Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-03

| sad bereavement" as she herself said
! with q pretty sigh and fearful, plead
ing glance. IL would take place in the
chapel of San Gennaro, adjoining the
cathedral We We're married there be-
fore, During the time that interviewed,
Nina's manner was somewhat Singh
lar. To me she was often timid, and
sometimes half-conciliatory. Now and
then l caught her large dark eyes
fixed on me with a startled, anxious
look, but this expression SOC passed
away. She was subject, too, to wild
fits of merriments, and mon TO moods
of absorbed and gloomy silence /
could plainly see that she was strung
up I an extreme pitch of nervous ex-
element and irritability; but / asked
| her no questions. IL, I thought, she
tortured herself with memories, all
| the better, IL she saw, or fancied she
saw, the resemblance between me and
her dear dead Fabio," it suited me
that she should be SO racked and be-
wildered.
/ came and went to and from the
villa as / pleased. l wore my dark
glasses as usual, and mo- eve Giaco-
mo could follow me with his peering,
inquisitive gaze; for since the night he
had been hurled so iercely 20 the
ground by Guido's reckless and i'm
patient hand, the poor old man had
been paralyzed, and had spoken no
word. He lay in an upper chamber,
attended by Assunta, and my wife had
already written to his relatives in
Lombardy, asking them to send for
him home.
"Of what use to keep himT' she had
asked me.
True! or what use to give even
roof shelter to a poor old human
creature, manned. broken and useless
forevermore? After long years OF
faithful service, turn him out, cast
him forth! IL he die of neglect, star
walton and i'll usage, what matter? He
IL a WORKOUT tool, his day Is done; let
him perish. / would not plead for him.
I Why should /? | had laid my own
plans for his comforts-plans shortly
to be carried out; and in the mean
time Assunta nursed him tenderly as
he lay ~speechless, with no more
strength h a year-old baby, and
only a bewildered pain In his up
turned, lack-luster eyes. One incident
occurred during these last days of my
vengeance that struck a sharp pain to
my heart, together with a sense of the
bitterest anger. ! had gone up to the
villa somewhat early in the morning,
II on crossing the lawn l saw a dark
form stretched motionless on one OF
the paths that led directly up to the
house. l went to examine Il and
stopped in horror. 1t was my dog
Wyvis shot dead. His silky black
head and forepaws were dabbIed in
blood: his honest brown eyes were
glazed with the film of his dying
agonies. Sickened and Infatuated at
the sight, l called to a gardener who
was trimming the shrubbery.
"Who has done this 2" l demanded.
The man looked pityingly at the poor
bleeding remains and said in a low
voice:
1T was madama's order, signor. The
dog bit her yesterday; we shot him at
d~aybreak."
l stopped to caress the faithful ami
malls body, and as I stroked the silky
coat my eyes were dim with tears.
How did 1t happenT 1 asked in
smothered accents. WAS your lady
hurt?"
The gardener shrugged his shoulders
and sighed.
ma! no, But he tore the lace on her
dress with his teeth and grazed her
hand. 1t was little, but enough. He
viii bite no more-povera bestiar"
l gave the fellow five francs.
81 liked the dog" I said briefly: che
was a faithful creature. Bury him de-
Gently under that tree" and I pointed
TO the giant cypress on the lawn; land
take this money for your trouble"
He looked surprised but grateful and
promised to do my bidding. Once
more sorrowfully caressing the fallen
head OF perhaps the truest friend /
ever possessed, / strobe hastily into
the house and met Nina coming out of
her morning room clad in one of her
graceful trailing garments, In which
soft lavender hues were blended like
the shaded colors Of late and early
yiolets.
80 Wyvis has been shotG" 1 said
abruptly.
She gave a slight shudder.
On, yes; is 1t not sac? But I was
compelled to have 1t done. Yesterday
! went past his kennel within reach Of
his chain and he sprang ~furiousiy at
me for no reason at all. See," And
holding up her hand she showed me
three trifiing marks I'm the delicate
flesh. Il felt that you would be so
unhappy IL you thought l kept a dog
that was at all dangerous, so | deter
mined to get rid OF him. 1t is always
a1s& maAA