Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-09-30

and agony he flung himself down. roll
ing over and over again In frenzy, call
ing for help and cursing In madness.
Bus ~ sooner had his cry Tung cut
its tortured appeal through h palace,
than the leaping flames of the furnace
catching the contents of the crucihie.
a lightning like fash blazed through
the laboratory and was followed by an
explosion that smashed the windows.
tore the ceiling and shook the walls,
against which every heavy object in
the room was hurled with resistless
force.
After a brief interval OF death Like
silence the door was pushed open by
Tommaso, the only other inmate OF the
palace, who slept in a distant wing.
The light OF the swinging lamp showed
him the wreckage made, but IL was not
until he had looked a second time in
search OF his master that he saw him
huddied and m~otionless upon the floor.
His firts impression was that the
doctor was dead, but a deep moan
presently assured him life was still
left in that charred body. Taking
him in his arms he carried the in
sensible man to his bed, where he had
no sooner placed him than a loud peal
of the gate bell rams through the silent
palace.
Grateful to think that he was not
alone in this emergency, Tommaso hur-
ried down to the gate to find two MEM
bers OF the civil guard, behind whom.
at a safe distance, stood an awe-struck
group. of peasants, whose curiosity
brought them from bed to see the
wreck by which the alchemist's sa-
tanic visitor had at last avenged him
self.
The explosion, which had been heard
at a considerable distance, had brought
the civil guard 10 make inquiries and
- -
them of his ignorance OF it's cause and
of his masters condition. Medical aid
was Immediately summoned, and an
inspection of the laboratory made to
make sure that no fire was shoulder
ing.
1t was not until late in the day that
Zoffani recovered consciousness.
face, chest and arms. his injuries were
not considered sufficient In themselves
to cause death, but 1t is believed he
could not from the shock re-
ceived.
He made no complaint of the in
tolerab1e pain that like a flame wrapped
his body; the body from which his
spirit, his real and only self, would
500 be free. But before that hap
pened there was something that must
be said, some secret that must be told,
painful though the telling be. He NUT
tered the name of Sasari, and Tom
maso, who never left him, put down his
brown face. puckered with grief to the
scorched lips that again mentioned the
counts name.
In return he was told that Sasari
had been beside him all day, and had
only just one. leaving word tina he
was to be sent for without delay when
consciousness returned TO the sufferer.
A messenger was dispatched TO the
count, who rod back at once. and was
soon standing by the hard and narrow
bed where the dying man lay.
My dear master" he said, his voice
full of the sorrow he felt at their in
evitable parting.
There is something | have to say"
Something you wish me to do2. You
have only to speak,
mo, no." came the low, weary voice.
Il must tell 1T to you, his secret,
though you will turn from me; you,
my only friend, viii shrink from me
when you have heard"
Never"
rs the door closed" Zoffani asked,
for movement was agony to him and
he dared not turn to see for himself.
Then listen to the confession of q
dying man.