The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-02-04
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81 AAS~ HAD fancy Wueu 4dFei
nier first brought his niece,
. @ Cataline- Ricci, to River
e = side, that some tragedy
ScE would be enacted there.
The -ni was so handsome and there
was something SO stormy in her Italian
black eyes. I said so to Stanhope, OF
The Locusts. our lion.
"The girl is handsome enough for q
romance, certainly" he answered
streking his blond beard.
s. He was much at the villa, for he and
Tayernier were friends-indeed, he
had brought Tayernier over from
( France. He had been my husbands
colonel, and since Franks death had
been my friend. 1t was my secret
hope that he would marry my pet, sis
ter, and he-but will not anticipate.
As said, he went often to the villa.
Riverside, with its walks, terraces, and
fountains, was beautiful place. and
!Fayernier kept open house for his
friends. When he first came there, /
occasionally attended his entertain
ments with my family, but after Cata.
line Ricci came / went less often.
There seemed to me something hard
and defiant in her manner of meeting
sxa Tavernier's friends.
Stanhope was the exception. There
WAS something in the sunny, gay young
Englishman that pleased her. have
thought since that perhaps I did not
like her because thought she would
win him away from my sister Carrie.
need not have feared. She never
tried to please him; she was only
thankful to be diverted from her sor-
row. He would enter the drawing
room sometimes to find her pacing the
+ floor like q Gagged animal; but at sight
z3of him her mood would change; she
would come and nestle at his feet, beg
Ging him to tell her war stories, which
much diverted her. She liked best the
scenes of fierce encounter and victory.
1t was wonderful to me that he could
srecount these episodes, in which his
Gown heroic part was unavoidably con-
spicuous, and she not worship him
with all her fiery foreign nature: but
even my jealous eyes could not discov-
er the slightest desire for anything but
4 her own qualification. She was pas
sionate, selfish, and yet her nature
/ held depth Of fervid sweetness which
my cooler Northern blood could not
comprehend.
s. The most beautiful spot about the
town was where the river was spanned
by its bridge. The great elns on each
side almost arched across it; wood
sbine hung from its messy Piers; the
slow, blue river ran silently beneath,
and in both directions the water shone
I in basky vista. Here the robins
built, and on moonlight evenings the
whip-poor-wills called melodiously.
Cataline liked this spot. It was the
only scene around her new home that
was like Italy, she said; and as she
said that, while we stood there one
night, r knew that she was homesick;
y saw it in her great eyes.
Would you go back?" I asked.
e'Would I 60 back!'
I shall never forget the thrilling pa
thos Of that cry. Though l could not
like her, after that ] was very, very
sorry for her.
So It was only a few days later that I
went with Colonel Stanhope and my
sister Carrie to spend the evening at
Riverside. -
We had music. chess. and refresh
nents. The time passed pleasantly to
me, in spite of some secret anxieties.
Carrie had never met Cataline before,
and saw, when she looked upon her
dark, naughty beauty. that her heart
died within her. Eer manner became
unnatural, cold, constrained, and ]
was sorry to see that she appeared only
"a foil against which to set of Cata'
lines ease and grace. Travernler. ug
~, polite and charming, as only O
Frenchman Of fifty can be, entertained
as happily in spite Of all this.
But the evening was at an end al
last, and Stanhope, my sister and my
self were going down the avenue. Sud
denly I discovered that I had left my
handkerchief. 1t was delicate thing
that had been one Of my bridal gifts
and I was naturally uneasy. The
1 colonel released my arm to so for it.
NO" said I, II will 80. / may have
dropped it poon the piazza: Ii not,
know just Y. ,.ere I must have left i
in the music room"
I sped back. It was not upon the pi
azza. I passed in at the open door,
for it was summer weather.
I and through the long drawiug-room t.
the music room, without meeting an!
z one. There was the precious mouchoi
upon q chair. I snatched it up ant
was about to turn back, when two per
sons, talking, entered the DRAWN!
room. One was Tavernier; knew hi
quick, imperious step, and hesitate'
ohou& ~, q E;no rnc snnoaranca affpr hi