Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-04-24

After giving thee directions, the
American, desperately fatigued and
nightly sleepy, joys his stecd In the
direction of lie Rousse, 20 miles to the
northwest. In the moonlight, the dis.
tracted man. though he dismounts
often, discovers no .cyclamen flowers
lying In the road. But he doggedly
keeps on. hoping to find some OF the
flowers that may indicate he Is follow
ing Marina.
Its the only clew we have now to
Marina. and 1t may lead me to Cipri-
ano." he mutters. as he struggles to
keep himself In the saddle.
Finally. arriving at BelGodere In the
early morning and learning from the
innkeeper that no carriage has passed
through. exhausted. worn out and dis
appointed. even Barnes succumbs to
nature. He has been Is hours under
headway, 30 OF these on horseback and
eight OF them climbing precipices: and
despite despair and anxiety. sleep
claims him-the terrible sleep of utter
exhaustion.
II Is late when he opens his eyes
| again and with u start wonders where
he IL. He looks over the brilliant
mountains. he sees the vines and only
a few miles away. the waters beside
which stands Isoia Rossa. The inn.
keeper says breakfast. Signore." and
serves him with crabs and lobsters
| from the Gulf OF Florence. Mine hosts
little daughter places bouquet of
wild flowers on the table. In 1t
OIL h.. &.I Ita.
members and orders a fresh horse.
While this Is being saddicd he forces
himself TO eat. "Anstruther has not
followed me-" he reasons. '.i'il have n
long ride to overtakc him and when
we meet CiprIano Daneila l want to be
nt-,o XIII Mounting n fresh stced.
he snilops on. retracing his steps. all
the time In his heart one question: {:
Where Is my stolen bride-''
The night before. Edwin. turning Ia
the east. begins to climb the awful hill
leading to the MorosasiIa. A few min
utcs after he has left the corte road.
light. he springs on his horse and
uttcrs an exclamation Of delight.
As he pulls himself sailor fashion
into the saddle. he has n branch
of crimson flowers In his hand.
| He is not certain even now that
they Indicate Marina: though they
have fallen from no oyerhnnr'
ins bouTh. only beech aud i.arriecio
/ f!rs being near him. he knows cycia'
men flowers are very common In the
island. and tn" little bar,foo,cd boys
and Girls sometimes carry them in
their hands,
sides called Morosasila. Ans'ruihcr
does not pause.
Hut as he reaches tho confines oi
the village. the young husband starts
and HIS eyes. which fatigue had duiicd
siisicn with hope. Herr are t~o paths,
a trail leading ,o the north. the other
and broader one pointing east toward
tho Tuscan sea. Aioas tho latter. eye
iamcn branches have been dropped
several times in short hundred yards
Their number is significant. they
hate been s,r-~n quite continuously
from the forks of tho raad. My dsr.
link's message to me-" murmufs An
siruihcr. and rides ss hastily sa his
tirrd though ~iry little horse will take
him.
The branches Of the s~--,.smciiins
posics hc still encounters on the trail
hurry him up hill and down hill. over
running mountain streams. through
wooded wales. Vet at icas, Nature
mus, have Its ni--ti-dcspi,e all efforts
pf the rider. his head drpops and his
figure becomes ias in the saddle.
His s,rcd with ~hinny Of Joy al.
most runs down into little valley and
drawing sniarniy up before a high
camranile sioa- building. Anstru;hrf
falls OF his horse into the arms Of a
good Monk OF the Convent Of Piedi.
crpr-. who mutt-rs: Thank tho
Saints. you got here alive In time TO
drink tho wafer of orrssa.- For An.
stru'hcr's appearance between fear
fui fatigue and TackinE anxiety IL now
that Of man nirh onto death.
The hospitablc fTiars put the invalid
to bed and at hish noon the ncx, day
the invalid. after another glass or two
Of the famous youth. giving orcssa VIA.
ter. which here springs bubbiins from
the earth. eats the MONDAY meal the
good frisrs set before him. rises. gives
them the blessing of a strong man and
hurrics on.