The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-07-02

=GABRELLA, OR THE RD[R0F THE SONS0F MAF|A 8
p BY ALFONSO CELIA, of Providence :.
= 80
Copyrighted by the author 1908 M rights reserved)
= Published in the News for the first time in any form


OF the Sons moved or made any noise
giving all their attention TO the pro-
| ceedings on the platform.
group OF three people were sitting
In the corner at the end OF the last row
OF chairs. Anybody who CHANGED to look
at them would easily have noticed that
the three seemed more interested in the
meeting than any OF the others, and that
two OF them especially were much ex-
cited These two craned their necks now
and then as they watched the platform
with staring eyes. while the one sitting
| In the middle seemed engaged In con-
| trolling the movements OF the two Sit
ting at his side, by Jerking at their cloth
ing. first on the right and then on the
| left.
1t was Margaret who. though terrorized
at what she had heard and seen. still
possessed more sang frod than either
Gabrielle or Alfredo. who were both un-
der, the influence Of the highest degree OF
emotion. which sent the blood through
their veins and arteries with an un-
wonted force.
There was no way for them to escape
the excruciating physical and mental
/ pain incident 10 watching that dreadful
| series OF operations. whose result by a
| foregone conclusion. would be the as
sasslnation OF Alfredo, and so the trio
had TO remain there all through the or
deal
The gavel sounded again Monasterio
stood up with the ballot box In his hand
and announced TO the assembly:
| I'VE had rather a large number OF
members inscribed" Cand that was an
/ other lie in his well woven fabric) "for
this necessary act OF Justice. having. as
| you see counted numbers, each OF
| these corresponding 10 the proper name
OF an enlisted Son. According TO the rule
OF the society. we will extract n single
number from the lot and whoever has
that number will be the man selected for
| the deed. Then all directions will be
rgiven TO the Son whose number shall be
drawn. at his residence"
Monasterio shook the hat a few times
and then presented II to the grand mas
ter. who thrust in his right hand and
drew out one Of the slips. This he passed
TO his assistant, who unrolled II and
shouted Number seven" although in
reality that was not the number written
on the slip.
At the same time. the sudden move
ment OF a young man sitting in front Of
| Orsini. attracted the latter's attention.
and he became very interested while look
ing at the man 10 see him seized by
an uncomfortable shvering
The trepidation OF that man evidently
caused by an extreme fear. did not last
| lOnEs however. n k1n0 OF redCIOn lol-
lowed like an abnormal depression. pro-
portionate TO an intensity OF the pre-
vious excitement. In a few seconds. 10
seemed as II the man had sunk into a
state OF quietness.
He thrust his fingers into his vest
pocket and drew from II a scrap OF paper
which he slowly and deftly unfolded on
his knees. casting a swift glance at IT,
Orsini. prompted by awakened sus-
picon. bent forward a little so that he
nearly touched the others shoulders with
his chin. and at the same time, as II
touched by an electric current. both men,
who sat In different rows Of chairs. felt
a cold chill In their blood.
They had their eyes fixed on a hand
written NUMBER.
"Ahl This is the very man" Orsini
thought. 1T is worth knowing" and
then he tried to push gently but steadily
to one side, so that the man next to him.
by hitching along a little further. might
give him a better view OF the man with
the fatal number. But nobody on the
we'll packed benches budged an inch and
Orsini had TO confne himself to studying
the mans profile. which he impressed
very firmly in his memory.
During Orsinfs scrutiny Of this man.
the grand master arose from his chair.
the assistant did likewise. and both went
to the rear Of the platform. This was
the sign that everything was over, and
soon the meeting broke up.
Scaffoldi had entirely achieved the end
he sought. He was the owner OF number
seven and at the cost OF his life and
liberty he had got To kill a man He felt
stunned and dizzy. and was not IN a state
Just then 10 reckon and appraise the
deadly burden that had fallen on his
shoulders. He went out automatically.
rather dragged along by the steaming
crowd than by walking by his own vo-
lition. and the next morning he could
not tell how he reached home.
(To be continued)