The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-02-17

oWOOh thO ulo VI uEhRUOub btdUulDR u
J attention there came, walking with
: quick, uncertain steps, little maid
Margherta, pale of face, dark locks al
a'tange about her brow. She looked
very lovely. She dashed her hair away
with her hand as Stephano placed hei
between her father at the tablets end
and her mother still kneeiug on The
oaken floor.
Mareheriia," said gently, tell ali
you know of the killing of Giovanni
Lupo. You were there, your father
tells US"
The little maid looked from one to
the other of us. | saw her mother
make the sign of silence, and from that
moment was sure.
Look at your father" said more
sternly, land do as he bids YOU"
"Tell the truth, Margherita Per-
ronel" said the voice of the self
accused at the table end.
Must I?" she said, looking ell
about, must indeed tell alp"
No, no, Margherita; you saw it
not; it was Il 1t was l." cried Maria.
Tell them it was your mother, child,
who killed the man, or, as l live, / will
curse you with the curse of mother
the curse that God will hear; the curse
that can never be taken off"
"Speak the truth All the truth"
said Leo PerrOne again, sterply and
quietly.
cit was Lupo, the soldier" at last
the little girl spoke out, looking very
modestly at me, "and he had come Of
ten to our house. My mother hated
him. My father warned him not to
come. But one night when my father
was among the mountains on his bust
ness, Lupo, the Welt, came and first
spoke i'll words, and then at last took
hold of my mother to hurt her. Where
upon my mother cried OUT Leo, Leo,
my man. my mani Help mel"
Yes, yes. And l struck at him with
my own knife, Marghe rita, did 1 not?
Speak, child of my heart!" cried Maria,
bending all her will into her eyes to
make the child say the thing she de-
sired her to say.
But with eyes on my face the child
went on;
"Then, when my mother cried
Helpl' my father opened the door and
his face was very white and angry, 80
that it was not good to look upon it.
And he never took his eyes from the
eyes of Lupo the Wolf, who began to
make excuses and to laugh and jest,
saying that he did but play. But my
father, being very angry, came forward
very slowly, and lifting the knife from
my mothers cutting board he took
Lupo by the throat, and telling him
first that he was about TO kill him for
the insult he had done to his wife,
drove the point to his heart. And so
Lupo diedW
The woman's shrek rang through the
room at the last words. She had risen
to her feet while the tale was being
told, and now only the strong arm of
>Stephano kept her from leaping upon
Margherita.
aye have lied, lied in your throat,
DEVILS spawnl 1t was not Leo who
killed him, but I. Have not sworn it
on the reliquaries of the saints? Have
1 not pledged my souls salvation for
the truth of it? He accuses himself, he
sage, for his SOULS sake. Body and
soul both have not given for him?"
She paused and gszed around. And
as she looked she read unbelief in every
face. Then all suddenly she flung up
her arms.
"Oh, there is none of you all that
will believe me! Aud have told you
80 often. have done all could, and
they will hang him-hang my Leo! Oh,
God, God, kill me, thrust me down to
lowest hell, but let them not take away
my Leo, my man Leo"
And she fell all her length upon the
floor. The strength of her soul had
given way at last.
Then while Stephano and one of the
soldiers lifted her up l bethought me
deeply.
"Let all three be warded o-night in
one room of the prison-the best apart
ment; that, think, Master Jailer, in
which you may keep the contrabands
when any lodge with you"
But as they were in the act of carry.
ing the woman out, she turned her
head toward me, and, like one that
speaks out of deep sleep, she said:
"You will not hang my Leo?"
go, rest in peace" said 1. 81
promise to speak to the King himself
for you and your Leo. More L cannot
promise"
That night l slept vilely, and so,
some time after midnight l rose and
cast my cloak about me. Then 1
opened the door. Across it, 80 close
that well-nigh had stepped upon him,
slept Stephano on bundle of mats.
" Excellency!" he cried, leaping up
instantly and rubbing his eyes,
whittier are you going al this time of
the night?"
81 connot sleer,"I 1 go to drink the
night air.
ITO drink the poison of those &C.
cursed eastern swamps more like" he
growled. Abide, and sleep will come
in time"
But stepped out and away across to
the prison. Presently l was thunder
ing at the door, and after an interval
the jailer appeared, swearing most vel.
ubly and calling me all the sons of
pigs and asses that ever blighted the
wholesome earth for disturbing him
out of his first sound sleep.
But when he saw me stand on the
doorstep his curses sank TO abjectest
apologies. He opened the great creak-
ing portal wide, as for an army, and as
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