Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-05
Copyright, 1908,
BY Arthur w. Marchmont.
All rights reserved.

paced up ana down in a frenzy OF rage
and Indignation. But all suddenly she
turned and seized my arms and peered
into my face But you did win my love.
Beppo. You know that. All the island
knows 1t. I am ready to forgive you. AS
heaven is my Judge will forget all you
have told me. 1 cannot live without you.
Beppo. I cannot. You made me love
you. You will not break my heart? Oh.
you cannot be so cruel, Say that you
love me, dearest. 1t is all that / wish
for In life. l swear that on my soul.
Will save you from Carlos anger. You
do love me. You do. You must You
said it depended upon me whether we
should be reconciled when l had heard
you Let my wish decide that. OF course
/ wish it. You wish 1t. too. don't you?
You will marry me. Beppo?''
while / am held to be Vicino's muir
derer 1 am not fit to marry any woman.
Molta"
But can and will clear you from that
charge. Beppo." she cried. eagerly. Only
make me your wife"
took her hands and held them. ''It is
impossible. Molta- There are circum-
stances in my life
ut is Masita." she exclaimed, with re-
newed passion. as she snatched her hands
away. "She has won you from me. 1t
was only when you had seen her that you
changed toward me. I don't believe your
aside to put her in my place. But you
shall never wed her. That 1 swear /
am no tame fool to be played with in this
way. You will turn my love to hate,
Beppo: hate of you and of her. and both
of you shall suffer. You dream. perhaps.
that you can save her from my anger.
But you cannot. Go through with this:
spurn me and cheat me, If you dare. 1t
will cost you your life. You know that.
and then I will find the means to deal
w ha xr,nv, ha hoe laolf tI,,c n
me-
Il have not sought to put Masita, or
any one. in your place. Molta. My lips
have never uttered a word to Masita that
even you could not have heard"
Lips! Words! Why mock me with
such lies? Do you love her? Can you
deny that?" she asked, fiercely.
II have told you all this because"
do you love Masita?" she broke in:
III you did not. you would say so. be-
cause your life. aye. and hers. too. hangs
on the answer. But you cannot" She
turned away for a moment, pressing her
hands to her bosom. as If overcome with
emotion. Then she looked round. stay.
l Will put another question" She came
up close to me, holding my eyes with
IF you love her. she began. and.
raising her right hand. suddenly. struck
at me with stiletto which she had
drawn while her back was toward me.
The attempt failed, but only by the mar
rowest margin. for she took me so COM
pletely by surprise that 1 had no time in
which to attempt to save myself. But
her left hand had frightened so strenuous
ly upon my arm that my instructive start
turned her 1.-the body so that the blow,
aimed at my heart. went wide and fell
between my arm and side. doing no more
injury than a rent in the sleeve.
1 caught her wrist before she could
raise 1t again. and as soon as she saw
that she had failed. she dropped the dag
ger, wrenched her hand free, and rushed
away. uttering an emotional cry. but
whether Of rage against me, dismay at
her frenZied act or regret for her failure,
I know not.
picked up the stiletto and went into
the old fort. The thing had shaken me
up. for 1 had been very near to death.
and when reached the room on the floor
above-1 was using that which had been
prepared for Masita-I sat down to steady
my nerves and collect my thoughts.
The result Of the avowa1 had been even
worse than had anticipated. I had had
half hope that when Molta knew the
her she would be reasonable enough to
acquit me Of the intention to deceive her,
and that some sort of peace would be
patched up.
But in that l had only fooled myself
She had not believed my story, and her
insensate Jealousy had blinded her to
everything except the object of INA
sta. Quixotism had proved bad policy.
and in my bitter recognition of the fact
was half disposed to regret that had
would have been much safer to have
gone on with the deceit. AS 1t was. l
had considerably increased the dangers of
my position.
1t was true that she could have saved
me from Beltano's wrath. while now she
would be among the loudest to demand
my death. and she would hound on Giu-
seppe and But at that moment 1 re-
called what she had said about him and
the attack he was planning for that night.
In the stress of other feelings 1 had for
gotten that. and forgotten. also. what she
Vicino. In quarreling with her had thus
not only turned her from friend to enemy
but had also destroyed the means of
proving my innocence.
1t was. indeed. a heavy price to pay for
the luxury of telling the truth.
She would warn him at once of course
that she had put me on my guard and
although for that night my life would be
safe enough, 1t would mean no more than
a postpOnement of the danger until some
more favorable opportunity offered, or at
latest until Beltanos return.
At that my thoughts went back to the
Idea I had once before entertained-to
abandon the plan of seeking the proof of
GiuSeppe'S guilt on the island and to fy
to Naples or Rome. resume my own name
and set others to discover the truth
So far as I could see, there was no
other course left. If I waited for Bel
tano's arrival 1t would mean the end of
all things for me. Molta would see to
that. and goaded by her. he would act as
soon as he set foot on the island If II
was to get away, it must be done at once.
before Molta had time to guess my pur-
pose and take steps to Illustrate it,
1 decided to leave that night. and
set about such preparations as
had to make.
Taking off the clothes I was wearing, I
tossed them on the bed and put on those
which I had worn on the night when I
had passed for an American with Murito
They were less outlandish than those I |
usually wore and less likely to attract
to me as a peasant. Then I |
loaded the empty chambers Of my re- |
volver and put some spare cartridges in ]
my pocket. !
I had sufficient money to carry me as !
Tar as Rome. had found this in my old |
hut, but where 1t had come from, of |
course, l could not know. And as could |
not say when should get my next meal |
made hearty one, and then lay down |
to wait until knew the men would be in |
their beds.
I did not close my eyes, but lay think |
ing over the parlous mess in which I was
involved. and specializing uneasily upon
the chances of escape. and l had rested |
Tor about an hour when 1 heard a sound |
somewhere in the building.
L lay as still as sleep and listened |
straining my ears for any repetition of |
the noise. 1t was louder next time