The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-15

uYou win Visit her-she may rely o.
your coming for Q certainty, hope9'
| smiled. "You seem very anxiou:
about it. May ask why?"
81 Think" he replied at once, t'that II
| would embarrass the countess very much
II you gave her no opportunity to thar K
you for so munifcent and splendid a
gift-and unless she knew she could do
so. / am certain she would not accept
| it,
snake yourself quite easy" / an
swered. "She shall thank me to her
hearts content. l give you my word
that within a few days L will call upon
the iady-in fact, you said you would in.
troduce mel accept your offerl''
He seemed delighted, and Selling my
hand shook it cordially.
"Then in that case will gladly take
the jewels to her," he exclaimed. "And
may say, Count, that had you searched
the whole world over, you could not have
found one whose beauty was more fitted
to show them off to advantage. assure
you her loneliness is of most exquisite
character"
"No doubt!'' / said drily. 81 take
your word for it. / an no Judge of fair
face or form. And now, my good friend,
do not think me churlish IL / request you
to leave me In solitude for the present.
Between three and four o'clock / shall
be at your studio"
He rose at once to take his leave.
placed the oaken box of jewels in the
leathern case which had been made to
contain it, strapped and locked it, and
handed it to him together with its
key. He was profuse In his
compliments and thanks-almost OBJ
seQuious, in trpth-and I discovered
another defect In his Character de-
feet which, as his friend in former days,
had guessed nothing OF. saw that
very little encouragement would make
him toady-a fawning servitor on the
wealthy, and in our old time of friend
ship had believed him to be far above
all such meanness, but rather of a manly,
independent nature that scorned hypoc-
risy. Thus are we deluded even by our
nearess and dearest-and 1t Is well or Ill
for us, wonder, when we are at last I'M
deceived? Is not the destruction OF IL
fusion worse than Illusion itself? /
thought so, as my quondam friend
clasped my hand in farewell that morn
ing. What would l not have given to
believe in him as l once did? l held
open the door of my room as he passed
out, carrying the box of jewels for my
wife, and as babe him brief adieu, the
well-worn story of Tristram and King
Mark came to my mind. He, Guido,
like Tristram, would in a short space
clasp the gemmed necklace round
the throat of one as fair
and false as the tabled Iseulte,
and I-should 1 figure as the wronged
king? How does the English laureate
put it in his idyll on the subject?
".Mark's way said Mark, and Glove
him through the BRAIN"
Too sudden and sweet death by far
for such a traitor! The Cornish king
should have known how to torture his
betrayer | knew-and l medltated
deeply on every point of nv design as
sat alone for an hour after Ferrari had
left me. | had many things to do had
resolved on making myself parsonage
of importance in Naples, and | wrote
several letters and sent out visiting-cards
to certain we'll established families OF
distinction as necessary preliminaries to
the result | had in view. That day,
too, engaged valet-a silent
and discreet Tuscan named Vincenzo
Flamma. He was an admirably trained
seryant--he never asked Questions-was
to dign1fied TO gossip, and rendered me
instant and implicite obedlence-in fact
he was gentleman in his way, with
far better manners than many who lay
claim to that title. He entered upon his
duties at once, and never did know
him to neglect the most trifliig thing
that could add to my satisfaction or
In making arrangements
With him, and H. T.. attending to various
little matters of business, the hours
slipped rapidly away, and in the after
noon, at time appointed, l made my
way to Ferrari's studio. l knew 1t OF
old had no need to consult the card
he had left with me on which the ad-
dress was written. IL was queer,
quantity built little place, situated at
the top of an ascending road-its win
dows command an extensive view of
the Bay and the surrounding
scenery. Many and many a happy hour
had passed there before my marriage,
reading some. favorite book, or watching
Ferrari as he painted his crude land
scapes and figures, most of which L had
good-naturedly purchased as soon as COM
pletcd. The little porch over-grown
with star-jessamine looked strangely
and sorrowfully familiar to my eyes, and
my heart experienced sickening pang
OF regret for the past, as pulled the
bell and heard the little tinkling sound
to which l was so well accustomed.
Ferrari himself opened the door to me
with eager rapidity-he looked excited
and radiant