Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-31


Then, checking the curse that rose
% my Ups, l hurried away. Up to my
xoom l rushed with feverish haste,
Euu of Impotence to be rid of the dis
0uise / had worn so long.
Within a few minutes 1 stood before
my mirror, transferred into my old self
as nearly as it was possible to be. /
@scauid not alter the snowy wilderness Of
my hair, but a few def, quick strokes
suf my razor soon Invested me of the
beard that had given me so elderly an
aspect, and nothing remained but the
anoOstache curling slightly up at the
coEners of the lip, as / had worn it in
past days. / threw aside the dark
glasses, and my eyes, densely brilliant,
and fringed with the long lashes that
had always been their distinguishing
STATURE, shone with all the lustre of
STRONG and vigorous youth. l straight
@ned myself UP to my full height; /
doubled my fist and felt ii hard as
xrrn; / laughed aloud in the trium-
umphant power of my manhood. /
thought of the old rag dealing Jew:
~1gou could kill anything easily" Aye,
an I could, even without the aid of the
straight, swift steel of the Milaneses
dagger which / now drew from it's
sheath and regarded ~steadfastly, while
n carefully felt the edge OF the blade
from hilt to point. Should l take it
sxith me? / hesitated. Yes! it might
sSs needed. 1 slipped it safely and Sc
&refly into my vest.
And now the proofs-the proofs! /
Esad them already to my hand and
gathered them quickly together; first
the things that had been buried with
me-the gold chain on which hung the
Accket containing the portraits of my
wife and child, h purse and card
GAS which Nina herself had given me,
the crucifix the monk had laid on my
ksreast in the coffin. The thought of
Chat coffin moved me 20 a stern smile;
<hat splintered, damp and Wondering
wood must speak for itself by and by.
lastly. / took the letters sent me by
q Marquis D'Avencourt-the beau
Hffsil, passionate love epistles she had
written to Guido Ferrari in Rome.
Now was that all? l thoroughly
searched both my rooms, ransacked
yer corner. / had destroyed every
ching that could give the smallest cine
no my actions: l left nothing save fur
Initure ana small valuables, a respecta-
bile present enough in their way to the
landlord Of the hotel.
Il glanced again at myself In the mir
xox- Yes, / was once more Fabio
Romani, in spite of my white hair; no
one that had ever known me intimate
NY could doubt my identity. / had
changed my evening dress for a rough.
everyday suit, and now over this l
&hrew ms long Almaviva cloak, which
-SEaaed me from head TO foot. l kept
fts folds well up about my mouth and
chin, and pulled on a soft slouched
hat, with the brim far down over my
eyes. There was nothing unusual in
such a costume; IL was common enough
10 many Neapol. tans who have learned
to dread the chill night winds that
blow down from the lofty Apennines
I'm early spring. Thus attired, too, l
knew my features would be almce
invisible to her, more especially as
the place OF our rendezvous was a
long dim entresol lit only by n single
oil lamp, a passage that led into the
garden, one that was only used for
private purposes, having nothing to
do with the ordinary modes Of exit
and entrance to and from the hotel.
Into this hall l now hurried with an
eager step; it was deserted;-she was
mot there. Impatiently / waited-the
minutes seemed hours! Sounds of
music floating towards me from the
distant ball room-the dreamy, swing
1ng measure of a Viennese waltz. /
could almost hear the flying feet of
the dancers. / was safe from all OBJ
v~gcrvation where | stood; the servants
were busy preparing the grand mar
riage supper, and all the inha bitants
of the hotel were absorbed In watch
ing the progress of the brilliant and
exceptional festivities of the night.
Would she never come? Suppose,
after all, she should escape me, /
Srembled at the idea, then put 1t from
me with a smile at my own folly. No,
her punishment was just, and in her
rase the Fates were infiexible. So /
thought and felt. l pace UP and down
Geverisnly; I could count the thick,
heavy throbs of my own heart. How
long the moments seemed Would she
Tever come? All at last l caught the
sound of a rustling robe and a light
step, a breath of delicate fragrance
WA waited on the air like the odor
of falling orange blossoms. l turned
and saw her approaching. With swift
grace she ran up to me as eagerly as q
child, her heavy cloak of Russian sable
falling back from her shoulders and
displaying her giittering dress. the
dark fur of the hood frightening by
contrast the fairness of her lovely
flushed face. so that II looked like the
face of one of C~orreggio's angels
framed in ebony and velvet. She
laughed. and her eyes flashed saucily.
did / keep you waiting. caro- mio?'
she whispered: and standing on tip
toe she kissed the hand with which |
held my cloak mutiled about me.
~How tall you look in that Almaviva,
4 an sorry l an a little late; but the
last waltz was SO exquisite l could not
resist it: only l wish you had danced
st with me-
HTou honor nc BY the w.sh," said,
Keeping one arm about her waist and
drawing her toward the door that
0p~ned into the garden. Tel me,
sow did you manage to leave the ball
roomy'
"0h, easily. / slipped away from
my partner at the end Of the waltz,
and told him I should return immedi-
afaIy Then | ran up TO nv room. got