The Dickinson press., 1894-12-15
was at work in the fields. .Genna was
hnaflin1 Qh0a1f hQf work-hnau hannxr

was at work in the fields. !Genna was
busting about her work-busy, happy
content as eve.
ut was not kind Of Nita to be 60
long absent she thought. But doubt.
less CeccO's daughter had persuaded
her; she was fond of keeping the pret-
ty, merry maiden with her"
No thought of Ill or harm crossed her
mind. Nita was thoughtless, and had
taken it into her head to stop away-it
was not the first time she had done so,
In spite Of her sisters grave rebukes.
She would be home by noon, no doubt.
Noon! That thought brought a smile to
her face-a light in her eyes that made
her face radient. Noon would bring
RufO here nee more. She blushed with
delight. Would he remember what he
had said, she wondered, and, so won
dering, went busily about the house.
singing for very gladness.
The sun grew hotter and brighter,
the noon hour came and passed; then,
tor h first time, q dim sense of nm
easiness crept into Gcnna's heart.
Neither RufO nor Mia had come. AS
hour after hour passed her fears in.
creased. Gould the child he i'll, she
thought.
Suspense grew unbearable. She set
the meal ready for Maso against his
return. and then went forth with the
resolve to seek for Nita In the town,
Such conduct as this she had never
been guilty Of-from the noon of the
one day to the sunset on the next she
had absented herself with no word Of
explanation whatever. Genna could
not understand 1t. She went swiftly
down the hillside and swiftly over
the rough, stony road. The evening
had fallen suddenly, as it does in this
land where great hills rise so high be-
hipd one another; the fireflies sparkled
everywhere in the soft, gray gloom;
here and there came the sound Of the
nightingale's voice, or the hum of the
insect in tile grass. But Genna was
deaf to oil. She only hurried OH with
swift, impatieG feet, crossing the
bridge and river with never a glance,
and so on through the old gateway and
up to the deserted market place, and
then stopped at Cecco's house.
The c0ppersmith and his family were
at supper and looked up in surprise as
she entered. Her eyes glanced quick
~ round, then her face paled. "Is not
Nita here?" she asked.
"Nfta!" cried q chorus of voices. "NO
certainly not. We have not seen her
for days."
Genna staggered, US il a blow had
struck her. "Not here?" she cried.
WAS she not here last night? Oh.
where can she be-"
Teresina looked Mt the girls fright
encd face with wide-open eyes of as
constituent. "Was she not ut home
last night then?' she asked.
"WOuld I be here asking for her had
she been at home?" cried Genna fierce
lily. II tell you I have not seen her
since noon yesterday"
A clamor Of voices and EXPLANATIONS
rose Mt these words. "Where could she
be? Whittier had she gomez" No one
could suggest anything, though all were
ready to wonder and conjecture. Cen
ma alone stood there quiet, motionless,
and pale, a great terror in her heart,
an agonized dread in her eyes.
"1t-is very strange" said old Cecco,
"but I always said Mia would come to
harm with her idle ways and her vanity
and fo0lishness."
do not reproach her." said Genna, in
2 strange, wistful voice. Ill cannot
bear It."
"Let me come with you to see If she
Is with any other Of our neighbours"
said Teresina, rising from her place at
the table. "N!>Ty';c she ia only pass.
ing a day with a friend, though it is
odd she should never have said So"
Genna looked at her gratefully. 'sYes,
let us 60" she said.
But when they were without in the
quiet dusky streets, Teresina suddenly
paused. "Genna,' she said, "have you
seen aught of Rufo, the painter, to-
day:"
The girl trembled in every limb.
""Why do you ask?' she faltered. "You
do not suppOse-"
II suppose nothing. Only It is odd
that he and Nita who were always so
much together, should have disappear
ed at the same time. Rufo left here
this morning with all his chattels. Did
you not know?"
Genna looked ut her. The light Of the
new-risen moon shone on her face,
which was CHASTITY as death-her great
pathetic eyes had in them n look Of
agony, of appeal, that touched even the
careless. vain nature Of the girl who
had been Nita's friend-it was like the
look OF coming death in the eyes Of O
dumb animal. "Oh, no., it cannot be!
1t cannot be-" she moaned.
I'VE will hope not. Let us hasten
and inquire Of the neighbors."
Genna did not speak. She moved
mechanically from house to house,
from street to street. while Teresina
made all the necessary inquiries, and
to all of them received but n answer
LET us go to his house," said Genna,
at Inst, in a hoarse, cold voice, that
startled her companion.
1T will be useless" the girl answer
ed: but. nevertheless, they went.