The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-10-08
had been invited to traverse. To even
contemplate such passage seemed

contemplate SuCA pdoSd6o oCCACu
suicidal
Willis glanced down at the lights
glimmering on an altar far below. AS
he looked. procession of priests
crossed the nave, their chanting mel
lowed by distance. The sound recalled
him to the necessity of action; re-
stored his seif-command. Turning. he
measured his antagonist with his eye.
There was no reinsurance in the sight
of the tigerish play of those splendid
muscles, evident under the light, loose
clothing. A hand to hand struggle
with no weapon but penknife, against
that armed and supple strength, could
end in only one way. To appeal to the
workmen would be equally useless.
Montanari would be upon him at the
first call for help.
"This-chance," he said at length,
with sarcastic emphasis. why do you
give it,"
Montanari shrugged his shoulders.
There may be many reasons. If I
killed the signore he would not suffer;
but to cross the dome so-even IL one
arrives safely at the other side"
The pause was sufficiently eloquent
Then he continued: Perhaps it is my
fancy; perhaps / may not wish to
commit murder"
Willis laughed unpleasantly in ap-
probation of the others possible
irony.
Would you consider your hands clean
If l should take header OFF that
board?"
Montanari ignored the question.
LET me urge the signore to hasten"
he said ut grows late. Every mo-
ment the passage becomes more diff
ficult."
What guarantee have I that you
won't stick your knife under my ribs
the moment I turn my back?"
THAT is as the signore pleases to
think. He has his choice, and he must
take it-now."
II suppose it makes no dAerence to
you whether leave Rome by the reg
ular route or by the gate of the Prot
estant cemetery"
THAT also is as the signore pleases
Willis fingered the knife IN mis- pock-
ct. After all-why not die like a man
and not like a monkey capering on a
tight rope. Yet-he hesitated; life is
dear at 23-and there was a chance.
So, summoning all his resolution, he
made his choice. setting his feet eau
tiously upon the narrow pathway
where return was impossible. Step
ping carefully, yet firmly, he was sur
prised at the clearness of his head, the
evenness of his heart beats. He could
not have been more at ease crossing
the floor below. Thus he advanced
nearly to the middle of the planks.
There they were roughly wired to-
gether, and with the weight of his
body they began to sag. Feeling the
support give under his feet, he invol-
UNFAIRLY looked downward. There was
an instant singing in his ears; a cloud
of blackness-then Of fire, spread be-
fore his eyes; an icy sweat started
from every pore; his very soul seemed
wrenching itself from his body. By
an effort OF Will almost superhuman,
he stopped, closing his eyes and striv-
ing to master the vertigo threatening
him.
He heard the chant of the returning
priests 1t surged into his ears deaf
ening him. Reason departed from his
racked brain, and imagination, no
longer held in check, rioted. For meas
ureless time he reeled through space
ON a thread suspended 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.