The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-01-08

swered Sarcany. And this is what they
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
high tower which rises from the angle OF
the front, pierced with a'large rose win
dow beneath which is the chief door,
This tower commands q view over the
plateau of Karst Hill, and over the whole
city, which lies spread rs on a 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 awny to the
shore of the gulf. 1t 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 IllyriaB
peninsula.
The attempt might succeed II was
at least worth trying. They only had to
set the bird at liberty.
Sarcany and Zlrone left the old ceme-
terry, crossed the open space by the
cathedral and walked towards the tower.
One of the ogival doors-the one undsr
the dripstone beneath 81. Justs niche
''as open. They entered and began to
ascend the stairs which led to the roof
1t took them two or three minutes to
reach the top. They stood Just under.
meath the roof, and there was no balcp
ny. But there were two windows open
ing ont on each side of the tower, and
giving n view to each point of the
double horizon of hills and sea.
Snrcany and Zirone posted themselves
at the windows which looked out over
Trieste towards the northwest
The clock in the old sixteenth century
castle on the top OF the Karst behind
the cathedral struck four 1t 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 fncing the tower. Thus far
circumstances were favorable
Sarcany took the pigeon in his hands,
he stroked it, spoke to it, gave it
last caress and threw it free
The bird tapped its wings, but at first
it dropped so quickly that it looked as
though it was going to finish its career
of aerial messenger by a cruel fall.
The excitable Sicilian could not re-
strain cry of disappointment.
"Nol 1t rises!" said Sarcany.
And the pigeon had found its eauili-
brium in the denser lower air and then
making q sudden curve it few Off to-
wards the northwest.
Sarcany and Zirone followed il with
their eyes
In the flight of the bird there was no
hesitation. He went straight to his
home-which he would have reached an
hour before had it not been for his
compulsory halt among the trees of the
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.
1T did nothing of the sort
Il see it l see it all the time !" said
Zirone, whose sight was of the keenest.
What you have to look for" said
Sorcany, is where it stops, so as to fix
the exact spot"
A few minutes after its departure the
pigeon settled on house with one
tall gable rising above the rest in the
midst of clump of trees in that part of
the town near the hospital and public
garden. Then it disappeared into
dormer window opening on the mansnrd,
which was surmounted by a 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 asccr-
tained 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 80 rs 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 aud the Acquedotto, a
fine avenue of trees leading to the large
brewery of Boschetto, the adventurers
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
among the trees
They went along in this manner, in
specting in their turn every gable and
roof along the Acquedotto, but they
found nothing like the one they sought.
AT last they reached the end.
"Ihere it is y exclaimed Zirone.
And there was the weather vane
swinging slowly on its iron spindle
above dormor window around which
were several pigeons
There was no mistake. 1t was the
identical house in which the pigeon had
flown.
The house was of modest exterior, and
formed one of the block at the begin
ming of the Acquedotto.
Sarcany made inquiries at the neigh
boring shops and learned all he wished
to know.
The house for many years had be-
longed and been inhabited by Count
Ladislas Zathmar.
"Who is Count Zathmar ?" asked
Zirone, to whom the name meant
nothing.
He is the Count Zathmar r. an
swered Sarcany,
but perhaps if we were to ask
him"
Later on, Zirone there's no hurry
Take it coolly, and now to our hotel -
Yes, it is dinner-time for those who
have got something to dine on - said
Zirone bitterly,
If we do not dine to-day, it is posi-
BILE that we shall dine tomorrow" an
swered Sarcany.
with whom2"
"Who knows9 Perhaps with Count
Zathmari"
They walked along quietly-why
should they hurry soon reached
their modest hotel, still much too rich
for them, seeing they could not pay
iheir hill.
What surprise was in store for
them A letter had arrived, addressed
to Sarcany.
The letter contained n note for 600
ilorins and these words-nothing more |:
Enclosed is the last money you will
get from me. 1t is enough TO nav your