The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-04

&EV DaQe the driver TO
81 WN stop at the corner
of the winding road
NJ that led to the Villa
VTFF Romani, and there
4 alighted. ordered Vincenzo to go on
TO the hotel, and send from thence my
own carriage and horses up to the Villa
gates, where / would wait for it. ]
also babe him pack ray portmoDteau in
readiness for my departure that evening,
as proposed going to Avelino, among
the mountains, for a few days He
heard my commands in silence and evil
dent embarrassment. Finally he said:
''Do also travel with the Eccel-
ienza?"
''Whv noy' I answered with a forced
sad smile. ''Do you not see, AMIGO, tina {
Z am heavy-hearted? and melancholy
men are best left to themselves. Be-
sides,--remember the Carnival-I told
you you were free to indulge in its mer-
riment, and shall now deprive you OF
your pleasure? No, Vincenzo, stay and
enjoy yourself, and take no concern for
me-"
"Vincenzo saluted me with his usual
respectful bow, but his features wore an
expression Of obstinacy.
THE Eccellenza must pardon me-" he
said, ''but have just looked at death,
and my taste is spoilt for Carnival.
Again,-the Eccellenza is sad,-it is
necessary that 1 should accompany him
to Avellino."
j saw that his mind was made up, and
/ was in no humour for argument.
"As you will" / answered YEARLY,
''only believe me, you make a foolish de-
cisicn. But do what you like; only ar
range all so that we leave tonight And
now get back quickly-give no explana-
lions at the hotel of what has occurred,
ana lose no time in sending on my car
riage. / will wait alone at the Villa
Romani tillit comes"
The vehicle rumbled off, bearing
Vincenzo seated on the box beside
the driver. l watched it disappear,
and then turned into the road
that led to my own dishonoured home.
The place looked silent and deserted
not q soul was stirring. The silken
blinds of the reception-rooms were all
closely drawn, showing that the mis-
tress Of the house was absent; it was as
IL some one lay dead within. A vague
wenderment arose in my mind. Who
was dead? Surely it must be IL. the
olaster of the household. who lay stiff
and cold in one of those curtained roomsl
This terrible white-haired man who
roamed feveriShly up and down outside
the walls was not melt was some angry
demon risen from the grave to wreaK
punishment on the guilty. was dead,
could never have killed the man who
had once been my friend. And he also
was dead,-the same murderess had
slain us both,-and-she lived. Hal
that was wrong, she must now die, but
in such torture that her very soul shall
shrink and shrivel under it into DEVILS
flame for the furnace of hell.
With my brain full of hot whirling
thoughts like these looked through the
carved heraldic wqGE of the villa gates
Here had Guido stood, poor wretch, last
night, shaking these twisted wreaths Of
iron and impotent fury. There on the
mosaic pavement he had fang the
trembling old servant who had told him
of the absence of his traitreSS On this
very spot he had launched his curse,
which, though he knew it not
wasi the curse of a dying man.
was glad he had uttered
1T Such maledictions clingi
him in my heart now that he was dead.
He had been duped and wronged even as
/; and / felt that his spirit, released
from its grosSer clay, would work with
mine and aid in her punishment.
paced round the silent house till
came TO the @ivate wicket that lead Into
The avenue; opened it and entered the
familiar path. / had not been there
ii hn nfoh I'll, I l. 4
learned my own betrayal. How in
tenselY still were those solemn pines
how gaunt and dark and grim! Not a
branch quivered-not a leaf stirred.
A cold dew that was scarcely a
frost glittered on the moss at
my feet No birds voice broke
abe impressive hush of the woodland.
saoruing dream. No bright hued flower
snbuttoned its fairy cloak to the breeze,
get there was subtle perfume every
fhere-the fragrance of unseen violets
whose purple eyes were still closed in
lumber.
| gazed on the scene as a man may be-
sosd in vision the spot where he once
gas haUUv. walked few PAGES, thel
paused with strange beating at my
heart A shadow fell across nv
pall---b ui6tcu DeIOEe me- III stopped
lit lay still. 1 saw it resolve itself
into the figure of man stretched out
in rigid silence, with the light beating
full on his smiling, dead face, and also
on deep wound just above his heart
from which the blood oozed redly, stain.
ing the grass on which he lay. Master
ing the sick horror which seized me az
this sight, sprang forward,-the shadow
vanished instantly,-it was mere Opt
cal delusion, the result of my over
wrought and excited condition. shud.
dered involuntarily at the image my own
heated fancy had conjured up; should 1
always see Guido thus, l thought, even
in my dreams.
Suddenly ringing, swaying rush Of
sound burst joyously on the silence;-
the slumbering trees awoke. their leaves