The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-27

| late TO see the wedding
| A few yards farther up a boy. tend
ing herd OF goats, called merrily on.
| to him:
Walk fast, Nicoio, or you will miss
the wedding. Sig. Hppo. you know, is
to be married this morning. Poor
Simonetta. 1t is old Franceseo's do
| ing, all of IL 1t was Fppo found his
notes, you see, and the old man has
sworn that whoever found them
| should"
Nicolo answered notafng. Hs did
not even mend his pace; but he looked
upwards into the pah sky, as if ap-
pealing there for Justice
The little church ct Arii was crowd
ed thatmorn;ng. The priest az the altar
| looked glunn, IS though conscious that
he was helping forward the action of 4
tragedy. He had already begun when
q strange figure in ragged clothes.
with long hair and Wild eyes. walked
unsteadilv up the aisle. SO long had
he disappeared that many believed him
dead, and his coming back was like the
| uprising OF ghost IN their midst.
Every eye in the building turned on
him in Smazemeat. With bent head
he moved slowly up 10 the altar and
stood by the side OF the sad-faced bride.
do you take this woman for vour
wife, asked the priest, ignoring the
new presence.
Il do replied F1ppo. dsSantly.
81 90, repeated NicoIo. humbly.
This was an embarrassment OF riches.
Clearly, something must ee done. and
he referred the question &C coniusnl
rights to Sinoletta's better Judgment.
Before she could answer, Nicolo, with
mastery diplomacy, had whipped ont
the notes from his pocket, and held
them up before the crowd; a word or
two sutiiced TO show that the note,
Pippo pretended TO have found must
have been his own, and not the notes az
all With this explanation, popular
sentiment turned wildly in Nicolo's
favor. Dark, honest faces, all round
the central figures began to glow sui
leuly with vindictive rage at the deed
that had been done in their midst, and
vague threatening rumble began to
make itself heard. In one hand Fran
cesco graspcd sailors bowie knife.
while with the other he pressed that of
Nicolo. The dainty little bride. pale
and trembling, glanced thankfully up
ut her dehverer. Meanwhils the ON
nous murmur had swelled into a
howl of Indignation; the hot blood
of the peasants was lashinv it
self into. fury, and several of
the widest of the lads had already
risen from their seats and huddled
nearer to the altar. SuddenIy n loud
voice cried out: ''Seize the thief" fol-
lowed by rush that would certainly
have borne down Pippo, had he not re-
treated backward. at tho same time
drawing out revolver. and pointing it
at his aggressors. His face WAS livid.
and had in it something that warned
the boldest to beware. At the sight OF
the cold barrel there was a slight hest
taticn among the peaSaBts> aud Pippo.
taking quick advantage of it. turned
on his heels and made a dash for an
open door. As he did so. one OF the
men ran rapidly up to him. and by
deft movement snatched the weapon
from his hand, hut before IL could be
used against him, Pippo had disap-
peared through the door, which he
slammed behind him
The keeper Of the little osteria Of
Arli told afterwards how, all ghastly
and painting, he had then rushed into
her gloomy shop, shrieking: Brandy
brandy" She had handed him bot
tie, which he half drained before her
eyes. They have my pistol" he had
exclaimed, "but let them beware OF
sudden death when Pfppo returns with
arms. Tell them 80 where they may
be had in plentyP'
Then with the bottle under his arm
he had fled from the shop, taking the
road that led TO Genoa lie was never
seen alive again. All that night a
black storm swept the hills, but in
many a village round rcsolute men,
defying thunder and wand, and sr1ned
with deadly weapons, waited for his
appearing. Pippo. however, did not
come. 4 week later his broken BODY
was found at the foot OF precipice far
up the mountains. with the neck of his
bottle still grasped in his hand. II was
never certain whether he died sui |
cide's or a drunka-d's death. or. IS legal I
people say, by the act Of God"