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

CHAPTER xI.-CoNTINUED.
HRearyP" answered. n am glad il
1remind you of him,-if the reminder
is agreeablel But all tall men are much
alike so far as figure goes, providing they
are well made"
Ferrari's brow was contracted In a
musing frown and he answered not. He
still looked at me, and 1 returned his
look without embarrassment Finally
he reused himself, smiled, and finished
drinking his glass Of Montepulciano.
The9 he rose to go,
"You will permit me to mention your
name to the Countess Romani, hopper
be said cordially. 81 am certain she will
receive you, should you desire It,"
feigned sort Of yexation, and made
an abrupt movement of Impotence.
THE fact is,n said at last VI very
much dislike talking to women. They
are always Illogical, and their frivolity
wearies me. But You have been so
friendly that ! will give you message
for the countess, If you have no objec-
tion to deliver it. should be sorry to
trouble you unnecessarily-and you per-
haps will not have an opportunity OF see-
ing her for some days?"
He colored slightly and moved I'M
easily. Then with kind of effort he
replied.
ION the contrary, 1 am going to see
her this very evening. l assure you it
will be pleasure to me to convey to her
any greeting you may desire to send"
"Oh, 1T is no greeting" l continued
calmly, noting the various signs OF en-
barrassment in his manner with a care
ful eye. sit is mere message, which,
however, may enable you TO understand
why ! was anxious to see the Young man
who is dead. In my early manhood the
elder Count Romani did me an inestim-
able service. / never forgot his
kindness-(my memory is extra
ordinarily tenacious of both benefits
and injuriesl-and I have always
desired to repay 1t in some suitable man
ner. 1 have with me few jewels of al
most priceless value,-I have myself col
lected them, and l reserved them as
present to the son Of my old friend. SIM
ply as trifling souvenir, or expression of
gratitude for past favours received from
his family. His sudden death has de-
prived me of the pleasure of fulfilling
this intention,-but as the jewels are
quite useless to me, / am perfectly will
ing to hand them over to the Countess
Romani, should she care to have them.
They would have been hers had her hus-
band lived,-they should be hers now. II
you, Signor, will report these facts to
her, and learn her wishes with respectt to
the matter, shall be much indebted to
yoq.'i
~ shall be delighted to obey you" re-
piled Ferrari courteously, rising at the
same time to take his leave. 81 am
proud to be the bearer of so pleasing an
Grand. Beautiful women love jewels,
and who shall blame them? Bright eyes
and diamonds 90 well together 4 river
derci, Signor Conte! trust we shall
meet often"
Il have no doubt we shall, I answered
quietly.
He shook hands cordially II responded
to his farewell salutations with the brief
GOODNESS which was now my habitual
manner, and we parted. From the win
dow of my saloon could see him saunt-
sring easily down the hotel steps and
thence along the street. How / cursed
him as he stepped jauntily on,-How
hated his debonair grace and easy man.
nerl watched the even poise of his
handsome head and shoulders, / noted
the assured tread, the air of conscious
vanity,-the whole demeanor of the
man bespoke his perfect dissatisfaction
and his absolute confidence in the bright
ness of the future that awaited him, when
that stipulated six months Of pretended
mourning for my untimely death should
have expired. Once as he walked on
bis way he turned aud paused, looking
back,-he raised his hat to enjoy the
GOODNESS Of the breeze on his forehead and
hair. The light of the moon fell full on his
features and showed them in profile, like
hnelY-cut cameo against the dense
dark-blue background of the evening
sky. / gazed at him with sort of grim
fascination--the fascination of hunter
for the stag when it stands at bay, Just
before he draws his knife across its
throat He was in my power, he had de-
liberately thrown himself in the trap /
had set for him. He lay at the mercy of
one in whom there was no mercy He
had said and done nothing to deter me
from my settled plans. Had he shown
the least tenderness of recollection for
me as Fabio Romani, his friend and bene-
factor, had he hallowed my memory by
one generous word, had he expressed
one regret for my loss, l might have
hestitated, 1 might have somewhat
changed my course OF action so that
punishment should have fallen more
on him than on her. For
knew well enough that she, my wife, was
the worst sinner Of the two. Had she
chosen to respect herself, not all the
forbidden love in the world could have
touched her honor. Therefore the least
sign Of conjunction or affection from
Ferrari for me, his supposed dead
friend, would have turned the scale in
his favor, and in spite OF his treachery,
remembering how she must have en-
couraged him, l would at least have
spared him torture But no Sign had
been given, no word had been spoken.
there was no need for hesitation or pity.
and was glad Of it! All this thought
IS watched hims landing bareheaded
in the moonlight on his way to-whom?
To my wife, of course. / knew that
well enough. He was going to console
her widows tears-to soothe her aching
heart good Samaritan in very
earnestl He moved, he passed SLOWLY
out of my sight waited till had seen
the last glimpse of his retreating figure,
and then left the window satisfied with
my days work. Vengeance had begun.