Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-09-26

we returned 10 tue uOte', engaged
a conveyance to take us to Messina,
paid our reckoning, and started off.
Just as we were driving away the two
Italians Whose names we had ascer.
tanned from the hotel book were
Giuseppe and Gulllemo Ferrari)
strolled up. 1t may have been oul
fancy, but they looked surprised at
seeing us going away, and they imme
diately began to talk and gesticulate
one to the other.
As we drove through the town the
old fortune teller pretty granddaugh
ter sprang ont from somewhere sud
denly and hailed the eoachmsn, who
palled up. Running to the side o.
the carriage, she whispered to me:
"Grandmother says, your enemies
are upon you. Beware?'"
And she flew off and disappeared as
suddenly and mysteriously as she had
come upon the scene.
at is an enigma" cried. "Why
should these men wish to do me harm
They don't know me-.
III tell You what it u.s." said Att
wood. ''I've heard of Sicilian ven.
dettas, and I'll bet any money this il
one."
Several blood curdling tales I had
read upon the subject occurred to me.
"My mother said that some great
danger awaited my father if he re.
turned here. Perhaps he killed re.
| 1of;ap of fboco fol1ous 81 coroo %;o, a -,
the other, and they are seeking my
life in turn" said.
"That's Just about it, I expect" he
replied. 81 shall be glad when we
are we'll out of it,"
When we reached Messina we were
half famished, and at once went to
the hotel at which we had previously
stayed, and had some dinner. Then
we went down to the harbor to see
about getting to the mainland, but
there was no boat which could take us
to be had for an hour.
Leaving our portmanteaus in the
care of the official at the pier, we
strolled back towards the town. The
evening was closing in, and as we
wendell our way up the narrow, irreg.
ular street my companion ciutched me
tightly by the arm. Coming towards
us were the two Ferraris. They must
have followed us from Catania, and
they no doubt caught sight of us, for
they turned into little wine shop.
Acting on common impulse, we
followed them and took our seats at
another table. They converesed under
their breaths for awhile, and then
Giuseppe. whom Atwood recognized
as the loser at dice, got up and came
towards us as if to leave the place. 1t
was very dim inside the shop, and
probably they had not seen us, for as
soon as he came near us he went back
and, after whispering few words to
his companion, turned again and took
his departure.
1t was clear they had been drinking,
as he reeled perceptibly when he
passed us. Presently Guillemo rose
from his chair and crossed the room
to the landlord, whom h, evidently
knew, and they retired to an inner
room.
Both the Ferraris were wearing
black cloaks and soft felt hats. We
were similarly dressed, except that my
cloak was a rather stylish one, being
OF blue color, while Attwood's was a
brown one. The place was now al.
most in darkness, as the landlord, who
had been preparing to light the
lamps, had been interrupted by
Guillemo.
"The villain who has gone out will
try to stab you, or something, as you
go down to the boat" said Atwood.
81 have an idea! Change cloaks with
me; the other fellows left his cloak
hanging over the back of his chair,
and I'll swop with him |"
"What good will that do?' I
asked.
IF Giuseppe really meant mischief,
he will 60 for man in blue cloak, /"
he replied; "don't you see?"
"Y.e-s," / said, 'and kill his own
brother, or whatever he is. It's worth
trying, though if he notices it there
will be q row."
Gle could not see the difference in
this darkness. even if he were sober"
Atwood returned. He's half drunk
and will never notice it,"
Arthur handed me his cloak, and
silently slipped to the other seat and
laid mine on the Italians chair, tax ing
the other one and putting it on him
self. When Guillemo came out with
the landlord again he appeared in a
hurry, for he flung my cloak over his
shoulders and walked quickly, al
though unsteadily, out of the shop.
We followed in trice, walking one
behind the other down the hill to.
wards the boat.
1t was 80 dark now that We could
only distinguish Guillemo's form
without seeing the color of his Clothes
but as he neared a lamp which hung
dangling from the door of another
shop we could see the blue color of
the cloak. He had just passed under
the lamp when q man darted across
the street from recess in which he
had been concealed, and we could see
the CLEAN of steel in his hand. He
ran behind the blue cloak and, strik.
ing with all his force, plunged the
stiletto in the back of its wearei 8
neck. the man falling forward on his
face without groan, so skillfully had
the blow been planted.
The murderer never turned, but,
crossing the road diagonally, disap-
peared up dark passage, and We
passed the body and on to our boat as
il nothing had occurred.
'It's not the first man that fellows
killed." said Atwood. "He must
have severed the spinal cord at a