The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-17

You are guilty of this murder for
which YOU We're condemned?' L said to
the woman.
I am truly guilty of the mans death!
/, and ! alone, did it,. she answered
firmly. Il know not of what my hus-
hand IS accused that ne stands here
bound; but as God is my Judge of all
part in the killing of the soldier. Giovanni
Lupo, he is Innocent
I nodded ana turned to her husband
The woman's eyes We're steady as truth
itself.
You hear what your wife testifes?" 1
said to the man. DO you still adhere to
the open confession you made in the
duOmo tonight"
Confession in the duomo," almost
shrieked the woman. turning to her nus
band, you made no confession-say you
made no confession!
The man drew long breath, swallowed
hard. 50 that l saw the apple in his
throat first rise and fall. and then swell
as ii it would choke him. Then he be-
gan to speak in a broken voice.
.EXcellency,' he said, lit is true-all
that l said when the music made me
cry out in agOny-uD in the church
yonder. And now | desire the punish
Eent of man. that l may escape the
vengeance CT God for the shedding Of
blood. | wish to hide the truth no
longer. I will not lie TO God any more
nor let this innocent one undergo the
doom which ought justly 10 be mine.
You are mad-mad-mad. Leo Perrone.
great general. Do not LISTEN cried the
woman. coming swiftly round the table
before any could prevent her and kneel-
ing at my chair. Stephano. who did not
approve of such familiarity would have
thrust her back. but I motioned him to
his place with my hand without speak
ing. The woman set her hand quickly
to her head as if her wits were IN danger
of leaving her and she desired to recall
them With the hurried movement all
her fine dark hair fell below her waist in
silk. The soldiers about the room
gasped with establishment. divided be-
tween duty and admiration.
DO not believe him, she pleaded, clasp
ing her hands. He but desires TO save
me even at the cost of his own life.
For you see, he loves me-yeS he loves
me- l know him well. lie would die 10
save me. his wife. My Imprisonment has
driven him mad. But listen. most IL
IustriOuS hearken. 1t Wa my hand. my
desire, my knife which slew Giovanni
LupO for the insult he offered TO the Vile
of Leo Perrone. II alone did the de@d
Do not listen. excelency. Send me back
to the prison and let him so free!
She walled rather than spoke the last
words. and. creeping nearer to my chalr,
she clutched my hand III both OF herS
and strove to look into my eyes 10 read
my decision there.
SteDhanO came nearer. This was too
much. He took her by the wrists roughly
and flung them from him as though their
touch had been defileTlent-
Get back TO your place, woman he
said sternly.
-ral1ed bacl. to the side of her man,
with doWncast face.
Now. Leo Perrone, what DO you say
TO this?' / asked Of the man. whose
strong piercing eyes dwelt steadily upon
aExcellency," he said, Maria, my wife,
loves meas YOU have seen. she has
done this for love-foresworn herself con
fesscd the thing which she never did.
taken the punishment which was mine
all because she knew that for such
only imnrison a woman. Maria Perrone,
my wife. did this thing Tor my SAKE. ana
I. crawling rat that was. permltteu II
Sur all the while God had me in his grip.
and tonight in the duomo he sent q mes
senger that only in making an open con
fassion Law any hope for my sinful soul
So now / accuse myself will tell the
whole truth here and now 1t was Il
turned to ny house cage 10 meet nv
wife. to clasp the little Marsherita, the
sweetest and the most innocent lass IN All
the quarter of the HEDGEHOG AS L came
nm ne stair I heard angry voices-then
scream of pain and fear from my VIE
Maria. AT two bouds ! was at the door;
another and ! was within Inese STOOD
Giovanni Lupo in the act or oI1erln@ IN
suIt to my wife. Then forthwith the
madness came upon me, as It would
have come to you. eXcellency, seeing your
wife thus, ana your lllllS cau Sileoi W -
ing on the floor. Ny wife's marketing
knife Law at hand on the board where
she had been preparing the supper stan.
I lifted it and-well that Wolf Will never
insult wife nor children any more for
ever I sent him hurting to his own
Leo Perrone ceased and erected his
head proudly so that his tangled locks
stood out about his head like stone
pine growing on mountain top above
the sea
Again the woman would have flung
herself at my, feet. But Stepha no, had
ad led her into the middle OF the room.
at a distance both from the table where
stood her husband and from the CHAIR
He gave her arm a little shake, as II 10
say: TELL lie or tell truth, but tell 1t
where YOU stand md not elsewhere.
Then Maria Perrone fell on her knees
on the polished wood of the floor
believe him not she cried. vet more
earnestly 1T is but his mind which
has given way. He has often had such
seizures | have seen them come upon
him 2 hundred times. Listen, great
I swear it by my souls saliva
ton. u1on the blessed cross, upon the
relics of the saints. II alone struck tne
blow and / killed Giovanni Lu9o- AS
She spoke she lifted up a cross in which !
was a fragment of iron nail. and mace
the oath which an Apulean seals eternal
destruction if the oath be false or broken.
| Looked from one to the other. Leo
Perrone stood with his strong, stern look
hxed upon me. The woman clasped Aer
hands before her and looked at me dry
eyed. For a moment 1 was at my wits
end.
Stepheno nudged me gently.
THE child. the little Margherita. ne
whispered. from behind. 'She followed
ner father when he was taken She is
below at this moment. Shall l bring
her up?"
l nodded TO him. Presently between the
file of dragons standing at attention
there came. walking with quick, un-
certain steps. little ma I'd. MarEherita.
her blow. She looked very lovely. She
dashed her hair away with her hand as
Stephano placed her between her father
at the table and her mother still kneel-
ng on the oaken floor.