Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-08
p G. 7 u r f
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were dripping with moisture and stained with
horrid fungi. At the foot of the steps Sir Hugh
came upon recess, where they found a grey
cloak, and gentleman's dress suit. The Baro-
net, with look of inquiry on his face, pointed
out these things to my uncle.
Yes" said my uncle, "those are his clothes
right enough. They what lie the last
time we saw him alive. 1t is clear that Vasari
murdered him that night, and he has kept these
clothes by him since. Look he went on
this is where he was stabbed" and he pointed
to cut in the back of the coat. As he
handling the garment something fell from the
breast pocket, and STOPPING to pick it up he
ogniAed the ring which Daphne had thrown into
the we'll at Rvol.
1--WE mustn't stop the Baronet said. "Hold
up the light, Wilson," and the whole party again
stumbled forward along the passage
''Where does it lead tor the constable asked,
peering cautiously into the darkness before him.
"I wish / could tell you," Sir Hugh replied.
'1 have seen the place before. 1t must be
the nuns corridor of ancient days I always un-
derstood it had been bricled up. BY the way,
we must go carefully. If I'm right, there must
be deep chasm ahead-the Nuns Shaft, and if
-huo, what's that?'
Distant few PAGES in front was human fig
ure crouching low against the wall.
''1'here he is several voices cried at once.
"Iake care" said my uncle. Remember, he
is madman!"
At this, the whole party came to a sudden
halt.
Yield in the Kings name" shouted the con-
stable. But whatever effect the Kings name
may have upon the sane it cannot be expected to
exercise much influence upon maniac. Rising
to his feet with wild laugh that sounded
earthly in the echoing passage the madman ran
on into the darkness, with the pursuit hot be-
hind him.
Suddenly he checked his hcadlong pace, and,
turning swiftly confronted his pursuers. The
bo1j 1DU Stahl full
despairing face and to their dying day those who
saw Angelo Vasari at that moment will never
| forget the sight.
| With a gesture in which rage, defiance and
| hopelessness all mingled, he sprang into
| the air. For one moment he visible, in the
next he had vanished. No sound broke from
him. In absolute silence, more terrible than any
cry, he was swallowed by the blackness beneath
him.
''By God, he's gone:" the Baronet shouted
and there fear in his voice. "Stop, stop,
for Heavens sake, you are all dead men,"
"What is it," shouted some, catching the in
fection Of his fear.
'IIe has leaped down the shaft of the old silver
mine"
Thus died Angelo Vasari. and perhaps it was
better that he should perish by suicide than be
taken alive only to fall into the hangman's hands
or drag out a long life in some asylum for the
insane. That the story could be kept from the
general public was, of course, impossible, and
the sensation caused at the inquest by the tell
ing of the manner of his death was enhanced by
the account 1 had to repeat of how my brother
came by his. Vasari's studio in London
aained, and evidence was discovered in the Gel
laf corroborating his assertion that he had burnt
the body of the man whom he had sacrificed to
his insane desire for fame
As for the picture ITSELF Sir Hugh at first
thought of destroying it, but finally decided to
keep it on account of its marvellous merit as
work of art. 1t was removed from the gallery,
and hung by itself in a room where it could be
inspected by the privileged few. Daphne could
never bring herself to look at it, She did not
want the idealized image of her lover to be mar
red by the CHASTITY presentment of his dead like
ness.
Whose wife Daphne is now, it is hardly neces-
sary to say We were married in the spring at
Silverdale, and quiet though we wished the we'd
ding to be- the church was crowded with people
from far and wide who eager to the
girl whose beauty had been the cause OF such
tragedy To eface from her mind as far as pos
sible the memory of that tragedy is the chief OBJ
iect of my life and am glad to think do not
wholly fail She wears in addition to her we'd
ding ring a second golden band, the ring that
she threw into the well at Rivoli, 1t is to be
buried with her, she says. May that day be far
distant, is my constant prayer.
THE END.