Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-05-08

~ Is hoh quite iat6 III INC aitStuoo-
Burson soon passes the chestnut lands
Of La castasniecis. still anding . fsv
faded eyeiamen blooms To guide him
on his way. Hut now little shock
thrills him. lie checks his horse ab-
ruptly. springs Oh and picks up .
bunch Of the wild flowers. As hs rides
along sxamiains II hs sjaculates:
This Is very extraordinary. This
branch. which supposed Marina drop
ped out Of the carriage yesterday. vas
certainly cut this very morning"
Suspicion flashes through him rs he
questions; Can these flowers have
sxents To lead someone oa.'' and what
had been No warning to the easy going
sailor becomes danger signal 10 tho
man Of the world.
Yet. twist II how he will. Harness can
see no reason Why Daneiia should
want anyone near him save Marina
II the Corsiean's passion for that
young lady Is what he thinks Il u. he
will prefer a free hand to deal with
her alone, And yet II IL evident sone'
body wanted somebody to follow this
eyelamen trail. and whether somebody
wants II or not. am here anyway"
thinks the American Erimiy. And
thanks to the divine Orexla water. ]
am rather nj for nEhuns- Thea care
fully examining his revolver. the pistol
shot remarks: And that's ~ also.
thank God"
With this. resniu,eiy but more cir
eumspec'iy. Mr. Barnes continues hts
way over the path marked by the eye
iamen branches
Hy III. time he has come out on the
hills looking down toward the Tuscan
s~a. Il II very dark. There II no moon
yet. but the light from tho lone watch
tower attracts him. Tho cyciAmen
flowers he occasionally picks up make
him know this Is tho road Anstruihor
must have travelled.
Suddenly. but quietly. he turns his
horse from the path. and In tho seclu-
sion Of n thickct OF wild grapes. lis
tens. Some dozen men arc coming
from the east: he hears one OF thcm
Erowi: .why. there's no Luccheso'
nearer than Pictra To night. though tho
count ordered every man about tho
farm to 20 out aud protect the vines
from them"
well. there's some good reason for
Maestro cipriano's orders. Pcrchanco
the Italian iaborcrs In the Green Ores.
IN quarry have risen up" adds an.
other.
Perhaps with the lady he wishes
not to be disturbed" HiI.ics q third.
THE count has musicians In boat OF
tho shore"
The men have no sooner passed
than Barnes starts quickly down tho
road. The lady" he Eucsscs. means
either Marina or his own bride. though
Of the last he has slight hope. A sub.
ducd liEht from the town guides him
In tho darkness.
But when he In within less than q
hundred yards Of tho building. his
horse. with n sudden snort OF terror.
draws up right In the path. crouchinG
on his launches. and barnes peering
over his stced's head. gaxes Into the
deep chasm that descends sheer to tho
very sen. Springing from his trem-
bling horse. the American finds that
the bridge. which Is a light. swinging
one not over 35 feet In length. has
been swung TO the other side.
The scent OF fresh cyolamen bloom
enters his nostrils. He looks at tho
removed bridge and remarks acuteiy:
ITS evident Cipriano has got on tho
other side the person he wished to fol.
low these Howers.'
So Barnes gazes across the chasm
he cannot pass. The night being very
still. he hears over the soft murmur
OF the waves beneath him the sweet
romantic music Of Corsica rising from
boat. 'Tis the playing of stringed In.
struments accompanying a sweet ma.
tive love song. each stanza ending In
that curious prolonged note peculiar
to these island ditties.
What the deuce is that bizarre.
crafty devils gamer" wonders the
American. Then he hears voices from
the low Corsican house. Beyond the
crevices he sees Marina in white robe
amid the lights and flowers OF the
veranda. Her sweet tones are scarce
audible. Then Danella's voice reaches
him family in the soft night air.
He begins to understand and NUT
ters: Good Cod"
After little cry OF love yet despair
rends the heavens from the tower. 1t
Is Anstruther's. 'Tis mingled with a
woman's shrek for mercy. my hus-
band!" In Marina's voice.
Next Barnes hears Cipriano's suave,
triumphant laugh. and he mutters:
My God. for a pistol it's a fearfully
long shot. but it's the only way!"
CTO BE CONTINUEDD