The Washington times., 1894-03-18
The Story
of a Stiletto.

Eyes" said my vis-a-vis on Northern Pa
ciflc train, as we went tearing through the Bad
Lands Of North Dakota, yes, have an uncanny
love for stiietto. Isn't this a beauty" and
he brought forth from the back of the rather
fanciful red belt he wore long, keen, bnrn-
ished blade, down which the scarlet rays Of
the setting sun went trickling like tears of
blood.
''See my name carved here by the hand of
my own girl, Carlotta. All. but she was the
artistl''
As he spoke he turned the ivory handle OF
the knife toward me, and upon its snowy sur
face saw inscribed the name "Guiseppi."
1t was u superb toy, this stiletto. It
charmed, it fascinated me, and I longed to
possess the evil but enchanting thing.
''Will you sell it?' I inquired, taking it
from his hand.
NO, Not for all the gold on Gods planet.
No 1t and have mission to perform"
and he put the weapon back in his belt.
The train went roaring on, reeling mile
after mile OF the Bad Lands from its wheels,
till the brakeman cried:
"Medora, ~
As we paused for passing moment at that
delirium tremens landscape, a tall, slender,
handsome youth came into our car and
seated himself behind me with sigh OF sat
isfaction.
/ saw Guiseppi start, grow white as the
fabied rose of death; then, turning in his seat,
he stared out of the window, while the lines
OF his face seemed hardening into stone.
Again the train thundered on. Again it
stopped at a prairie station.
Il think / will get off here, Guiseppi,"I 1
said; II am not feeling we'll" / shook his
hand and rose to depart. Stepping upon the
platform. found that was followed by the
young passenger from Medora, and Just back
OF him came Guiseppi, looking as grim as q
Nemesis on some hell-terrible vengeance bent
All three of US went to the only hotel in the
place-a goodly inn. kept by a German whose
innocence OF our language was only sur
passed by the volubility with which he well
coined US to his inn.
The sun was shining through my windows
when l opened my eyes next morning. A
robin was singing and swinging on willow
outside. The glory and the gladness OF a
North Dakota daybreak stepped the summer
plains.
went down stairs. waited for my. COM
panions OF the day before to Join me at the
breakfast table. They came not. They
would never come.
We went to the room of Guiseppi 1t was
vacant. We went to the room Of the young
stranger. Guiseppi was there. He pointed
10 The ed Upon it lay the unknown youth,
rigid in DEATH the stiletto in his heart, the
blood drip. drip, dripping from his breast.
MURDER cried. staggering back
Nay. s,gnor. | am no murderer" an
swered Guisrppi, calmly lighting a cigarette.
THAT devil there was kind enough to save
me the annoyance of killing him. I simply
handed him the stIletto. and he knew what to
do with it when he saw the name on the
handle. II has done its mission. Yesterday
l would not have sold it to you for all the
gold on Gods planet, as 1 told you on the
train. But I'm thirsty this morning. signor,
and you can have it for bottle cf wine"
/ heard the whistle CT coling train.
Turning to the landlord paid my bill; rush.
ing down stairs seized my baggage, and
few minutes later l was speeding away from
the accursed spot, while the shadow of that
stiletto seemed to blot out the beauty of the
sun and blast the glory of the vast green
plains.
W. H K