Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-01-10

to her. He had struck her-yes, struck
herl
II said, I will avenRe your
"tNo, no. she cried, for my sake do not
raise a hand against him. Promise me,
promise me, Francesca
What could | do2 l promised her that
while she lived | would not touch him.
And | nave kept my word. But, by heav-
en-
Astarita did not finish the sentence.
He WIS livid with emotion and trembling
from head to foot. | urged him to BIO
calm.
ayes; l must be calm" he said. What
is going on on the stageY'
1 stepped forward.
"A troop of acrobats-No g."
He leaned back in his chair and wiped
his forehead. [ glanced round at the au-
dience and Immediately felt a grip on my
shoulders, while francesca Astarita whis-
pered, almost Kissed, into my ear:
she is dead!'
! turned and looked him in the face.
"Then try to forget it ALL" L said.
"Let the past be buried"
The curtain descended.
"Give me the programmed" he said
quickly.
He held it in front Of me, with the long
thumb nail of his right hand cutting
through n point in the middle of the page.
"Look there! The next item-M Mr..
christopher Quincy, ventriloqu' it. That
is the stage name of the scounu Her
bert Ross!'
'Let us go awaY," l urged. you ara
excited and unwvll. 1t will do you no
good to see him. Come away.
NO, no; not letF' he answered. Pres
emily"
The bell rang, and tho curtain rose,
discovering y row of grotrsQdo i-h' grim
ming figures waiting ~ receive ani.lN' non
from the lnuriG pow - OF III" N'i'rllo-
quist. Christopher Quincy ~ ~Ad
made his low. Taking his s"1 III III"
midst Of lis puppets. he began ai'er-
tainmrnt. His dialogues anl IS were
bright anu up to date, and peaiS u laugh
ter were frequent from the audience.
looked round at Astorita. He wa
standing behind me, leaning against the
side Of the box, half concealed by a LONG
curtain. could see his face and noticed
a wild madness in his eyes.
"Shall we goY' / said again.
"Prescntly, - was all the reply.
The ventrlloquist was now making ono
of his figures sing II comic song. Ii was
accompanied by the band and had IL re-
frain that | have never forgotten, ana
that never comes into my head without
bringing back that night at the Jolhty.
The song came to an end, and LOUD APP
plause rang through the building. In the
midst of the clamor the performer bowed
his head, and, to the alarm of everybody,
fell face downward in front of the foot
lights. There he lay motionless, with his
row of uncanny puppets grinnlng upot
him.
Attendants now rushed on from the
wings, and ms they lifted the inanimatt
body l saw Il red stream flowing from his
head and IL dark stain on the floor Of the
stage. The curtain was Immediately run
down, and the audience was stunned by
the terrible scene they had witnessed.
turned instinctively to Astarita. III
was pale and excited.
This did it, he said.
He held in his hand an airgun, which
till now, he had concealed from my sight
l was transfiXcd with horror at his crime
l sat like one dazed, looking into space
and just conscious that some one wa
standing before the curtain addressing tn
: audience. Then | awoke toa full sense o
| my position, and. determined to secure tn
3 criminal, | rose To -.
He had gone!
r | went out into the noisy streets. Their
+ was u fine dri2Zlc. and the roads and pave
l mcnts were slippery, but | walked alon
= like one in n dream. Where | went | can