Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-04-11
CHAPTER X.-CoNTlNrEp.

ultingly. "lia Ia. thought you woul
vince at that. She Snatchcd my knife al
stabbed herself with 1t. Yes, -ratho
than see your lying white face again.
rather than feel your accursed tourl
Find her,-she lies dead and smiling II
there In the mountains, her las
kiss was for me-for mc.-you under
stand! Now go. and may the devil ours
you!"
Again the gendarmes FLASHED thei
swords suggcstively,-and the brigan
resumed his Sullen attitude OF suppreSSe,
wrath, and ieigned indifference. But TIL
man TO whom he had spoken staggered
and seemed about to fall,-hiS pale face
grew paler,-he moved away through til,
curious open-ey bystandcrs with thu
mechanical air OF one who knows no
whether he be alive or dead. lie ha(
evidently received an unexpected shock
"a wound that pierced deeply, ant
would be a long time healing.
approached the nearest gendarmI
and slipped iive-franc piece into hi
hand.
MAY one spcak?" asked carelessly.
The man hesitated. "For one instant
Signor. But be brief.'n
addressed the brigand In q low clear
tone:
"Have you any message for oneAndrca
L"ziani? am friend OF his"
He looked at me and dark smile
crossed his features.
"Andrea isa good soul. Tell him If you
will that Teresa is dead. am worse
than dead. He will know that did
not kill Teresa. could not. She had
the knife in her breast before | could
prevent her. 1t is better So
"She did that rather than become the
property of another man?" lQucried.
Carmelo Ncri nodded In acquicScencc
Either my sight deceives me, or else this
abandoned villain had tears glittering
in the depths OF his wicked eyes.
The gendarme made me q sign, and
withdrew. Almost AT the same moment
the officer in command of the little de-
tachment appeared, his spurs blinking
with measured metallic music on the
hard stones OF the pavement, he
sprang on his horse and gave the word,
the crowd dispersed to the right and left,
the horses were put to quick trot, and
the bulky frowning form Of the brigand
in their midst had disappeared. The
people broke up into little groups talk
ing eXcitedly Of what had occurred, and
scattered here and there, returning to
their homes and occupations, and more
swiftly than one could have imagined
possible, the great square was left al
most empty. paced up and
down for while thinking deeply;
had before my minds eye
the picture Of the slight fair Teresa as
decribed by the Slcilian captain. lying
dead in the solitudes Of Montemaggiore
with that self-infiicted wound in her
breast which had jet her free OF all mems
love and persecution. There were some
women then who prefer death TO inl-
deity? Strange!-very strange! COM
mon women OF course they must be-
such as this brigrand's mistress; your
dantily-fed silk-robed duchess would
find dagger somewhat a vulgar con-
soler,-she would rather choose n lover,
or better still score Of lovers IL Is
only brute ignorance that selects
grave instead of dishonor;-modcrn edu-
cation instructs US more wisely, and
teaches us not to be Over-squeamish
about such trifle as breaking given
word or promise. Blessed age
of progress! Age OF steady adj
vancement when the apple OF
vice is so cunningly disguised
and so prettily painted, that we can
actually set 1t on q porcelain dish and
hand It about among our friends as 3
valuable and choice fruit of virtue
and no one finds out the fraud We are
practising, nay, we scarcely perceive 1t
ourselves, 1t Is such an excellent coun-
terfeit.
As walked to and fro, found my
self continually passing the head Office
of the Carabinie-: aud, acting on sud-
den impulse OF curiosity, / at last en-.
tered the building determined to ask
for few particulars concerning the
brigand's capture. was received by o
handsome and intelligent looking man,
who glanced at the card with which l
presented myself, and saluted me with
courteous affablity.
'tOh yes!" he said in answer to my in
quiries, "Neri has given us a great deal
of trouble. But we had our suspicious
that he had left Gaeta where he was for
q time in hiding. A few stray bits Of in
formation CLEANED here and there put us
on the right track"
"Was he caught easily, or did he show
ight?''
"He gave himself up like lamb, Sig
norl 1t happened in this way. One Of
our men followed the woman who lived
with Neri, one Teresa, and traced her
up TO a certain point, the corner OF q
narrow mountain pass.-where she dis
appeared. He reported this, and there
upon We sent out an armed party.
These crept at midnight two by
two, till they we're formed in a
close ring round the place where
Neri was Judged to be. With the first