Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-04-12
Fiction on one so helpless? Mystery OF xnys-

CcTleS, ana 1 CdQQOC solve IL. ana yet 9ne
was able to forgive. At the lasN she could
condone. What were my wrongs to those
she had endured? After all l had health,
strength, and the world was wide. Why
waste my time in running after the morbid
isfy? Would it heal my wounds? Thinking
Prior Of St. Mark's-1 heard when last in
tell ag Citta del CASTILLO, and at the time
Savonarola had left the Duomo, and was
preaching at st. Marks. His subject was
forgiveness, and his text, vengeance is
mine, saith the Lord" came back to me
with vivid force. / rose from my seat and
paced the room, my whole soul was on the
scheme of revenge, when l heard knock at
the door. At first I did not answer, but it
was repeated.
"Come in," cried, and Ceci entered In
the state in which was, had half mind
to bid him begone there and then, and only
controlled myself with an effort. could
zee, however, that, in his way, he had formed
a friendly feeling towards me, and, remem-
bering my plans, forced myself to greet him
with civility, and offering him seat began
the conversation.
''That was strange finish to the Con-
faloniere's speech" said, in allusion TO the
death of the man at the hands of the mob.
"He was fool, and deserved to die'
"Do you know his name?"
Ceci hesitated for moment, and l saw he
was lying when he said "No."
II gather" added, that you are of the
Bgi, the party that favors the return of the
Medic."
"Signore, I spoke words in my excitement
that may we'll be buried. An old tongue like
mine should have known to be still; but it is
not that have come to speak of. Do you
know we have death in the house,"
'"Ihat would be no new thing to you"
|True," he said, stroking his white beard,
"they die here like rats in their holes.'
81 suppose so; but as a matter of fact
one. know Mathew Corte, but how have
you found out so soon?"
ut is simple. I.came, back but. a few min
utes ago, and although it was late, thought
l might call for the rent of the room Corte
occupies, as he has not paid anything as yet.
When | came in, Corte simply pointed to the
body OF his daughter, that was all the reply
/ got. She was very i'll when she came;
wonder indeed she lived SO long. Of course,
| did not press him, and if it is loss, Messer
Nobili is rich enough to bear this. But it is
dreadful the way these people owe.'
I WINGED little, thinking of my own d.
minished purse, and Ceci continued: 81
thought 1 would come and see you as I went
down. 1t is on my way. The body must be
removed tomorrow
"You will find some difficulty in persuad-
ing him to give it Christian burial
"How! Is he hereto, or pagan-if sol"
Il did not say that. believe the man to
be mad"
II will see him tomorrow" said Ceci. 81
think he will yield to reason. Poor child!"
He went out, and down the stairs with the
step of a young man, and marveled at the
contradictory nature, which could show the
kindness it had towards affection, and at the
same time coldly plan to remove fellow
creature from the world, as one removes a
bud from tree, with touch of the knife
But Cecl's words had also reminded me again
of Corte's need. stood at the door listen
ing until his footsteps died away, and knew
he was gone for the night. Then pulled
out my purse, and looked at it's contents;
there were two gold crowns left, and few
pauls. l hesitated for a little, but the need
OF the man upstairs was greater than mine.
Drawing off my boots so that there might be
no sound, I stole up softly, like a thief, and
gained the landing of Cortes room. The
door was partly open, and l stood before it
for short while, half afraid to enter.
Plucking up heart, crept in gently. The
dead girl lay with her hands crossed on her
bosom, still as if cut out of marble, and on
her face was fixed sad little smile. Corte
sat on stool near the table; his head was
buried between his hands, and he had given
way to silent despair. The dog lay asleep
in corner. l meant to have profered the
gold l had with me, as loan to Corte, but
| did not dare to address him in his grief
So placing the coins quietly on the table in
such manner that when he raised his head
he must see them, ] withdrew as noiselessly
as came, and reached my room without at
tracing any attention. It was not until the
small hours Of the morning that l sought my
couch, for my mind kept working on the
thoughts which agitated me after witnessing
the death of Corte's daughter. At the same
time, was able to see that this considera-
ton of the suffering of others was of the
greatest benefit to Inc. It took ME out of
myself. 1t showed me that my own were
not the only sorrows in the world, and that
there might yet be others who had reached
a deep Of misery as far below that of Corte
as his was below mine. This led me on to
consider my own position, and I began to
think there was some mysterious power
that was preventing me carrying out my
plan of reprisal against D'Entrangues. I
had come to Florence red-hot on his track.
At our very first meeting he had won the
hazard, and the long illness that followed
gave him chance to put distance between
us; then my resources diminished whilst yet
nothing was done; then came the doubts
as to whether was justified in my action;
and finally, and not least, there was in me
haunting desire to see Angola, as called
her to myself, once again. was pulled by
different strings. There was what called
conscience, urging me to give up my schemes
of revenge; there was the wild animal in me,
telling me to go on; there was feeling to-
wards woman, which I had honestly never
experienced before, which, despite my strug-
giles against it's apparently hopeless folly,
was entirely overmastering me, until did
not know which way to turn, and to escape
from it all decided to leave Florence at
once, and then altered my mind again, when
thought of the plot wished to thwart,
and determined to make last effort to do