The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-27

SURFING Inc gesture was Sig
nifieant
II understand. No need to Illus
trate,' said Willis. Besides there's
nothing in my pockets, but the small
change 1 keep for your compatriots.
Now, if you will be good enough to
explain"
There is nothing to explain, signore.
1 am Giuseppe Montanari, who was to
marry Rosetta Nicoli."
You have taken too much trouble,
Signore-er Willis said,
insolently civil. still, 1 am as yet in
the dark. Is this perhaps part of the
ceremony of announcement?
Montanari's eyes cleaned. II care
nothing for the signore's words" he
said ''it is with what he has done
that l have to deal Three months
I ago Rosetta and 1 were happy in the
thought OF passing our lives together
She danced and sang the whole day
! through Now she weeps-she turns
from me-she will hear nothing of
marriage This l owe to the signore.
The debt is heavy"
Willis now moved uneasily The
pathos of this statement, simply made.
planted a certain sting, and his mind
engaged in rapid reconstruction OF
the past, accused him of cutting a
| poorer figure than he cared to admit
"Montanari,' he said, upon my hon.
OF there has been no-wrong-onl
Il know that" interrupted the other
with passion, ''else the signore would
not be standing there-alive Yet he
mistakes there has been wrong. Ro-
setta is spoiled for her own people
her simple home. She has become a
| dreamer of dreams. The Mother of
God knows how it will all end"
We'll, what are you going to do?"
Willis cried. What's the use of ban
dying words?" He had opened the
little penlkrife in his pocket resolved
that his adversary should not go un
/ marked.
"The signore is at least a brave
man. For one chance of life would he
swear to leave Romeo"
And the chanee?"
ITO cross, by the plank. to the other
| side of the dome"
In spite of himself the young man
drew back. A sudden paralyzing fear
came over him. Two boards had been
tied together by the workmen and fixed
across the opening in the dome. They
spanned an aperature nearly tire hun
dred feet from the marble floor of the
church; and this was the bridge he
had been invited to traverse To even
contemplate such a passage seemed
suicidal
Willis glanced down at the lights
gllmmer1ng on an altar far below Az
he looked. a procession of priests
crossed the nave, their chanting mel
lowed by distance. The sound recalled
him to the necessity of action; re-
stored his self-command. Turning, he
measured his antagonist with his eye
There was no reinsurance in the sight
or the tigerish play of those splendid
muscles, evident under the light, loose
clothing. A hand to hand struggle
! With no weapon but a penknife. against
that armed and supple strength. could
end in only one way. To appeal to the
worlmen would be equally useless
Montanari would be upon him at the
first call for help.
chance" he said at length
with sarcastic emphasis "Why do you
give it?"
Montanari shrugged his shoulders
Ihere may be many reasons. If
Killed the signore he would not suffer.
1 but to cross the dome so-even if one
arrives safely at the other side
me pause was sufficiently ELOQUENT
Ihen he continued: Perhaps it is INV
fancy. perhaps L may not wish to
commit murder"
Willis laughed unpleasantly in ap-
irony.
Would you consider your hands clean
board?" ''l 'i'''
Montanari ignored the question. lie,
me urge arew the e sIgnore to hasten" he said.
passage becomes more difficult"
what guarantee have L that you won't
SICK suck your our. knife under my ribs the mo-
Henl turn my back?"
That is as the signore pleases IA
! take ft-now.
Il suppose it makes no difference to
you whether leave Rome by the regular
route or by the gate of the Protestant
/ cemetery"
That also is as the signore pIeases.
Wills fingered the knife I'm his pocket.
After all-why not die like a man and NOT
like a monkey capering on a tight rope.
1 1et-he hesitated; life is dear at twenty
monfng all his resolution. he made his
cholce, setting his feet cautiously upon
the narrow pathway where return was
impossible. Stepping carefully. yet firm
! ~. he was surprised at the cIearness of
his head the evenness of his heart beats
! He could not have been more at ca Sc
crossing the floor below. Thus he advanced
nearly to the middle Of the blanks There
they We're roughly wired together. and
with the weight of his body they began
! 10 sag. Feeling the support give under
his feet. he involutarily looked downward.
! There was an instant singing in his ears:
cloud OF blackness-then of fire spread
| before his eyes; an icy sweat started
rom u, every pore; his very soul seemed
effort of will almost superhuman. he
| stopped. closing his eyes and striving to
master the vertigo threatening him.
He heard the chant of the returning
| priests. 1t surged into his ears, deafening
! him. Reason departed from his racked
| brain, and imagination, no longer held in
| check. rioted For measureless time he
reeled through space on a thread sus-
| pended from world to world the sport OF
infinity. Then at last, from the darkness
surrounding him. started the affrighted
faces of the Workmen, looming vague
monstrous through the gloom. Powerful
| hands seized him as he tottered at the
edge of the railing-a creature from
whose haunted face even little Rosetta
would have shrunk, crossing herself.