The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-07-05
(Continued.)


sini. keeping close at Gabriella's heels.
followed the outward current and luckily
for the trio. they soon found themselves
once more in the open. Gabrielle made a
motion as II about To speak. but as
Margaret pressed her forefnger firmly on
her lips with a frowning gesture. Ga
briella pursued her way silently.
For over half an hour they Travelled
through groves of cypress and palmettoes,
through cane brakes, vines and mlre.
until they came 10 thicket full OF
bushes and underbrush. hedging the path
way, and there they stopped 10 take a
short rest, squatting down, speechless.
1t was a shaded place and as dark as
II there was not a star in the sky. Then.
at length. Orsini. who had been the leader
and the guide TO that spot, broke the
silence.
I'VE are safe here" he whispered.
safe? How? What do you meanT
Margaret inquired.
Because as am we'll acquainted with
this locality cut away from all
ordinary beaten tracks and we can stay
here until everyone is far ahead OF U.S."
These words had scarcely been spoken
! by Orsini. when he felt his arm squeezed
by Margaret whose face was terribly con-
torted. while she pointed with her shaking
finger to something in front OF them. only
some nundreO ydrus distant.
Orsini and Gabrielle looked that way
and their already overburdened imagina-
| ton, struck by so many sensational. dire
| full events, was met by another ghostly
sight The space on which they had
their eyes fastened had a large marsh
in the centre. which gradually became
less and less continuous, being dotted
with wide spots of firm ground, the tall
reeds giving place, by degrees, to woods
or,A hA 40 IN 6al IN
front OF the swamp. the country highway.
looming up in the moonlight like white
ribbon, became forked into two branches.
both leading to the city one from
Esplanade to the Shel-road turnpike and
the other from Jefferson Parish to the
continuation OF Canal street.
IL was evident that everyone who came
from the "Oowrs Nest arriving at that
branch OF the road. had 20 take one OF
those forks If they were bound for the
city.
Among the thick reeds men were con-
cealed, and certainly more than a score
OF them. since each time anybody passed
on his way toward the city, man crept
out from the fen. and followed at some
distance. shadowing the walker.
After that strange work had gone on
for an hour or SO. orsini and the ladies
became frightened. unable as they were.
to give any explanation TO the mysteri-
Gus purpose that caused the shadowing
! of the Sons.
| When a reasonable time had elapsed
| after the tramping on the roads had
ceased and the shadow'tng also, Orsirn
/ and his companions carefully took their
! way in another direction in order to
avoid any pursuit II more men were lying
| In wait in the swamp.
An incident now occurred whi-h was
| apparently of no significance. While
they were scrsmbling through a bushy
spot filled with briars. Msrgaret's coat
had been caught on a thorn and the back
Of II was nearly ripped in two This
had not been noticed at the time but a
soon as they reached the main road and
were plainly exposed in the moons sill
very rays, the accident to her coat was
quirkly discovered The suggestion was
made that she change coats with one Q.
the others. Accordingly she first tried
on Gabriella's. but this proved To be too
small. Orsinis coat. however fitted
her. and after the garments were ex-
changed, they resumed their walk city
ward, scrambling through bramble patch
es until they came 10 the carriage watt
ing for them on Paris avenue under a
shed adjoining barn.
Inexplica BILE as IT was. this singular
scene which they had witnessed with rep-
idly besting hearts. neither Orsini or the
girls tried 10 clear UP, occupied as they
were. by the thoughts OF their own un-
certain and imminent danger.
As the writer of the historical events is
not allowed to be careless about any in
cident worthy of note. the readers atten-
ton must here be transferred TO the
same hotel in which Scaffoldi a few days
before, was an unsuspected SO sctator of
certain secret and mysterious meeting.
In the very Same room In which the pri-
vate detective, Dean, was the orator
overheard by Scafroldi from the ward
robe. op that very night, after the meet
ing Of the Sons at tho owls Nest" a
half dozen men. among them Dean, were
sitting around a table with glasses Of
liquor before them.
II could he safely inferred from the ap-
pearance Of the room, Uttered with cigar
stumps and empty bottles. and filled with
smoke and a disagreesble exhalation
which made the air suffocatlng, that the
party had been In there a long time And
that this was so. was also proved by the
fact that rosy-hgured Dawn the herald
OF the rising sun was showing her ever
Frightening face in the east and after a
while. Phoebus. fresh as abride-groom
from his mate, came dancing forth. shak-
Ing his dewy hair. and hurling his glist-
enins beams through the damp air
II appeared ae IL the main business OF
the men sathered there was already set
tied. for while all the others wers snatch
ing pap or doing peacefully. holding
their chins In their hands, their elbow.
resting on the tabs. two man were talk
ing together in lively tones. One OF Tn.
men was Dean. who had gone unsnaved
Of late and whose beard was tust long
enough 10 furnish the best possible dis
guise for his features
Dean was saying 10 the other:
II tell you that two Of them were
women. pert Jades. too. and you may rest
assured that the venom Of the she adder
is even more dangerous than that Of tho
male"
And I repeat for the hundredth time"
the other man answered. that shall
never believe that the Maha has femsle
members IN its ranks"
We'll. that II simply an idea ~ your
own. which shows that your eyeslrht
r. somewhat imperfect"
"why7"
Because I noticed that two persons
LaA 49, A..