The Indianapolis journal., 1893-05-21
loopp4ga. 1898. by the Autnor.l

had a sister. And there they stayed. and
the baron remained ct the Villa Cont.
w hen the Signora came back she brought
with her an infant-her sisters child she
said-and. well. the Signora was q good
woman. and no one questioned IL.
But Carolina had told her mother be-
only a foolish maid then. and so she knew
no better. And In little time some others
knew. and then they passed katerina with
whispers. when they saw her. ana ala not
give her good day rs before.
Then one morning the Baron came
home. He was blind with anger. he had
heard two men speaking Of his daughter In
the train. and he came back at once to lind
out tbe truth. As happened, the young
fraulein was out then. The good SigDora
bad tried to keep her at home. but to no
purpose. she would 60 out So the Baron
ragged and stormed. tirst at the SiRnora.
calling her q fool. and then at my Carolina.
till she grew afraid and ran TO hide herself.
And then he went out. and the signora
followed him. She is brave woman, and
she feared what he would do If he found
his daughter.
And they did find her. too. but. fortu-
nately, Signor Mattel saw tnem hrst and
sprang down the cliff to his boat He came
always by boat. understand, from Asti,
sigDor.
.'It was a wild day. and the wind was
very rough. 10 Is not safe to 20 on the
lake on such days. but the alternative was
worsc, for the Baron had armed himself
you see, He was an old man. the Baron.
and he could not travel as fast as the other
two Mattel got safely down anu bad
long start He never thought OF katerIna
not be. He was a coward. Bat she did
not choose TO remain for her father 90 she
ran, too. aud as the boat moved she was In
il. too.
baron. anu threw her strong arms around
him. to keep him from shooting with the
revolver he had brought. He swore and
struggled with her. but he was an old man
and she was not an old woman, and she was
yerv strong you understand.
so the boat went ont with katerlna and
the dentIste. They took the way TO Asti,
keeping far out tor fear of the Herr
Barons weapon. And the storm grew
wilder The SignOra waite he'd them, tremb-
ling for Katerina; ami the waves went up
and down over che little boat till they
seemed TO hide it altogether. Then Mattel
let one of the oars 20 and the boat turned
sideways.
'Some people came out on the shore and
seemed TO be- considering whether they
should go and help them. But at last the
boat turned again on it's side, and the va
ter filled t. and that was the end. Mattel
was good swimmer. and he reached the
shore and hid himself In village, but
kaferine never came out of the lake alive.
They fouud her body some days later.
The Baron would not see 1t or 60 to the
funeral. but he stayed at the Villa Conti.
He meant to stay Till he had killed Mattel,
he said. though the Signora begged him to
60. He gave mp his Journeys, anu he went
across the lake eveiy day to tind Matter.
but he never found him. because he had es-
capped and gone no one knows where"
lis that the end of the story. Breviop
asked.
But no, Signorina. The rest will tell
you. The Baron stayed at the Villa Cont
all the next winter. and then he began to
pay court, as you cali il. to the Signora. He
said her husband was dead. as eighteen
month"; had gone by. and no news camc to
L. of him. But the Signora refused him,
of course.
"Sho thought he was mad sometimes.
and she had no wish TO begin life again
with madman. Not she. So she said no.
Then the old Baron tried to frighten her.
He said be would 20 away and come back
in year. and then If she still refused he
would kill her and the little Tito. poor
dead katerina's son.
''But. as | have said, the Signora was a
brave woman. and she thought 1t was moth
ing. So she let him go away. and was glad
enough TO get him out of her house. L can
tell you.
Meanwhile. married Carolina. and the
SigDora gave me work as gardener for her.
l looked after the vines and saw 10 the
trees for her, and lived in the house. Tue
little Tito was fond of me too. He was q
tine bambina-iiKc his mother.
In the spring cousin came to stay with
his wife also with him. delicate frau, who
never moved out of the house hardly.
some said that Herr Schinkmann had
loved his cousin before she married the
COnti. But people always talk. Anyway,
he took her about. Sometimes the Frau
came with them. but that was seldom.
They stayed till the simmer ended and
then they left and went back TO their homo
in Holland. A month after we heard that
Frau Schinkmann had died. Ahl well, she
wnS better perhaps.
"A year passed. and the Baron never
came back. Neither did Cont. and no one
heard of HIM. The little Tito. meanwhile.
was growing fine boy. IL could use his
feet and make little sounds. and the sig
nora worshiDed him as her own son. so
time passed.
And at last. one fine day. was in tho
vineyard placking the grapes and the
Signora stood near with basket, talking,
when who should come down the hill but
the Dutch Herr SchinkmanD. He had
grown himself young again. Signor, and
had got new clothes and was very fine
Perhaps one grows young when ones wife
is away. Who kDowsr
Here BreviO glanced uneasily over his
shoulder. as though he expected the absent
Carolina TO call hIm TO account for giving &
way to such reasonable sentiments
4 hen hc smiled and went Oh.
''EbUene SIgDor as | told you, there was
Herr cchlnkmenn. smiling and bowlng 50
low over the SiSnora's hand. and then they
lett me aud the vines ami went to the
House, and he stayed 20 supper. You guess
the rest les The Slgnora engaged her
self TO marry her Dutch cousin. But first
he had TO seek the absent Conti, and that
was not easy. You see no one knew where
he had gone whom he left with the Villa
Carita two summers past
$50 Herr SchlDkmann went to the law
yers and asked them. and they agreed TO
give u divorce. but told him il would take
time. Meanwhile Herr Schinkmann went
to seek for CONT. lie went all over the
world, Signor. Europe, America, every
where. but he never heard of hlm OF found
| any mau who knew him. But he did not
return TO the SIgnora. because the divorce
WAS not given and ne wanted TO lind CONT.
"Meanw hIle the Signora lived Oh Just the
same at the little villa with little Tito and
, Carolina At last came o letter from Herr
! Schinkmann. lie had not found Cont,
but no had got tho papers about the di-
| vorce. and lie would return at once. be
| said.
The Signora used TO sing To herself in
| those days. out IN the vinegar or ip the
| dairy. and We knew she was conten ted
my Carolina and me. Then one day came
more trouble. The Baron returned.
lit WAS evening. and / was going to the
| town. but had not started. The Signora
| was III the garden. and the little Tito was
| going TO rest. Carolina was with him.
The Baron came suddenly TO the door of
| the villa / said an Ave. signor, He looked
| like n maduan, and came suddenly as
though the clouds had dropped him.
'h here Is the Signora Contif he said.
| But before could answer him the Signora
came herself along the garden, and the
Baron fastened toward her.
she did not start or scream some