The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-01-03

lne molly virgin knew it, the blessed
saints, too, and would one day make 1T
plain. And then-ah, then the false
witnesses against the guiltless would
have conviction brought home to them
with knife presumably. All, all
was the same-dull repetition, hateful
to one who loved the camp and the
fierce light which CLEANS along the
fighting line when each man is going
in to strike till he dies for his father
land. But l forget. You happy island
ers have never been trodden down for
centuries, never seen the tyraht's flag
faunt hatefully from your fortresses
and set up on festal days in your
squares. And now, after the deliverance.
I, who had fought without being sham
ed, was sent with the escort of subal-
tern to inspect prisons. Iheard afterward
that some one high in authority con-
sidered me young cock whose comb
would not be the worse for cutting.
But it was cursedly dull work.
Nothing new, nothing interesting,
not SO much as a pretty girl, crossed my
path within arms length as worked
my way southwark along the eastern
seaboard-syndics, speeches. garbage on
plates, innocents in prison, SO the dreary
procession passed by, till one day came
to Atrani. No, that is not its ancient
and distinguished name, but it will
serve.
Then in the first ward of the prison
saw face and heard voice which
though live to be 100 years old shall
not forget.
The warder opened door, as he open
ed all the others, and with sharp word
called to attention woman who stood
up straight, looking deep into my eyes.
The light fell upon her through the
high barred window. Her hands were
clasped in front of her. Her tall, 1.-the
figure showed rounded and graceful
even through the sacklike prison habit.
Darkly passionate, stormily moist, blue
black like the thundercloud striding
the gulf of laramie up from the Med.
iterranean, seemed to me the eyes of
the woman who stood before me.
Maria Perrone, wife of Leo Perrone,
brigand. for murder in the second de-
gree, announced the warder, saluting,
with face like mask.
"Whom did she murder?" asked of
him quickly.
Zone Giovanni Lupo. soldier of the
country militia of her own province
l looked keenly at the woman, whose
dark eyes had never swerved moment
from mine since the opening of the cell
door revealed her to me.
Are you innocent of the crime?"
asked her, expecting the usual denial.
. killed the mani" she replied i'm
passively, standing like an angel carved
i'll the niche of duomo
] turned to the jailer.
"Were there any extenuating circum-
stances?" I asked him. ''She does not
look like murderess. +"
1T is said that the soldier insulted
her, that her husband entered and at
tempted to interfere, whereupon the
soldier had the best of it, and when he
had overcome the man, the wife, this
Maria Perrone. stabbed him to the
heart.
''That is a lie. said the woman
calmly, without any manifestation of
heat, "no man who lives could over
come Leo Perrone, my husband!"
The warder shrugged his shoulders.
Thus she answers ever" he said,
"but indeed. as have heard, there was
some word that it was Leo Perrone
himself who
The veil Of Indifference dropped in
simultaneously from the face of the WON.
an. Her eyes blazed yellow fire. She
clutched the palms Of her hands, driv-
ing her long finger nails into them.
Every moment she seemed to be aboutto
spring upon the warder.
Gently, gently. Maria Perrone, . l
said, putting forward my hand, while
my escort came closer behind US to seize
her instantly if necessary. II will hear
NIL and see that neither you nor your
husband shall suffer any wrong.
The woman Gained herself with an
obvious effort and dropped back into
her previous stony impassivity.
"No man can accuse my husband Of
shedding blood" she repeated. "Have
] not confessed? Have not been tried?
Have / not been condemned? Am not
now enduring my punishment? Aye,
and shall endure it till the day I die =,
She ended with wave of her hand
like one that cheers a we'll beloved flag
when the victorious troops are coming
in. The woman interested nae vastly.
She also spoke like one who had fought
and triumphed.
The warder spoke again.
"Her husband goes free. She speaks
truth. He is indeed suspected of being
free companion, but that is small
crime among these barbarous hills till
a man is caught. / saw him in the
market place today with contadina--
country madden
"What? Say that again, shrieked
the woman, springing forward. Her
eyes were deadly and defiant all at