, 1903-09-23
A BIT OF
A
tOriginal.l


Anton Cardl was infatuated with Wit
toria CRreno, but she being a married
woman he had concluded TO wed Lucia
Sanchez, whom he did not love, but
who possessed a fortune. No sooner
had the wedding taken place than 81
gnor Careno fell i'll and died, leaving
Yittoria a widow. Then Cardi was be-
side himself with anguish that he had
not waited. His wife had some inkling
of the cause of a distress he could not
conceal, and since she loved him she,
too, was miserable. One day she met
Vittoria and turned her back upon her.
"Why do you treat me in this way?"
asked Vittoria.
Because you hold my husband In
thrall."
"He holds himself in thrall,' replied
Signora Careno. Il care no more for
him than that" and she snapped her
fingers.
Lucia was encouraged at this, think
ing that if Anton's love was not re-
turned it would at last wear itself
out. She told her husband what Wit
lOllu Auu Sdlu, Dul II luu ITO entCL uD-
on him, he believing that it was a nat
ural denial for Vittoria to make to his
own wife. Indeed, when Vittoria, to
prove what she had said, made a friend
of Lucia, Anton was infatuated enough
to suppose that Vittoria was deceiving
his wife with a view to gaining oppor-
tunities to be near him. Supposing
thof tho Woman ha louoS1 would aa.u
him If he were free to marry, he re-
solved to get rid of his wife by poison.
Lucia was used to taking every morn
ing at IL o'clock a light breakfast or
luncheon, as we would call it in Ameri-
ca, consisting of a few fancy biscuits
and q glass of wine. A servant usually
set it out on a table some time during
the morning for her mistress to take at
the usual hour. One morning Anton
passed through the room where the
luncheon stood ready. 1t was 10 o'clock,
and his wife would not partake of 1t
for an hour. Nevertheless he resolved
to avail himself of the opportunity to
drop poison in the wine. He would re-
main near and see that no one except
Silc LUZ WlOlu II WAS lule0u6u uTduk II.
While he was waiting, a summons
came to him from the grand duke, with
whom he stood in high favor, to come
at once to the palace. There was moth
ing to do but to obey. Should he leave
the glass of poisoned wine or empty it
where it would do no harm? There was
no one in the house, for his wife had
gone out. She would return before II,
drink the wine, and the culprit, being
away at the time, would not be sus-
pected of foul play. He resolved to
leave it where it stood.
He had scarcely left the house when
he met Vittoria.
Good morning, Signor Carpi," she
said. Il am going to call upon your
wife. Is she at home?'
mo-" replied Anton; "she is out. You
had better choose another time"
Il will go in and wait for her. She
has told me that she is out long
in the morning" And she proceeded
on her way.
II must go back" said Anton to the
dukes messenger, a young noble of
powerful frame and of a merry, devil
may care disposition.
"What! To keep company with a
lady when your sovereign commands
your presence? p
1T is very important that I return to
my house at once"
And l say it is important that you
obey the dukes summons"
Anton started to go back, but the
messenger caught him about the waist,
and as he was of light weight carried
him on, laughing at his struggles con-
sidering it a fine thing to be keeping
him from a meeting with a lady. The
fear that Vittoria might drink the poi
soned wine gave Anton strength to re-
sist, but with all this to stimulate him
he was unable to break away from his
tormentor, who carried him into the
presence of the duke, whom he told
with great merriment how he had kept
him from an appointment.
"Ha, ha, Signor Carpi!' laughed the
duke. I'VE must make an example of
a married man who desires to tete-a-
tete with a lady in his own house dur
ing his wife's absence. Lock the doors.
Come, 1 have sent for you to play a
game Of cards. What shall be the
stalker"
For an hour the duke kept Anton at
the game. Anton was so preoccupied
that he scarcely knew n card from
another. Finally he showed his suf-
fering so plainly that the duke gave up
an amusement hat was becoming
painful and let his prisoner go, though
he jokingly warned him in future to
be less open in his appointments.
At u O'Clock Anton rushed into his
house wondering whether he would
find Vittoria or his wife dead. He
found them both lamenting over the
body of his ~fayorite hound. The mo-
ment he saw hat Vittoria was safe he
sank sanseless into a chair
Lucia had come in and found Wit