Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-09-15

Changed. though II was easy TO recognize
features as marked as his His voice, too
was one that stranger would always re-
member. though II affected my ear very
differently from the way it did the first
time heard II We know the bell that Ii
tolllng at funeral. though we first be.
cane accustomed to its tone when 1t was
ringing on the occasion OF q wedding
Ills hand trelnbled when he took mine,
and his dark eyes fell when | looked him
III the face. He was speechless, and was
30 embarrassed that I did not know how
TO commence conversation. finally
asked him how he was. For answer he
stepped before o lighted window, where
might see his hageard face and sunken
eyes. The sight expressed more than all
the words in any language can convey.
disappointment. misery. Indebtedness.
despair--these as words must be SLOWLY
repeated to the ear before we comprehend
their significance. The eye catches them
In an instant.
To say that was Mortified does not ex-
press my condition. ] finally gained my
composure 80 as to ask him II he then and
on other occasions had been trying to seek
or to 6void me. He spoke now slowly,
cautiously. solemnly: For more than a
year ! have been trying to find suit
able opportunity to speak with you In
my condition did not like to address you
In tho street in the daytime and to mortify
you by having your acquaintance see you
talking with me. A like reason prevented
me from approaching you in the evening
at place where the sidewalk was well
lighted. ! have followed you thinking
That you might notice me. recognize me
and stop in some doorway or alley and
speak to me. | have something to tell
you, something not pleasant to hear, not
what you would like to hear Of me. but
which must be spoken A secret of guilt
and shame Furnishes as no executioner
can 1t allows one to remain alive and
rational that it may torture him the
longer. | must relieve my mind of it
and see what the effect will be. Tell me
when and where can meet you alone for
half an hour. 1t had better be in the
night. as it is Of d dark matter of which
i am to speak"
believe am what professional bruisers,
plug uglies and reckless individuals call
a coward. Indeed, ! am quite positive
that ! am have periled my life several
times IN trying dangerous experiments
and once to save a friend would do the
same thing again, were occasion to re-
quire' but could never make out how
any being would be benefited by my going
out in heavy sea in a birch bark canoe
serving as target for people to fire at,
or shutting myself up in room with a
mailman However. my curiosity was ex-
cited by the looks, appearance and words
of my old acquaintance. and desired to
aid him if it was in my power. appointed
the next evening at o'clock as the time,
and the room where | ordinarily did nv
writing as the place of meeting. slept
little that night. and was very nervous
during the next day. | was not as de-
sirous of having the hour of meeting ar.
rive as of having the interview over.
Punctual to the exact minute he arrived
at my room. and the door being ajar he
without saying word. He took
a roll of papers from his pocket and
placed them on the table On my point
ing to chair he took it. at the same time
tossing his hat into corner Evidently
he was ready to proceed with his nara
ton, and | asked him to do so. Follow
ing are the details of his story as nearly
as | remember them:
started for New York about a year
after you left me. There bought ticket
on an Italian steamer to Messina, with the
privilege of stopping over at any of the
leading ports in Spain. France or Italy till
another boat came along belonging to the
same line The trip across the ocean was
rough and was sick most of the time till
we got to Gibraltar. Once on the Medi-
terranean and it was pleasant enough so
far as good weather was concerned. Still
the nearer got to my old home the less
seemed to care about going to it, had a
suspicion that something was wrong there,
and it grew on me day by day. All the
crew were from Naples. and they knew
next to nothing about Sicily. The clerk
who kept the accounts of the freight in
formed me that Nicolai Pietro had not
been shipper of fruit for years, and he
was convinced that be was not known in
business circles ct Palermo. Then it &C.
CURED to me that he had induced me to go
to America simply to separate me from my
wife. Was she in league with him at the
time? Had she during my absence fallen
into his power?
could not eat. sleep, or rest. ! walked
the deck nearly ell night. The surgeon
informed the captain that was threat
ened with brain fever Both of them
thought that would be better on shore
AS we were to put into small port on
the island of Sardinia, concluded that
would wait until the next steamer plying
between New York and Messina arrived
A week passed before it came. and during
this time had il a measure regained my
health and composure. On the new boat
there were several sailors who lived at
Palermo, One Of them, an intelligent
young fellow said he knew Pietro. He
had not been in business for long time.
He had lost whatever property he had
ever had aid was leading hard life.
There were suspicious that he had con,
nections with the bandits in the mountain
parts Of the island His companions in
town belonged to the worst class. thieves
and ga,ablers. | hesitated about asking
the young sailor If he knew my wife.
knew hat another day would bring me
wherv' could learn about her for myself
Wc cat cred the harbor of Palermo about