Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-18
THE RED RAVEN.

The gendarmes, after securing the
country for week, grew weary of the
useless labor-no trace, no clew.
The grave where Mastro LAMA lay
buried was covered with fall of snow,
and the gravedigger, after planting over
:. it Q rough cross, had chanted this lugu-
:, brious antiphon, "Frozen is thy bed,
poor Mastro; but the ruffian who cut
thy throat in order to possess himself of
thy dollars will pass the winter joyously
before hearth crowned with bottles"
As the gravedigger turned his back
on the cross and went his way out of the
inclosure, hoarse, cultural sound is
sued from the silent gloom Of the twi-
light.
"The devil is laughing!" exclaimed
the servant of the dead, closing the
gate. "The gendarmes will lose their
time:,'
From the peaks of AIbenza to the val
leys Of Soma the earth was white-the
streets were deserted. A few dimly
lighted windows disclosed something of
life in the human beings huddled to-
gether in frosty huts. The whiteness of
the snow seemed dark as twilight poured
over its luminous brightness.
A man wrapped from nose to knees in
thick cloak climbed the steep road that
led from the valley of Soma to Caperno.
He was going to Opreno The distance
that still lay before him was long-night
threatened to overtake him on his way
And this man-young, healthy, vigorous
was afraid Of the night.
Coming from Pontida on his way home
to his own mountainous country, he had
taken the shortest route, which, besides
being the shortest, also enabled him to
avoid inhabited places. He climed the
steep hill with hurried steps, like be-
his destination.
On, on he went. The hill overcome.
he stopped an instant, as if at sight Of
an obstacle or at the sound of threat.
What had he seen? What heard?
He had seen the white wall of the
cemetery-had heard the hoarse croak
Of the raven.
Oh, it is yet to be seen that Nardo del
Brizzi, the intrepid hunter of the valley,
is afraid of the dead.
And the man in the cloak, shaking off
his terror, took up his march with a
quick step, that he might leave as quick
ly as possible painful situation.
Arrived before the cemetery, he
turned his face from it and drew back,
skirting the wall at the left. AS soon as
he seemed sufficiently removed from the
abode of the dead he stopped, wiped
away the perspiration which rolled
down his face, and casting a backward
glance over the road already traversed,
saw on the white carpet of snow-hop-
ping after him, running directly toward
him-a small body, whose form, out
lined on the deep snow, appeared that of
a raven with red plumage. 'Another
raven!' cried Brizzi, with chattering
teeth. "Mastro's was black. Who ever
saw one of these cursed birds with feath-
ers the color of bloodY'
The red raven had stopped in the mid
die of the road and seemed to be waiting
for the man to take up his march again,
in order that he might resume his play
of running after him.
Ii 0AALA1 CI1 OW doluO LID S1Oth, p1ShCd
up a handful of snow from the ground,
made it in a ball and taking aim threw
it with an oath straight at the bird.
The bird jumped aside to avoid the
projectile, croaked three times in mock
ing tone, then, hopping along on its two
straight nodulous claws, advanced
toward the hunter with the petulant
manner of one who has received chal-
lenge.
"Why have not my good gun with
me% thought the mountaineer, grinding
his teeth. And, burrowing his head
deep in the folds of his cloak, he went
hastily ON his way up the hill like
frightened child
The raven followed him, beating his
wings, and that noise of fiuttering feath-
ers, penetrating the big hood that en-
veloped the head of the fleeing man.
pierced his ears and froze his blood.
in the dense obscurity of the night,
damp with perspiration, Nardo Brizzi at
last arrived at Opreno.
With convulsive haste he opened the
door of an old hut, entered, closed it,
then, having lighted lantern, threw its
rays through the little yard to make
sure that the other had not entered.
The other! A tiny bird that in the ex-
cited mind of the mighty hunter had
taken on the proportions of gigantic
soldier!
No; the raven had not entered. The
hunter breathed again and smiled, shak-
ing his head. How did that filthy grave
yard bird ever arouse such fear in Nardo
BrizN?
He opened a bottle, emptied it in
breath and went into the next room to
lie down.
But scarcely had he laid himself on
the bed, scarcely had he extinguished
the candle which he had placed on
chair beside him
''Chek! chek!"
"The devilr'
"Chek! chick! chek!'
And the pechng of a,sharp beak on
the window post made the miserable fell
low, who had for the moment regained
his courage with wine, burrow his head
between the counterpane and the pill
1ouo