Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08
CHAPTER ".
Molta.

days. | passed the greater part OF
the time in bed. where ! was care
fully tended and nursed by Molta
and the girl Pepita. of whom Breva
had spoken to me.
Molta was handsome woman of some
five and twenty, dark as night. with regu-
lar features Indicative of strength of
character. The straight dark brows and
firm thin lips spoke of hot temper and
I had abundant evidence of the truth of
the indications in her treatment of those
about her.
For me she professed the most ardent
affection. and she wearied me meffabiy
with her assiduous attentions and evil
dence of her feelings. 1t seemed almost
as If she thought she could win me back
tn health by the mere protestatlons or
love. and when she found me irresponslve
her eyes would fash with anger at one
moment and melt into tears the next
7 conceived an instructive dislike for
her indeed and it was only with great
effort l could restrain myself from show
ing il.
She could not avoid perceiving that
there was great change in me. APP
parently I had been an ardent lover. Civ
ing caress for caress. and when now l
turned away from her or submitted UNI
easily to her lavish proofs of affection,
she would upbraid me roundly for my
GOODNESS one instant, and the next break
out into wild storms of grief. attributins
the change to some serious injury to my
brain.
of extremes of feeling and emotion. utter
~ without self-control. unbridled and a
complete slave to the feelings of the mo-
ment -,...
Had I been in reality as ill she
thought her treatment Of me would have
retarded my recovery, even if it had not
destroyed all chance of it, But / pur-
posely affected to be worse than i was.
because | wished to use the time of con-
valescence to learn all | could of the
position of matters the island.
/ discovered that her influence was al
most as great as that of Beltano himself
and that even he hesitated before dong
anything to which she was opposed. All
those on the island obeyed her as readily
as they did her brother, and a flash from
her dark eyes or a hot word or two was
enough to secure instant compliance on
their part.
| gathered that in her opinion the men
on the island were. with one or two eX-
ceptions. poor set of creatures. Beltano
and Molta owned the whole of it, and the
olive groves and wheat lands were care
fully and profitably cultivated for their
benefit They appeared to live on the
proceeds. although Beltano received con-
siderable sums of money for certain Sc
cret services rendered to some rich man.
always spoken of as 1.-The Count" who
lived on an estate on the mainland close
to the sea.
One of such services had been the alb
duction of the magistrate. Nicino. The
Count had been the virtual ruler of the
province it appeared. but was now under
a political cloud and Vicino had been
formidable opponent. in possession of in
formation which was to have been eX-
torted from him under pressure during a
period of captivity on the island. The re-
suit would have been his overthrow and
the victory of the Count with a return to
political power. His murder had. how
ever. prevented this little plot. and his
death had in some way leaked out there
had been such commotion that Beltano
was genuinely alarmed and apprehensve
of serious trouble
From the open way in which both Bel
tanO and Molta spoke to me about it all
it was clear that had been close in their
confidence. and that I had taken a chief
part in getting Vicino to the place where
he had met his DEATH discovered that
the reason for this lay In the fact that
/ was the only person on the island who
could write WELL
The scheme l had Matched was as small
a credit to my cunning as it was eloquent
of my lack of scruple. Vicino. had been
an admirer of Masita. and l had written
him a letter. purpOrting to come from
her. asking him to go to the hut to help
her secretly in getting her brother. Julius,
scamp and wastrel. out of trouble.
The hut was on her estate, and | had
forged an urgent message from Julius to
Masita begging her to come to the same
place at once, l did not at first ascertain
why her presence had been necessary
but / learnt later. and cursed myself for
the part / had played. Beltano's plan
was to carry off the two with the object
nf compelling Masita to become his wife,
while leaving it to be believed that Vicino
had abducted her. /"
The bait had been taken by both. but
the results had been disastrous, owing to
the murder of the magistrate, and Molta
bitterly reproached me for having killed
him.
IF it had been any other than YOU
Beppo. it would not have mattered," she
cried once. He could have been given
up and all might have been arranged. But
/ will die before I let them touch hair
of your head. Why did YOU do it? You
are always so reckless and now think of
what it means.
Il haves told you / know nothing Of
what passed / replied
l had repeated to her what / had al
ready told to Beltano and Breva.
"A mere blow on the head would not
do that.
1t did it. Mota. That is ALL l replied
buntly. Il don't lie
But you are so willful. You take your
own way at all times You never stop TO
think. You may have ruined u.s..
"Ah you weary me-. / exclaimed.
What l have done. have done Give
me to the carabinieri If you will and
VIII answer to them
"Beppo!' she cried excitedly, and broke
into a torrent of reproaches that l should
even think her capable of such treachery.
When 1 love you So
| turned to her with smile. "Ah
Molta, you don't understand Do you
think ! would not rather suffer any pun
ishment they could infiict than that an
act of mine should harm you?"
At the words she melted instantly. Her
eyes glowed and she seized my hand and
covered it with kisses. Those are the
first words of thought for me you have
uttered in all these days. Mother of
me with even word. You do love me
ever. Beppo?"
Have you had proof of that? Or
are your doubts of me so strong that they
stifie all other feelngs?"
You have been strange In your ILL
ness. So cold. so irresponsible. so unlike
yourself. Ali. but my heart has been
heavy with sorrow and dark like north
ern night with the clouds of fear"
l passed my hand across my forehead
and sighed. Sometimes / do not under
stand myself. If | seem cold. blame my
illness. But the dawn comes even after
northern night. Molta.''
pray heaven IL will. and soon. Beppo
for / am very desolate.' And with that
she laid her head on my shoulder and
burst into tears.
/ let her weep. ANY mood was more
welcome than her endearments But her
tears were soon dried and when she
raised her head and dashed the tears
from her eyes, / saw the UEHt of wrath
rf1O In he ~,