~nothernott
lay upon the window sill in Blanca.
little room.
Two gone dear to Bianca:s heart
Will she repent?"
This note was shown to all In tn,
village. together withthe other, but 81
close did the robbers keep themselve'
that, though search was continued
night and day, no trace of their hidin,
place could bedise9vered. Blanca 70,
q time seemed Frustrated by he
trouagle, but her youth and health en-
abled her to recover and a few month
after the death Of her father she ant
her mother left the village and went tt
Rome, where, through the influence o
her friends, she was enabled to stud,
and become an actress, and in a shor
time, q very successful one.
At the end OF four years, when sh,
was about 20, she was seized with
longing to return to her native village
and she did so. When Blanca arrived
at Chieti she found there had been es
tablished a small theatre, at whicl
she agreed to act tor a few nights
The villagers were in ectasies. Tn
day before her intended appearance
to her infinite horror. kphano grown
older and more wickeGU bking, intru
ed himself upon her. Biaisca wa
alone in the house, and her heart sanl
within her when he began to plead hi
suit.
"You have come back to the villag
81 lonely, sad woman, and may, per
haps, be willing to look with more ia
VOL upou the suit OF one who has worl
your image in his heart for long years
I am powerful and rich. What will b.
your answer now, when l again asl
you to be mineI"