The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-12-15
OOpynEht, iOU. DOdd Mead q Co., N. Y.
CHAPTER /.

CF1AF Eh J.
The Shock In the Marseilles Depot.
II wonder II can head off those
cursed Corsican murder enthusiasts"
mutters Mr.. Barnes, OF New York, as
he stands on the deck OF the French
steamer with Marseilles looming up In
abe heat mist ahead OF him on May
morning of 1888, after the escape of
the bridal party from Corsica.
There are very few passengers
Barnes gold having sent the steamer
back on her return voyage to Mar
sellles within two hours after her ar
rival at AJaccio.
His glance is turned contemplative-
Iy beyond the whlrling, eddying wake
of the propellers foam toward that GU
Tious island of semimediaeval race,
zoo miles behind him, whose rugged
mountain slopes and chestnut valleys
are the home OF that undying revenge
that the Corslcans think is NOBLE that
they worship. idealize and call the
Vendetta"
The representative OF New York
fashion, American sportsmanshlp and
modern materialism, who has fitted
20 the island and plucked not only the
young English lieutenant, Edwin Ge-
rard Anstruther but his bride, Marina,
the daughter of the Paolis, from the
meshes and entanglements of feud
that only ends with death, notwlth-
standing his reward is to be the hand
of the beautiful girl he loves, emits a
low. contemplative. melancholy whis-
tie
He mentally glances back and sees
the house of Musso Danella in tho
moonlit chestnut groves of Bocognano.
aud Marina in her brides gown, her
sensitive passionate face filled with
that weird mixture Of undying love
and uncanny horror as she shuddered
from the arms of the man she had just
sworn to cleave to through life and
muttered: "Antonios murderer!"
Next he remembers the strange proof
that brought back the wild happiness
60 the brides face as she learned there
was no faint OF her brothers blood on
Edwin Anstruther, her husband; that
her horrible belief was due to circum-
stantial evidence and the jealous and
crafty plot OF Musso Danella, her guar
dian, the man lying dead upon the
floor of the bridal chamber, Tomassos
dagger in his heart; and then had fallen
fainting into her bridegroom's arms.
With this. the mind of Mr.. Barnes
reverts to his desperate efforts to get
the whole party to Ajaccio before the
natives Of the little commune of Boco-
gnano learned they had now another
to avenge. and to the death of Ma
rina's brother on the beach in the
duello had been added that OF Danella,
their oldtime friend. and to his peas
ants their kind maestro and proprie-
sor.
Additional concern makes the face
Of the American even more grave as
he mentally hears the distant ringing
OF the rifles on the mountain side as
the carblneers shot old Tomasso Mon
adj who having become an assassin
had fed as bandit. as the party made
their weird ride to the Corsican sea
port
III no deaths had followed the APP
pearance of Marina's husband and me
In the island perhaps the accursed af-
fair might have slumbered and died
out" reflects Barnes, gloomily: las IL
is, there's no telling where the devllsh
thing may end II they have money
enough to pursue us, holy poker, they
may even include me in the scrlm
mage"
A little. delicately gloved hand laid
upon his arm interrupts his medita.
ton. Miss Enid Anstruther, standing
beside him, looking like joyous fash.
ion-plate In light Partisan travelling
dress, whispers archly: Thinking of
me?" then suddenly calculates In al.
most frightened tone: "oh, hone mott
Your face is so moody, dear" Bushes
spring upon the sensitive face. and his
young English fiancee whispers with
a piQuant pout: Gloomy, and going
10 marry me in three days? That's
not very complimentary, Burton"
mo. In two, II we can make quick
connections for London" answers Bur.
ton. rapturously "One day is past
But wasn't thinking of you, young
lady" he continues, tenderly, giving
her delicate cheek caressing, pro
prietary pinch; Il was thinking Of
what we left behind u.s." shoulders
his vivacious betrothed. Don't let u.
think of that weird horror, when
when" The radiance OF her blu,
eyes and the bushes on her fair cheek,
suggest the rest
when our wedding day is so near,
whispers Burton. tenderly. 81 woul
be very happy. too, II our Corsicai
friends would only forget It," H
checks himself, biting his lip and adds
However. the modern world is befor