Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-07-01
Continued.

cried in a shril tone. ooh, he! One
can see you know nothing OF Naples
You have not heard Of the rich no
mani? See you, | wished him to live.
He was clever and bold, but | did not
grudge him that-no, he was good 10
the poor he gave away hundreds OF
francs in charity. | have seen MIN
often saw him married. And here
his parchment face screwed itself into
an expression OF the most malignant
cruelty. "Pahl / hate his wife-a fair,
soft thing, like a white snake! | used
to watch them both from the corners
Of the streets as they drove along IN
their fine carriage, and wondered no"
1t would all end, whether he or she
would gain the victory first. | wanted
him to win; would have helped him
to kill her, yesl But the saints have
made a mistake this time for he is
dead. and that she-devil has all. Oh,
yes, God and the plague have done a
foolish thing for once
| listened to the old wretch with
deepening aversion. yet with some
my wife? thought. unless indeed, he
hated all youth and beauty, as was
most probably the case. And If he had
seen me as often as he averred he must
know me by sight How was it then
that he did not recognize me now? Fol
lowing out this thought, | said aloud
What sort Of looking man was
this Count Romani? You say he was
handsome he tall or short-dark
or fair?"
Putting back his struggling gray
locks from his forehead the dealer
stretched out yellow, claw-hke hand
as though pointing to some distant
vision.
"A beautiful mani he exclaimed.
"a man good for the eyes to see! AS
straight as you AREAS tall as you
arel-as broad as you arel But your
syes are sunken and dim-his were
full and large and sparkling. Your face
IS drawn and pale-his was of clear
olive tint, round and flushed with
health; and his hair was glossy black
--ah, as iet-black, my friend, as yours
is SNOW white!"
| recoiled from these last words in
sort OF terror; they were like an
electric shock, Was indeed so chang
ed? Was II possible that the horrors
of a night in the vault had made such
dire impression upon me? My hair
shite?-minel | could hardly believe
II. II so. perhaps Nina would not recog
nize me-she might be terrified at my
aspect-Guido himself might have
doubts of my identity. Though for
that matter, | could easily prove my
self 20 be indeed Fablo Romani-eyen
4 | had TO show the vault and my own
sundered coffin. While | revolved all
this in my mind the old man, uncon-
scious of my emotion, went on with his
mumbling chatter.
"Ah, yes, yes He was a fine fellow
strong fellow. ! used to rejoice that
he was SO strong. He could have taken
the little throat OF his wife between
finger and thumb and nipped it-sol
wanted him to do it waited for it
He would have done it surely, had he
lived. That Is why | am sorry hC
died ("
Mastering my feelings by n violent
effort. | forced myself to speak calmly
90 this malignant old brute.
why do you hate the Countess
Romant SO much2" / asked him Will
sternuess. Has she done you any
harm?'
He Strengthened himself as much a.
he was able and looked me fun in tn
eyes
See YOU he answered. with a sor
OF lecring laugh about the corners OF
his wicked mouth 81 Will ten you
why ! hate her yes will tell YOU
because you are astroug man, | like
strong men they are sometimes fo6Tr,
by women, II is truo-but then they
can take revenge was strong my
self once And you-you are old bu
you love iest--you will understand
The Romani woman has done me n,
harm. She laughed once That WI,
when her horses knocked me down Il
the street / was hurt hat saw me-
Fed lips widen aul her white teeth
glitter she has baby smie-th.
people Will tell yau- so Innocent
was picked up her carriage drove ~
her husband was uat with her h.
would have acted differently But 4
IS no m9ttcr-l tell y3u She laughed
and then I saw at once tho likeness
1.-THE Iikones-'" I exclaimed inn