Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-09-12

died. saw him iG bis coffin"
1 leaned more closely oyer him II
was buried alive" | said with thrill
ing d~istinrtness. Understand me,
Guido-buried alivei / escaped-no
matter how. / came home 10 learn
your treachery and my own dishonor!
Shall | tell you moreE
A terrible shudder shook his frame
his head moved restlessly to and
fro, the sweat stood in large drops
upon his forehead. With my
handkerchief I wiped his lips and
brow tenderly-my nerves were strung
up to an almost brittle tension-i
smiled as a woman smiles when on
the verge of hysterical weeping.
You know tine avenue" / said, 'the
dear old avenue, where the nightin-
gales sing? ] saw you there, Guido
with her! . on the very night
OF my return from ~death-she was in
your arms-you kissed her-you spoke
Of me-yOu toyed with the necklace
on her white breast" ..
He writhed under my gaze with q
strong, c~onvulsive movement.
Tel me-quick!" he gasped- Does
she-know youE"
Not YETI. / answered slowly. But
soon she Sill-when / have married
herr
A look Of bitter anguish filed his
straining eyes. 20 God, Cod" he ex-
claimed with a groan like that of a
wild beast in pain. This is horrible,
too horrible! Spare me-spare-" A
rush OF blood choked his u~tterance.
His breathing grew fainter; the liyid
hue OF approaching dissolution spread
itself gradually oyer his countenance.
Staring wildly at me he CROPPED with
his hands as though he searched for
some lost thing. / toGE one Of those
feebly wandering hands within my
and held it closely clasped.
You know the rest" l said gently.
You understand my vengeance! But
liz is all over, GuidO-aIi over now!
She has played us both false. May
God forgive you as / dor'
He smiled-a soft look frightened
his fast glazing eyes-the old boyish
look that had . my love in former
days.
"All overw he repeated In a sort Of
plaintiye babble. "All over, now. God
.Fabio. . .forgivel. ....." A
terrible conyulsien wrenched and con-
torted his limbs and features, his
throat ratified, and stretching himself
out with a long shiyering sigh.
ne died! The first beam of the rising
sur pierced through the dark moss
covered branches Of the pine trees,
fell on his clustering hair, and lent a
hooking brilliancy to his wide-open
sightless eyes, there was a smile on
the closed lips! A burning, su~ffocating
sensation rose In my throat, as of re-
bellious tears trying to force a pas
sage. l still held the hand OF my
friend and enemy,-it had grown cold
In my clasp. Upon il sparkled my
family diamond,-the ring she had
given him. l drew the jewel off; then
l kissed the poor passive hand as /
laid 1t gently down, kissed it tender
ly, reyerently. Hearing footsteps ap-
preaching , l rose from my kneeling
posture and stood erect with folded
arms, looking tearlessly down on the
stiffened clay before me. The rest OF
the party came up; no n spoke for a
minute; all surveyed the dead body in
silence. AT last Captain Freccia said
softly in half inquiring accents,
HE is gone, / supposeT'
/ bowed. / could not trust myself
TO speak.
HE made you his Apology" asked
the marquis.
1 bowed again. There was another
pause Of heavy silence. The rigid
smiling face Of the corpse seemed to
mock all speech. The doctor stopped
and s~killfully closed those glazed APP
pealing eyes-and her IL seemed to
me rs though Guido merely slept and
that a touch would awaken him. The
marquis D'Avencourt took me by the
arm and whispered, "Get back to the
city, AMIGO, and take some wine-you
look positively Ill! Your evident regret
does you credit, considering the cir
cumstances-but what would you? ii
was "A fair fight. Consider tie provo
cation you had! I should advise you
10 leave Naples for a couple of weeks
by that time the affair will be for
gotten. / know how these things are
managed-leave 1t all to me-"
/ thanked him and shook his h2nd
cordially and turned to depart. Vim
cenzo was in waiting with the car
riage. Once i looked back, as with
slow steps / left the field;-a golden ra-
dance illupined the sky just above
the stark figure stretched SO straight
ly on the sward; while almost from the
very side of that pulseless heart a lit
tie bird rose from it's nest among the
grasses Inc scared into the heavens,
singing rapturously as it flew into the
warmth and glory of the living,
breathing day.