The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-01

mistakaDly those OF Nardo; besides,
there stain on the left breast
which might possibly have been mud,
but which every one believed to be
blood. And 1t was precisely in the left
breast that Sandro had been obliged to
stab Nardo.
Not word was said either by the
stranger or by any one OF the guests.
They sat In profound silence, except
for the chattering Of the teeth Of An
tonic. who, had 1t been possible for his
bronzed face to change color, would
undoubtedly have been rs pale as mar
BILE.
Presently old Bartolo rose UP and
walked silently and softly from the
room. waving Il farewell to Sandro
that was full of despairing pity. The
other gondoliers lost no time in follow
ing him; indeed they crowded through
the door as If fire had broken out In
the Osteria and they were In imminent
danger Of horrible death. Sandro and
the stranger were left alone. each ap-
parently waiting for the other to speak
very we'll, Nardo." exclaimed San
dro, when he saw that the stranger
was obstinately silent; $50 you've come
back to Venice again. What was the
matter In purgatory? Did they turn
you out because you were not SYM
pathetic-and you know, Nardo, that
you were never a sympathetic person
or did you break out. the same as you
did when you were locked up in the
prison at Treviso for stealing from
your brother?'
This allusion to n form of theft re-
gardcd among all honest gondoliers as
nothing less than dishonorable was
well calculated to draw an angry reply
from Nardo, but he still remained 81.
lent.
II never believed in ghosts" resum-
ed Sandro, "but now that see very
dirty ghost sitting before me and re-
fusing to drink wine know that there
are ghosts and that they nre not good
comrades. Drink your wine, Nardo,
and speak up like man. I'm not
afraid Of you now that you are dead
any more than was when you were
alive, but don't like to sit over my
wine with one who does not open his
mouth even to speak,"
The ghost was not to be tauntcd into
breaking silence, and gradually that ST.
lence oppressed Sandro. The latter
spoke the truth when he said that he
was not afraid Of Nardo, but any ono
Will admit that 1t Is not cheerful to sit
at table with q ghost who is soaking
wet and disgracefully muddy and who
will neither drink nor speak, but sits
staring as rudely as If lie were Ger
man tourist.
Sandro was irritated by the ghosts
conduct, and under the circumstances
no one can blame him. The best man
who ever lived would be irritated If
the ghost Of n man whom lie had had
the misfortune to kill should come back
In q draggled and dirty dress and do
nothing but stare and drip water on
the floor.
eff there Is anything that you want,
Nardo," said Sandro. perhaps you will
mention it. If you don't want any
thing, perhaps you will go away and
let me finish my wine in peace. No
body invited you to come here, and it
was just little impertinent for you to
thrust yourself among a dinner party
of honest folk. But you always were
you remember. why was obliged to
spoil my knife against your ribs"
The stranger gazed steadily into San
dro's eyes, but he made no sound. Just
then the door opened the breadth Of a
hand, and the scnred face az Antonio
was visible through the opening. He
had yentured back to see II Sandro
was still alive, and if so, whether he
was as badly frightened as the rest Of
the gondoliers had been. Snndro saw
and read the meaning of Antonio's
face and seized the opportunity to
show his utter fearlessness Of ghosts.
"See here. Nardo," he exclaimed, 81
will do anything that q man can do to
please you tonight. What would you
like to have me do? Say the word, and
am ut your service"
The stranger rose up and, moving
toward the door, from which the ter
rified Antonio had already vanished,
Deckoned slowly to Sandro to follow
him.
Certainly" said Snndro. "Perhaps
you have forgotten that it is still rain
ing dogs, but no matter A little rain
will not hurt us. Lead the way, and
Will follow--that is, If my legs will let
me, for the wine has looscncd the
joints Of them till they are like the legs
Of the beggar Of the Campo SAINT An
gelo. who. we all know. has no legs
Whntever."
There is no doubt that Sandro had
drunk too much wine and that his
brain as we'll as his legs was affected
BY 1t. Still his courage was undimin-
ished. and he was ready to follow the
ghost to purgatory or anywhere else.
AS the two passed into the Gale and
turned to the left, directing their steps
to where gcndoia was moored, San
dro saw group Of his late dinner COM
paniors gathered at corner, at what
they supposed to be safe distance
from the ghost.
He called to them: "Goodby till we
meet again! 1 am going to dine in
with the good Nardo. will