The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-07-19

II
nothing for a time, but listened 20 the
men in the room they had just left.
They were quarreling. They cursed
each other in angry tones, and finally
the click Of steel told the pair under the
trees that they were fighting. There
was a cry Of pain. an oath or two. and
then from the tavern door the brawlers
ran, falling over each other in their
drunken haste TO escape from the place.
Then all was still. The boy spoke
after a little.
"Shall we see what II is?" he asked
the girl. He took her hand and they
walked to the door. There was no liv-
ing person there. The benches and
tables were overturned; broken glasses
were strewn over the floor. and in the
center Of the room upon his back and
with the blood streaming from a dozen
wounds lay Retro. The girl began TO
sob. Her companion tried TO comfort
her.
at is useless TO cry" said he. "Come.
viii take you home"
CHAPTER II.
High on the hills above Palermo 70
Castlemonte. II is ruin now and no
one has lived there since Marquis Bor-
gaizi died. ten years ago. But at that
time IL was the oldest and one Of the
grandest castles in Sicily. Travellers al
ways visited the place. as they do yet,
but then the marquis was always there
TO receive them and TO serve great din
ner under the trees.
IL was to this place. upon whose lands
her father was a tenant. that Gabrielle
and her cavalier csuse Just as day was
breaking. No one was yet astir and the
girl showed the boy where TO put the
donkey and cart. Then he followed her
10 her home, a cabin on the hillside.
There was excitement enough when
Gaorielle's parents learned what had
happened. II was useless 70 weep, for
Retro was not worth much. And here
was s'mebody to take his place-not so
big and strong, perhaps, but he would
grow. AS Gabrielle said he had saved
her and wanted him TO remain, a place
was given him at the table and he was
shown TO Petro's bunk in the shed.
Thus II was that Antonio became a
member of the household. After that
he took the sheep out 10 their pasturage
in the morning and brought them back
as the sun was falling like a golden
meteor into the Mediterranean.
The vineyards were not then ready
to give out their harvest and Gabrielle
had little TO do. She used TO wander out
upon the hillside, where Antonio was
watching and talk 20 him. TWAS beau
tiful there. For hours they would lie
on the grass and look up into the clear
blue of the heavens or watch Mount
Etna as the little line of black smoke
curled through the air and finally van
ished. Many condolences were ex-
changed there, and Gabrielle promised
the boy that when they were a few
years older the priest In the chapel
should marry them and they would
have a cottage of their own.
Then there was a war and Italy was
filed with armies. II was not for long,
but when IL was all over there was much
trouble caused by bands of men which
had been organized In the war. Gabri-
elle's father was a member Of one of
these societies. He violated some oath
and was compelled to fee for his life.
For many months he hid in the hills,
occasionally visiting his family.
One night he came to them and said
he was going to America. He kissed
them good-by and started for a sea-
port town. That day his body was
found alongside the road TO Castle
monte. He had been stabbed in the
back. Gabrielle and her mother did |
not remain in Sicily after that. The
mother had relatives in this country.
and four years ago she left her Italy |
and came to the United States. Anto-
MO, lonesome and hesrt-broken, was
left behind.
CHAPTER III.
The other day a train from Chi |