Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-09-12

the giant cypress on the lawn, "and TAXI
this money for your trouble"
he looked surprised but grateful and
prymised to do my bidding. Once NOR,
sorrowfnlly carressing the fallen head
of perhaps the truest friend ever pos
sessed, i strobe hastily into the house
and met Nina coming out Of her morn
Ing room, clad in one Of her graceful
trailing garments, In which soft
lavender hues were blended like the
shaded colors OF late and early violets
$50 Wyvis has been shot?" ] said
abruptly.
She gave slight shudder.
''Oh, yes; Is II not sad? But was
compelled TO have II done. Yesterday ]
went past his kennel within reach OF his
chain and no sprang furior 'ly ut mo for
no reason at all. See!" And holding
up her soft small hand she showed me
three uifing marks IN the delicate
flesh. 81 felt that you would be so un.
happy II you thought l L. pt q dog that
was ut all dangerous, So determined
to get rid OF him. Il Is always
painful to have fa:orite animal
killed; but really Wyvis belonged to my
poor husband. and th.pk he has never
been quite safe since hi masters death,
and now Giacomo Is ILL"
Il see!" said curtlv cutting her ex-
plantations short.
Within myself tho yht how much
more sweet and valuable was the dogs
life than hers. Brave Wyvis-good
Wyvis! He had done his best-he had
tried to tear her dainty flesh; his hon
est instincts had led him to attempt
rough vengeance on the woman he had
felt was his masters foe. And he had
met his fate. and died In the perform
ance of duty. But said no more
on the subject. The dogs death was
not alluded to again by either Nina or
myself. He lay in his messy grave un-
der the cypress boughs-his memory un-
tainted by any lie, and his fidelity en-
shrined In my heart as thing good and
gracious, far exceeding the sclf-intor-
esteq friendship Of so;callcd Christian
humanity. Ill
The days passed slowly on. To the
jewellers who chased the flying steps of
Carnival with shouting laughter no
doubt the hours were brief, being so
brimful OF merrimcnt: but to me, who
heard nothing save the measured ticking
OF my own timepiece OF Revenge, and
who saw naught save its hands, that
every second drew nearer to the last and
fatal figure on the dial, the very mo-
ments seemed long and laden with
WEAKNESS. roamed the streets OF the
city aimlessly, feeling more like de-
serted stranger than well-knOwn and
envied nobleman, whose wealth made
him the cynos".e Of all eyes. The riot
Gus glee, TIL music, the color that
whirled and oled through the great
street Of To-. ut this season bewil-
dered and ! =. ed me. Though knew
and was acc. Imed to the wild vagaries
Of Carnival, VI this year they seemed to
be out OF p..ce, distracting, senseless
and all unfamiliar.
Sometimes l escaped from tho
city tumult and wandered out
TO the cemetery. There would
stand, dreamily looking at the freshly
turned sods above Guido Ferrari's grave.
No stone marked the spot as yet, but II
was close TO the Romani vault,-not
more than o couple Of yards away from
The iron grating that barred the en-
trance to that dim and fatal charnel-
house. had drear fascination for the
place, and more than once ] went to the
opening Of that secret passage made by
The brigands to ascertain II all was safe
and undisturbed. Everything was as
had left IL, save that the tangle of brush
wood had become thicker, and weeds and
brambles had sprung up, making 1t less
visible than before, and probably render
ing 1t moro impossible. BY fortunate
accident l had secured the key Of the
vault. knew that for family burial
places of this kind there are always two
1eys-one left in charge OF the keeper
1f the cemetery, the other possessed
Dy the person or persons to whom the
belongs, and this other
to obtain.
On one occasion, being left for some
time alone in my own library at the Villa,
remembered that in an upper drawer
Of an old Oaken escritoire that stood
there, had always been few keys be-
longing to the doors OF cellars and rooms
In the house. / looked, and found them
lying there as usual; they all had labels
attached TO them slgnifying their use,
and turned them over impatiently, not
finding what sought l was about to
give up the search when perceived
large rusty iron key that had slipped to
the back of the drawer; pulled It out
and TO my satisfaction IL was labelled
''Mausoleum. Immediately took pos
session of It, glad to have obtained so
useful and necessary an implement; l
knew that should soon need II. The
was quite deserted at this fes-
tive season, no one visited 1t to lay
wreaths Of flowers or sacred mementoes
on the last resting places Of their friends.
In the joys Of the Carnival who thinks
Of the deadP In my frequent walks
there ! was always alone; might have
opened my own vault and gone down
into 1t without being observed, but i did
not; / contented myself with occa-
trying the key in the lock and
myself that It worked without