News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-01
Philip would have gladly taken a
mora incrarinor look nt the old 1nnrtrnits

more lingering look at the old portrait
peering down at him from the walls
some of them with dark, searching eye
so like those of his lovely protegee, but
feeling of delicacy prompted him T.
make his way through her rooms a
quickly as possible.
He hastened down the stairs, lifte,
the latch, and admitted the two wo
men.
81 can never sufficiently express m,
thanks, signore, said the young cir
holding out her hand. 'sYou hav,
spared us more annoyance than you Cal
realize. May 1 know the name of ou
benefactor 90
Philip, overioyed at what seemed th'
overture to q more intimate acquaint
ance, searched in his pocket for hi
card-case, but, to his pcrplexity anC
annoyance, failed to find it.
"Might / have the pleasure of calling
tomorrow to bring the card / seem stu
pidly to have mislaid Z" he asked, will
some hesitation.
'tI certainly wish to know to whom
we are indebted for so great q service.
Ny friend, Madame de Carolat, is com
ing to tea tomorrow at four. Will you
come then? But must introduce my
self am the Countess Roselli. Now,
as it is SO shockingly late, must bid
you good night. Thank you a thousand
time and do not disappoint us to-mor
row."
''Not for anything under heaven,
Philip murmured, half audlbly, as the
heavy door shut away from him the gaze
of the GIRLS star-like ewes.
Like culprits the two belated women
stole up the stairs to their rooms. G1a.
cinta lighted the old Roman lamp, and
by its soft, steady flame of olive-oil the
familiar old portraits looked down as II
welcoming them home.
"Why, Giacinta what does tn S
mean? My desk wide open, and all the
papers scattered about. Oh, madonna
mia the money from the libro Aperto
vineyard was there fifteen hundred
francs :" The young girl flew to the
desk and plunged her hand into draw
or at the side. "Gone Giacinta, we
are robbedl' and she buried her face
despairingly in the cushions of the
nearest sofa.
"Heaven grant you are mistaken,
carina :"
81 am not mistaken, alas In that
drawer I put the money while Paolo
waited for the receipt. L remember
doing so with painful distinctness.
PaolO sat there in the blue ottoman. L
let him sit down because of his lame
foot. He went quietly away after get
ting his receipt, and l locked the money
i'll the drawer as usual.
Giaeinta fumbled wildly about among
the papers, but all to no avail. The
money was certainly gone.
"And he with n face like the blessed
San Michele" she moaned.
"NO, no; you are mistaken, amlca,
mia |" cried the contessa, reading the
suspicion in the old woman s eyes. 81
would rs soon accuse you of robbing
me, you faithful old granny. Our
rooms must have been entered earlier
in the evening. The window was open,
and the ladder conveniently near.
Many rough men were abroad to night,
owing to tho .fcstn at Ca ano. No, you
need not loose faith in our San Michele,
as you call HIM Something imPels
me to trust to the honesty of that young
stranger who helrcd us, as would trust
by brother Ugo in heaven.
81, too, have faith in the young sig
norio; but, all, mel it's hard losing all
that money !"
1.-The worst will be telling Uncle
Gino. He will be furious. What q
night of misfortune this has been -
And yet, in spite of the great loss
she had sustained, Countess Natalia
Roselli, rs she driftcd into dreamland
for a few hours, felt that this special
night had been fraught with a new, rare
happiness for her.
She awakened to a stormy, painful
scene. Ill nows travels quickly. Gerino
Roselli, Natalia's uncle, had heard of
the robbery, and had come for full par
ticulars.
"What is this wild story of Giacin-
ta's?" he began, angrily. "You have
had the colossal folly to let street
vagrant loose i'll your rooms. OF course
he improved his opportunity and took
your money"
"Uncle, I'm fully convinced the
money was stolen before this gentleman
came to our assistance. The window
was open; the ladder careiessly left
near by the workmen. Paolo saw me
put the money i'll the desk; possibly he
W
"What preposterorls nonsensel You
would throw suspicion ON an honest
cOHtadiRo, who grew old in your fathers
service, to screen well dressed, soft
spoken blacklcgi Who is this fine
gentleman, pray? Where does lie live?
OF course, if he was honorable, he has
told you all this.
''He wished to give me his card, but
had none with him; he is coming
this afternoon to present himself III due
form"
"a likely storyl And you, you con-
fiding innocent, do you realize that the
loss of this money leaves you next to
nothing to live upon till the Rovezzano
rents are DUE What do you mean to
do?"
Certainly not ask charity from you,
Uncle Gino. Giacinta and / have
already learned what sharp poverty
means, and we can bear this misfortune
as we have borne Others" A proud fire
burned in the young contessa's eyes as
she spoke.
''What's this?" said Roselli, as he
turned on his heel to leave the room.
His foot had struck against a small
oh, ,ect lying on the floor in the shadow of
n table. 1t was Philips card case.
Roseli opened it and read on the first
card, "Mr. Philip Leighton, Via
Palestro, No. % This is probably the
name of your gallant rescuer," Roselli
added sarcastically. "Rather a sus-
picious circumstance to find his card
case lying SO near the plundered desk. :"
81 will keep it for him till he comes,
said Natalia, holding out her hand with
quiet dignity.
"By all means, my dear, keep it till
he comes. hope your confiding patti
ence will not be put to too severe a
strlin."
Roselh took one long, searching look
at the card, and resigned the pretty
leather toy to his niece's keeping.
For Philip, also, there was a rude
awakening that morning. A furious
Italian gentleman demanded to see him; :;
asked an account of the last nights pro-
ceedings, and accused him of stealing
fifteen hundred francs from the Countess
Roselli. A policeman and cab were at
the door, and before he fairly realized
what was occurring, the bewildered
Philip found himself in a cell at the
Bargello. A sad contrast to his dreams
of imbibing draughts of tea and en-
chantmcnt with his fair inGmordta. He
had no friends in Florence of whom he
cared to borrow money, and lie was not
in funds to bail himself out to keep his
for four o'clock.
Count Roselli kept his own counsel
as to the summary measures he had
taken, and withdrew for few days to
his pCdOre at Feltro.
AS the day wore away with no signs