Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-08-26

"The very man i want" Lady Bysshe
replied, eagerly. Il am so glad l men
toned the subject, Pray tell me about
him.
II have known him TO make extraar-
binary cures. My father has immense
faith in him, and, indeed, he has at
tended our family since he came to
settle here as a young man; so he re-
CARDS me as one of his few friends"
My dear count, l will send for him
at once
Il should tell you that he is rather
eccentric, and is greatly feared. He
has a reputation, a singular reputa-
ton
lis he so wicked?. Lady Bysshe
asked. arching her brows in~quiringly.
"On the contrary, he is most chari-
table, leads the life of q hermit, and
prescribes without recompense 70 any
poor people who consult him, Blu they
believe him TO be a wizard, partly be-
partly because OF the cures he makes,
but chiefly because when they see the
red and green lights burning through
the windows of his laboratory at mid
night or early morning, they cross
themselves and tell each other that'he
Is having a conference with his satanic
majesty. You know how superstitious
49, f%NifAN 80 az 49, 1850 - 49,
pleasant laugh.
But is he a chemistg" Lady Bysshe
asked.
He is an alchemist. For nearly half
a century he has been seeking for the
secret which sltall turn base metals
into pure gold Sasari told her quite
seriously.
WHAT Does anyone believe in
such things la this century,"
"Oh, several, l assure you. h clev-
crest men sometimes follow the most
ahsugd hobbies. ] laugh at DR.. Zof-
tani for his credulity, and he pities me
for my ignorance. He can name a doz-
en- alchemists who have turned lead
into gold in ancient times. AT all
events, he has wasted half a century
land a large fortune in experimenting"
Have his fees brought him this large
fortune" Lady Bysshe asked.
mo. for he has never had many
wealthy patients, and / have never
heard from him where he gets the
money to rent his palace, keep up his
laboratory, buy expensive chemicals and
Instruments, and give freely TO the
poor. not TO speak of the silver mug
gets / have seen him drop into the
trucible as If they We're so many
stones
"He must be interesting as an indi-
fidual,' said Lady Bysshe with a
doubtful air. But as a doctor
Fl will pledge myself for his skill"
Then l viii send for him" h de-
dded.
Il fear YOU will have to take the pa
dent to him, for he has not left his
Z place for years.. Nothing WIN tempt
him to go far from his laboratory,
where a fire has been kept burning
night and day for q quarter of q CEN
TRY
"Then I will take Edith to him the
y Fkct 10 - cha - - Hoo ~ Ia 1t1fEr DarhnnG
ybu would coue with US
I"With pleasure" answered the count.
and meanwhile, / will prepare him for
ypur visit
A week later and they drove through
the Porta Nuoya, half a mile beyond
which they came TO a dark ard desc
lite looking place whose thick, rough
stoned wallis stood close by the road
side, from which it's lower windows
Were protected by thick iron bars. A
few Clipped and broken stairs led TO
a high-arched doorway, beside
which hung the rusty handle of a bell,
whose sounds presently Went echoing
through empty halls and corridors in
interminable reyerberations.
a few minutes later they caught the
sounds of shutting feet approaching,
then a door Edith had not previously
noticed was pushed open and DR.. Zof-
FAM stood on the threshold. His Heb
81 NNff.plA6lA tNR AAA1A&AAAN kNANN itAA0t1 IA
his withered yellow face. with it's prom
infnt nose and UNDERLYING lever lip.
His gray beard was unkempt, his high
done-shaped forehead swept by wisps
Of white hair, while the crown OF his
head was covered by a little purple
CAP. The chief features in his sage
and kindly countenance was his eyes
dark, sunken, fun of underlying sad
ness, yet extraordinarily luminous and
with an intelligence that made itself
visible like light. Hsi tall, thin figure
was slightly stopped and clad in a loose
bipwn gaberdine, the garment worn by
his people in the east.
He lifted his little skull cap and bow
ed with dignity and courtesy to Lady
Btsshe and Edith, then warmly greeted
S4sari, who at once explained that he
had brought the patient OF whom he
had already spoken. At this the doctor
fixed his eyes on Edith n begged that
she n her friends would follow him.
With slow steps he conducted them
to the apartment where he saw the few
patients who consulted human octag-
onal room whose atmosphere was heat
ed by charcoal burning in a great bra
zier. II was lighted by the midday
sun. streaming sh->. 81 It's deep set
windows.
Edith was impressed with the doc
tors grave vet kindly manner, by his
venerable and unconventional appear
ance, but above all by an indefinable
air of insight and knowledge which the
expression Of his eyes guaranteed him
to possess.
AS she walked beside him she had
addressed him in his own language,
which her stepfather had taught her,
when with delighted surprise he began
to aske her various questions about
herself and the country from which she
had comes.
Sasari-who had been showing Lady
Bysshe soTne curious crystal phiais and
marble statuettes that he had dug up
In a neighboring garden-caine forward
tclteli Zoffani that HIS patient was the
stepdaughter OF Count Massini. AT
this he looked at Edith seemingly with
fresh interest.
fThe Count Massini." he said, as II
retailing a memory with some effort,
All. yes, / remember Count Massini.f
My uncle by marriage" Sasarl ex-
plained. You remember"
Yes" Zcffani interrupted. II remem-
bel" And turning to Edith he said
mqsingly, and so Count Massini is
YOUR stepfather. He live altogether In
England"
Yes. with us--with my aunt and
myself"
Ills son is OF age-yes, more than
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