The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-03

Duke that she loves the mang" the Count
asked, eagerly.
LOT course she did. Couldn't YOU see
that for yourself2 Good heavens, man, he
was completely demoralized by his interview
with her. Didn't you mark the pain in his
faces He looked as though he'd lost his best
friend.n
Aye, but might not it have teen his re-
greet at the affair by the river yesterdaym
We'll, upon my word!n and Steifano
laughed uproariously. Haven't you eyes,
my dear Count9 Couldn't you see how my
question concerning the Princess fretted
and perplexed himl Bless your simple soul,
would the story of the spat with the painter
have caused him to refuse us all informa-
ton touching a matter entirely differenta
NO. l can tell you the whole secret, just as
surely as though l had it from himself
Listen aud you shall be enlightened; you
shall acknowledge that am right, too.
The Duke was alone with Isabel long
| time. l saw the Countess Rizl coming
away from the chamber where she had been
carried while IN her swoon, and she the
Countess) told me that they had all, every
one OF them, been sent away, and she was
| sure she had heard the key turned in the
lock after the door had been closed. Mark
| whaG l say-the door was locked and An
tonic and the Princess were closeted to-
gether
Now. see" Here Steffano laid down
each proposition with the fingers of the
right hand upon the open palm of the
left, speaking sharply and earnestly, as
| though he meant that each and every word
| should strike home-should find Judgment
| in his heart "No! the whole scene is as
clear to me as though l had besn there
| through it all. The Duke asked her, fairly
and squarely, if she loved the painter.
But, you will understand, she had already
betrayed herself, over and over again.
Guiseppe / know the dear girl well
enough to know that she'd cut her hand off
| sooner than tell a lie. She saw plainly
enough that her secret had already gone
from her keeping; so she had nothing to lose
by making clean breast of it.
Remember, further, she must have been
| at the tine-when she first recovered con-
| sciousness-firm in the belief that her low
born lover was dead, and, SO believing, she
would speak freely and fearlessly. Yes, my
dear Count, be sure she made clean thing
of it. telling her guardian everything.
"And now you ask me why the Duke was
| SO reticent; and you would fain know what
he will do about it. He was reticent be-
cause he was so terribly wrought upon that
he knew not what to say. With regard to
what he will do-he will try to save his
ward without harm to her plebein lover
| Upon my word his infatuaton for that fell
as live, u do verify believe-I am serious
in this, mean i'll do verify believe that
| if he were hard pushed; if the Princess
| should hold out as we know she is capable
| of doing, and the painter should go down on
| his knees and implore, as he is evidently ca
pable of imploring, he would wilt like
| bruised fiowerbud."
clark YEP Here Steffano grasped the
| bewildered Count by the wrist and whis-
| nnrad into his can tY-1St Won
know. By heavens If you should betray
mel But tush OF what am l thinking
Here it is, plumply and plainly: My good
brother-Duke of Parma-would at this
moment throw over the whole body of the
nobility, neck and heels, and take into his
council-take to his heart-the body of
what he calls the People. By st. Paul! if
| the members of our Grand Council of
| Twenty could but gain suspicion of the
real feelings and deep-rooted sentiment, of
their chief they would depose him off-hand.
| Haven't you ever thought Of thisf"
II have sometimes thought" replied
| Denaro, cautiously, and after, considerable
pause, ''that the Duke was not particularly
proud of his own rank and station; and that
it might not pain him to resign both, at
once and forever"
"Oho! he would resign his dukedom, l
| grant you; but for whats All! you don't
know him as do, if you fancy he could be
| content in humble station. No, no, he
would be King, with patrician and plebeian
alike his subjects, and his bondmenI That
is what Antonio Farnese would bring to
pass if he could. Now, Giuseppe do you
begin to understand Do you not see what
you have to do"
The Count gazed at the bold speaker
blankly.
"Do you not seer the arch plotter re-
| peated. us it not clear that, if matters
are left to take their own course-if the
| Duke is left to the controlling influence of
those two-that the handsome painter will
bear away the golden prize to a foreign
land, and you lose her forever For, be
sure, if Antonio allows her to go, he will
make over to her every penny he holds of
her property. Say, man, will you suffer
| thatg
evil you point out way by which 1
can preventitp
Eyes Il can do that very quickly. We're
the case mine | might employ a bravo, in
which case the quiet stroke of a sharp
stiletto would put him out of the way and
nobody would be the wiser But that you
would not do. OF you needn't have
shaken your head; know your quality in
that direction. But I'll tell you what you
can do. You are one of the best swords
men in Parma. You certainly have just
cause for calling him out He knew-he
had known for a long time-of your de-
voted love for the Princess; and yet, pie
beian as he is, he sets himself to the work of
robbing you of your hearts desire. Just
heavenl will you stand supinely by and see
him bear the beautiful girl away~
| "Neverl neverl By the life of my i'm
mortal soul, he shall not do itP
"Will you swear it?'
| "Yes, swear itn
"Then, my dear Giuseppe, go home and
sleep upon it. Only, remember this one
thing"
| Again the plotter caught the Count by
| the wrist, and whispered into his ear:
"Of course, the Duke will put a stop to
the Princess visits to the painters studio
| At this both she and the painter will fume
and fret savagely; and thus the grand de
movement will be FASTENED. just imagine
| how it would be with yourself. Give them
three days, and by San Marco, they will bt
off,"
"Steffanom
"Do you doubt it9 What would you dc
were you in the painters place, and he il
"You are right" the Count admitted,
after brief pause. "Oi let me think.
cannot lose herl 1t would kill men'
"If you are brave and true you shall not
| Go home and sleep upon it,"
81 will. o, Steffano, you will stand by
mef'
ITO the death, Guiseppel"
"Thanksl Good night. l shall see you