The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-26

could smell the perfume that scented
her flowing draperies of lawn and lace.
she stopped at a tiny table of mala-
chlte, on which rested a chalice of some
rare green stuff and a f1agon Of silver,
all chased and carved. She took the
chalice in one hand, M with the other
poured into it from the f1agon a full
measure OF wine, that sparkled crimson
in the hundred lights.
Then she approached the window un-
til Aylwin could see each separate en-
erald in the bracelet hat coiled about
her right arm. She raised the chalice
TO her lips and drank deeply. Then she
proffered the cup to him, and he. acting
as if under a spell, took it from her
hand and drank to the last drop. Then
he gave the cup back to her, and she
placed 1t again beside the f1agon on the
table of malachite.
Still he stood and gazed at her, drink
ing IN the glory and wonder of her
beauty. Her white skin cleaned in the
myriad lights: her hair seemed like the
very robe Of Night for blackness. and
her eyes like black stars in the heart
of night. Only her lips were red-warm
and Intoxicating.
She approached the window again.
and leaning out, she put those glorious
arms about his neck. and bending down
laid her lips on his.
Aylwin shut his eyes and dreamed of
Heaven.
Then her voice fell on his ears:
Would o come again, come soon.
TIA n on tho -11-a,+aa-,l :a5o- - IL.
left II I will open to you. But come nc
more than once-come no more thar
once"
Still he kept his eyes shut, dreaming
Of Heaven.
Then the arms were withdrawn from
his neck and he heard the shutters close
with a clang.
He started.
He awoke.
Had he really been dreaming? He
expected to find himself in his bed
room at the Palazoo Luciano.
But where a he.
All was dark around him. Above hin
the stars were shining through riffs in
the black clouds. Before him were the
walls of a house n a shattered win
dow. Behind him-he turned to see
the waters Of a canal.
Like one possessed. he ran this way
and that. He stumbled against some
thing. He felt that it was wood. He
struck a match: the wood was that Of
a mooring-post, and it was rotten anG
dry. Surely he had seen somethins
like hat before that day. He looked
at the stones-they were covered will
| Tho roc 1T,,A ~ 49, 90, T ,-I--
up-the black towering mass of build.
ings aroused a recollection.
Surely-it was the Palazzo Sforziani
In the early morning a gondola how,
IN sight. Aylwin hailed it, and tn,
gondolier, at first believing him to be
ghost. would have passed on with {
muttered prayer to the Virgin. Blu
Aylwin called again and again, ant
the ~gondolier came up. After some per
suatiOn the man took him on board an
rowed him to the Palazzo Luciano. TIL,
ma was inQuisitive and wanted t,
know What ylWin had been doing a
the Sforziani. but Aylwin held hi
peace.
On inquiry at the hotel office tn,
porter old him that he had gone gu
about one in the morning. The porte
used TO seeing gentlemen in Venice de
part at such untimely hours, said moth
Ing and thought nothing. That wa
Wha he was paid for.
How Aylwin had got fron h Lucian
TO the SfOrziani ne could never tel
But il was Sandro who took him bac,
there again the neXt night. Sandro ha,
demurred . vehemently, but Aylwi
told him he had engaged him becaus
he asked no questions; he a 10 do a
he was bid-and that was all. Sandr
liked a man 10 be masterful with him.
Il had just struck twelve from tn
campan;le OF San Marco when Aylwi
set GOT on the Wondering steps of til
Sforziani. He dismissed Sandro. bio
ding hin TO be waiting at the steps a
two o'clock. for he did Tot relish spend
ing the night on the cold pavement a
he had done the pervious night. Whe
the lanters at the Prov and the ster
Of the gondola twiIkled out Of view
Aylwin turned to the left and began /
count the suffered windows.
Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen,-' h
breath came quick and his blood mount
ri thick TO his head.
"Seventeen!"
He stopped. He lifted his hand an
after a moments hesitation, Tape
lightly once. twice, thrice. At the thir
knock the shutters swung back and tn
! glittering chamber burst again on b;
View. MOI that he had eyes for "a