The record-union., 1895-01-05

far-reaching notes. which crept down the
gorges and foated entrancingly to the
ears of those who heard.
Agnese was one of these.
In her vengeful quests she found her
self irresistibly drawn nearer and nearer
the giddy nights whence the wondrous
music came.
Wandering with her herd, gun in hand
and murder in her heart the gentle in
fluence of some half caught melody
would hold her spellbound to the spot;
when, as the notes were lost by the
changing breeze, sense of desolation
vaster and deeper than that which was
brought with the dead Fabiano to Borgo,
so hushed the cry of vengeance in her
heart that she would fling herself prone
upon the rocks and bathe them in her
tears.
From where sobs and tears abound,
murder must at last take its vampire
flight. And thus the fierce grasp upon
The gun was gradually loosened. Her
hands dragged it listlessly now, or it was
left at the hut behind her. From fierce
alertness for every wandering mountain
form and face, from tigerish skulking be-
hlnd every skulking figure, the herd-glrl
came to listen, listen, listen, for only one
voice upon the mountains; caught only
one sound of exaltation; lived almost as
fiercely and wildly now in one mad
! longing to be nearer and nearer him who
sung.
At last this longing became insupport-
able. She left her hut at Rote del Dra-
gone forever. She wandered with her
herd, circllng and circling the mountain,
or drawing nearer and nearer in her zig
gag course to the nights above Co di Moz-
20. 1t became life to her merely to feel
that she was closer to the marvellous
singer of the crags, though she should
never see his form or face.
At last she halted so near to him with
hnt hnr1t hat Ln lnrr Ix Oh,
grew imperceptibly into his mood-sing-
ing when he sang; laughing when he
was merry; arising at morn when he
awakened and called in melodious Titor-
netLO to his goats and kids, which an
swered him with glad and almost human
cries; and wept, too, when some wave of
} sorrow, sweeping over his soul, broke
into pathetic laments in saddening minor
strains.
All this in time could not but draw the
two strange souls together. Venturesome
kids from the herd of Agnese strayed to
the herd of Monaco Melodioso. Their
owner followed. She found the way an
easy one to the singing goatherd's hut.
Advancing, from long habit, with up
raised gun, she came to a spot where she
could look through crevice of the rocks
unobserved.
There sat the youth, to her like a fair
god, among his goats, between his huts
and his pdtO, binding up the inj jured leg
OF one of her own lost cdUretti his own
goats looking Familiarity, wisely and ap-
provingly upon the humane perform
ance.
1t was so clean, sweet and inviting
about the pretty station that the heart of
the lonely girl, whose eager eyes feasted
hercely upon the scene. remorselessly
smOte her that she had SO much wan
dered and labored so little.
She saw that beautiful vines, ferns,
lichens and MOSES from the crags and
the glens had been trained against the
open door space and about the window of
the hut, or disposed prettily against the
, partly encircling natural rock-walls
without. few birds of gay plumage,
with less gaudy and timer birds of song,
evidently shared by the goatherd's own
, hands, were chatterlngly swinging in
, rude cages from the palo arms or stand
: ing upon huge roof and in other con-
venlent places. About the hut upon the
rocks, full to the air and the sun, lay
various articles of clothing, wonderfully
rich for goatherd's; while IN earthen ves-
sells, used by goatherds for holding goat
milk, cheese and the famous mountain
broccia, were transplanted ranunculi,
) camomiles, pansies and forget-me-n nots,
Frightening the sterile place until it
glowed like garden Of the valley.
When the strange goatherd had tdone
caring for the suffering kid, he Sat it
down gently and gaily boxed tie bearded
chins of those goats which had gathered
most closely about him.
There, Benigo, and you, Donate, and
you, wise old filiberto," be exclaimed
merrily, calling each animal by name as
the friendly cuttings were given, that is
20 jog your memories as to the sacred
law OF hospitality. bandits goats must
be especially chivalrous to strangers.
! Treat the little cavretto with great kind
l ness, till its master be found"
90 far rl
raptured with the pretty scene, that her
sustaining hand dislodged a piece of
( frost-slivered rock from the ledge, which,
falling into the little basin of stone where
the singers hut and goats were hidden,
brought the goatherd to his feet with a
; leap.
So swift are danger and action on Monte
Rotondo that when upon his feet, his
gun was already presented full at the
breast of the skin-cl figure in the
! creyice.
The barrels slowly descended as the
goatnerd more clearly discerned Its out
lines and his eyes met the glowing orbs
of admiration fastened upon him. He
cast the gun aside; stepped toward the
: now blushing girl, and said in a tone
which thrilled the intruder:
, "Advance-friend or foe in woman's
. form land benvunito."
r She stepped lightly down the rocks and
came to him with an ineXpllcable eager
ness. Their hands Instantly clasped. For
+ time they stood silent, the girl looking
3 into his face with homecoming, trustful,
adoring gaze, and he wonderingly but
tenderly returning her look; tor he held
in his own the warm hands OF beautiful
maiden.
1t was the meeting of two souls, of man
and woman, imprisoned in freedom, shut
, within the inexpressible loneliness OF
, their separate lives and, though impelled
by different ruling passions, both the
: prey to an unutterable human hunger
more maddening than the VOLTS. This,
too, on Monte Rotondo and in Corsica,
! and on Monte Rotondo consuming fires
have been kindled by things so inert as
dead limbs in their abrasion by the tenn
pest and by the fierce wind whipping OF
E fallen leaves.
Il am Agnese," she said beamingly
and innocentiy as he led her within the
hut and gave her OF bread, milk and
, wine, land it is my cavretto whose
wounds you have healed"
. IN O less would l do for the cavretto's s
owner had she wound to heal" he re-
piled feelingly and with a radiant. ad-
> mirng look. II AMI am-Marco,
nowr'
!, "Goatherd or bandit ?" she trustful ly
: asked.
, Both for the time Dio mio! 1t is a
weary, weary life ~
'No OF if it give the blood reyengeu''
she returned halt fiercely, but wonder
, ingly, as she looked upon his goats, his
, birds, his flowers and plants, as if the
p highest human wish could yield no more.
. The blood revenge? Curse it for the
: curse OF Corsica! :! Curse those who seek
hn linT nlln,,,