The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-05

day to neighbors. I was greeted with
ridicule and laughter by those who
| have heard the truth-the truth that
| you. whom l have loved and was to
| marry, had cast me from you and
| called upon an alderman for protec-
| ton against me. Their sport cut me
| like knives, but said nothing, for it
| was truth. But then Luigi Rossi-he
| that lives in the tenement in the rear
spoke up, and with leering laughter
declared that he knew the reason why
declared that 1t was because you loved
him, and had recently promised to mar
ry him, that you had cast Ame from
you" Pietro paused, and Pippette de-
| joiced again. Here was more romance
| after all. Oh! if Petro and Luigi would
only fight! Would not that be glorious?
What greater distinction could come to
a maiden than to have two men fight
over her. II did not kill him then"
Pietro continued, because 1 did not
know whether or not he was lying.
Now, ask you If he was lying. If he
was he shall die, or / shall die. We
both have our stilettos, and they are
ever ready. Whichever is the best
fighter shall die, and that at once. But
If he told the truth, then 1 shall not
fight him. ! shall go away and see you
never any more. Answer. Did he lie?"
Pippette was in her element again.
This was most delicious of all. The
whole street would talk about her, and
tell about her beauty If these two hand
some men fought over her. She an
swered quickly.
'It was not the truth he told. Luigi
Rossi is a handsome man, and he is my
friend and I like him and may marry
him. But I have not promised to-"
Pietro's face grew darker. She had
added venom to his rage by saying
that she liked Luigi, and might marry
him. She made it maddening when
she added:
But / would warn you not to fight
him. He would cut you into little
pieces, and kill you quick!'
That was the last straw. Pietro
was not coward, nor was he weak
man. To have the woman he loved
intimate that Luigi Rossi could beat
him in q fight was more than he could
bear. 1t was like scene in melo-
drama when he turned and, raising
his hand shouted:
ut is false! 1t is an insult! You
shall see! I go! ] shall kill him
dead! And you. shall never look
upon again! Adleu! Adieu!
With that he turned, with flaming
eyes and every muscle quiverng with
rage. His hand, quick as lightning
had already drawn the stiletto which
Is ever convenient without another
glance at her, her rushed through the
door, and in an instant she heard him
jumping down stairs in great leaps.
Her gratifled vanity ended that sec
ond. Suddenly she saw the whole
thing in its dreadful, real-life aspect.
The bankers wife's story book ro-
mances were instantly forgotten. She
remembered only that she loved Pletro,
| and that she had sent him into deadly
| peril. She forgot that she was emanci-
pated. She did not want to be emanci-
pated. Like kaleidoscope flashes, pic
lures cleaned In her mind Of Luigi
plunging his long, slender dagger into
| Pletro's heart. Then she saw Pietro
kill Luigi, and tafterward saw the mur-
derer dragged agay to execution. She
| could see no aspect which did not
mean death for Pietro! Death for her
Petrol Her handsome. brave, loving
and adorable Pietro! For a moment
she crouched. shaking in a chair, with
her skirt over her head, swept by alb