Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-25

He writhed under my gaze with a
otrong convUIsive movement
Tell me--quick!" he gasped. Does
-she-know your"
Not yeti" l answered, slowly. But
| soon she Will-when | have married
| her!"
A lock Of bitter anguish filled his
! ST. aiming eyes. "Oh, God, Cod" he
! exclaimed, with grOan like that of a
| wild beast in pain. This is horrible,
| too horrible! Spare me-spare-'
A rush of blood choked his utterance.
| His breathing grew fainter and
I fainter; the livid hue of approaching
dissolution spread itself gradually over
his countenance. Staring wildly at
me, he CROPPED with his hands as
though he searched for some lost
thing. l took one of those feebly wan
dering hands within my own, and
| held it closely clasped.
you know the rest" I said, gently;
you understand my vengeance! But
it is all over, Guido-alI over, now!
! She has played us both false. May
! God forgive you as I dol"
He smiled-a soft look frightened
his fast-glazing eyes-the old boyish
look that had won my love in former
| days.
All Overt" he repeated, in sort Of
plaintive babble. "All over now! God
Fabto-forgive- a terrible convul-
! sion Wrenched and contorted his limbs
and features, his throat ratified, and
stretching himself out with a long
| shivering sigh-he died! The first
beams of the rising sun, piercing
through the dark, moss-co covered
branches of the pine-trees, fell on his
clustering hair, and bent hooking
brilliancy to his wide-open sightless
eyes; there was a smile on the closed
lips! A burning, suffocating sensation
rose in my throat, as of rebelliOus
tears trying to force passage. | still
held the hand of my friend and enemy
it had grown cold in my clasp. Upon
it sparkled my family diamOnd-the
ring she had given him. [ drew the
jewel Off; then l kissed that poor pas
kissed it tenderly, reverently. Hear
ing footsteps approaching, l rose from
my kneeling posture and stood erect
with folded arms, looking tearlessly
down ON the stiffening clay before me
The rest of the party came up; no one
spoke for a minute; all surveyed the
dead body in silence. At last Captain
Freccia said, softly, in half-inquiring
accents: He is gone, [ suppose?'
| l bowed. | could not trust myself
to speak.
He made you his apology?" asked
the marquis.
l bowed again. There was another
, pause of heavy silence, The rigiG
smiling face Of the corpse seemed t.
mock all speech. The doctor stopped
and skillfully closed those glazed ap
pealing eyes-and then it seemed tt
me as though Guido merely slept an(
that a touch would waken him. The
Marquis D'Avencourt took me by the
arm and whispered. Get back to the
city, AMIGO, and take some wine-you
look positively i'll! Your evident re-
greet does you credit, considering the
circumstances what would you
it was a fair fight. Consider the
provocation you had! l should advise
you to leave Naples for a couple OF
weeks-by that time the affair will be
forgotten. | know how these things
are anaged-leave it all to me-"
l.
cordially and turned to depart. Vim
cenzo was in waiting with the carriage
Once | looked back, as with slow steps
| left the field; a golden radiance H.
Tuned the sky just above the stark
figure stretched so straightly on the
swaTd; while almost from the very
side Of that pulseless heart a little
bird rose from it's nest among the
grasses and scared into the heavens
singing rapturously as it flew into the
warmth and glory Of the living
breathing day.