Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-09-16

He trusted me-yes! as much as in the
old days / had trusted him. Therefore.
tho catastrophe for him must be sudden
ms well as fatal-perhaps, after all, u
was better so.
During my frequent visits 10 the
villa | saw much Of my child Stella.
she became passiolately attached to
me-poor little thiog'-her love was a
mere natural instinct, had she but
brown il. often, TOO, her nurse. As
sunta. would bring her TO my hotel to
| mass an hour or SO with me. This was
a great treat TO her, and her delight
| reached it's climax when ] toe her on
my knee and told her a fairy story
| her ~fayorite one being that OF a good
little girl whose papa suddenly went
away. and how the little girl grieyed
for him till at last some kind fairies
hellsd her to find him again. | was at
| first somewhat afraid Of old Assunta-
she had been my nurse-was 1t posi-
lie that she would not recognize me2
The first time / met her in my new
character | almost held my breath in
a sort of suspense-but the good old
woman was nearly blind, and | think
! she could scarce make out my Inca
ments. She was of an entirely differ
ent nature to Giacomo the butler-she
thoroughly believed her master to be
dead. as indeed she had every reason
to do, but strange to say, Giacomo did
not. The old man had q fanatical no.
ton that his young lord could not
have died so suddenly, and he grew SO
obstinate on the point that my wife de-
| cared he must be going crazy. AS
sunta. on the other hand, would talk
yolubly OF my death and tell me with
assured earnestness:
1T was TO be expected, e~ccellenza--
he was too good for us, ard the saints
took him. OF course our Lady wanted
Elm-she always picks out the best
among us. The poor Giaccmo viii not
listen to me, he grows weak END chill
ish. and he loved the master too we'll
better and here her voice would
deepen into %reproaChful solemnity,
ives. better actually than st. Joseph
himself, And of course one is pun
ished for such a thing. I always knew
my master would die youI gle was
too gentle as a baby, and too kind
} hearted as a man to stay here long.
And she would shake her gray head
and feel for the beads of her rosary,
and mutter an Ave for the repose or my
scuL. Much as | wished 1t, could
never get her to talk about her mis-
tress-it was the one subject on which
she was invariably silert. On one oc-
casion when | spoke with apparent en-
thusiasm Of the beauty and accom-
riishmeuts OF the young countess, she
glanced at me with sudden and earnest
scrutiny-sighed- but said nothing, |
was glad to see how thoroughly de-
voted she was to Stella, and the child
returned her affection with interest
though rs the November days came OF
apace. my little one looked far from
/, strong. She paled and grew thin, her
! eyes looked pre]ternaturally large and
solemn, and she was very easily
, wearied. | called Assunta's attention
to these signs of ill-heaIth; she replied
that she had spoken to the countess
but that "madama" had taken no no
tice Of the child's weakly condition
Afterward | mentioned the matter my.
self to Nina, who merely smiled CRATE.
fully mp in my face and answered.
Really, my dear conte, You are too
, eood' There Is nothing the matter
with Stella, her health is excellent:
she eats too many bonbons perhaps
and is growing rather fast. that is all
How kind You are TO think of her.
But, | assure you, she is quite we'll"
| did not feel so sure of this. vet
was obliged to conceal my anxiety, a,
oYermuch concern about the chile
would not have been in keeping witt
my assumed character.
II was q little past the middle Of No
4 vembcr, when q circumstance occurred
that gave impetus to my plans, ant
3, hurried them to FUN fguition, Th'
days were growing chilly and sad eve
{ FL Naples yachting excursions wer,
over. and I was beginning to organic
q few dinners and balls for the ap
F%roaching winter season, when ON
i afternoon Ferrari entered my room un
announced and threw himself into tn.
nearest chair with an impatient ev
/, clamation. and q yeyed expression O
/ countcpauce.
r What is the matter?" / asked. care
I lcssly. as / caught a furtive glance Q
r his eyes. Anything financial? Pra,
3 draw upon me- ] will be a most ac
commodating banker'''
/ He smiled uneasily though CRATE
fully
Thanks. conte-but it is nothing o
that sort II is gran bio, what al
: unlucky wretch | ami
II hope. and here | put on an eN
o preston of the deepest anxiety, Il hop
n The pretty cCntessa has not played yo
false? she has refused to marry YOU
h He laughed with a disdainful ri
r un pin IN his Laughter,
o oh. MS far as that goes there is Il
F.. . 1- ,r.,f OH, 4ar.r a,t EIar- ma false