Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-08-26

! IN CHOOSING my dlH luStedu VI Ills ao
a momentary support had evidently
been sufficient to pique his pride. God
wrat blind bats men are! With all
their high capabilities and immortal
destinies. with all the world before
them to conquer, they can sink I'M
nerved and beaten down to impotent
weakness before the sighting word or
insolent gesture of a frivolous feminine
creature. whose best devotions are
pad to the mirror that reflect her in
the most becoming light! How easy
would be my vengeance, | unused, as
| watched Ferrari. l touched him on
the shoulder; he started from his un-
comfortable reverie and forced a smile.
l held out a cigar-case.
What are you dreaming OFF," |
asked him, laughingly. "Hebe as she
waited on the gods, or Venus as she
rose in bare beauty from the waves?
Either, neither, or both? ! assure you
q comfortable smoke is as pleasant in
its way as the smile of a woman
He took a cigar and lighted it. but
made no answer.
you are dull, my friend" | ON
t'nued, gayly, hooking my arm through
his and pacing him up and down on
the turf in front of his studio. wit,
they say, should be sharpened by the
glance of a bright eye; how ONE it
that the edge of your converse seems
blunted? Perhaps your feelings are
too deep for words? If so, ! do not
wonder at it, for the lady is extremely
lovely"
He glanced quickly at me,
Did | not say 500" he exclaimed.
"Of all creatures under heaven she is
surely the most perfect, Even you,
conte, with your cynical ideas about
women, even you We're quite subdued
and influenced by her; | could gee
it,"
I puffed slowly at my cigar and
pretended to mediate.
WAS II" I said at last. with an air
CT well-acted surprise. Really sub
dued and influenced? | do not think
so. But | admit I have never seen
a so entirely beautiful"
He stopped in his walk, loosened his
arm from nine, and regarded me
fixedly.
81 told you So" he said, deliberately.
you must remember that I told you
so. And now perhaps I ought to warn
you"
Warn mel" | exclaimed. in feigned
alarm. "Of WHAT against whom?
Surely not the Contessa Romani. to
whom you were so anxious to intro
duce meH She has no illness. no in
fictitious disorder? She is not danger
Gus to life or limb, is she?"
Ferrari laughed at the anxiety I dis
! played for my own bodily safety-an
anxiety which I managed to render
almost comic-but he looked somewhat
relieved too.
ooh, no" he said. "I meant nothing
OF that kind. I only think II fair to
tell YOU that she has very seductive
manners. and she may pay you little
man who was not aware that they are
attentions which would flatter any
only a part Of her childlike. pretty
ways; in short, they might lead him
enormously to suppose himself the OBJ
1ect OF her particular preference,
any"
broke into a violent At Of laughter.
and clapped him roughly on the shout
der.
"Y'ur warning Is quite Unnecessary
my good young friend" I said. Come
now, do 7 look a likely man to attract
the attention OF an adored and capri
cious beauty Besides, at my e the
idea is monstrous' I could figure as
her father, as yours If you like, but
in the capacity of a lover-impossible,"
He eyed me attentivelv.
"She said you did not seem old" he
murmured, half to himself and half
to me.
"Oh, I grant you she made me that
little compliment. certainly" I an
swered, amused at the suspicious that
evidently tortured his mind; land 7
accepted it as 1t was meant-in kind
ness. I am well aware what a bat
tered and unsightly wreck OF a man I
must appear in her eyes when con-
trasted with you, Sir Antinous'"
He flushed warmly. Then, with a
half-apologetic air, he said:
well, you must forgive me II ! have
seemed over-scrupulous. The contes-
sa is like a-sister to me; in fact, my
late friend Fabio encouraged a frater-
nal affection between us, and now he
is gone | feel it more than ever my
duty TO protect her, as It were, from
herself. She is so young and light
hearted and thoughtless that-but you
understand me, do you not?"
! bowed. | understood him perfect
ly. He wanted no more poachers on
the land he himself had pilfered.
Cutie right, from his point Of view!
But | was the rightful owner OF the
land after all, and | naturally had a
different opinion Of the matter. How