Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-03

lips grew blue and the whites Of his
eyes bloodshot. This man was killing
him. And so he was; for Hillard, re-
alizing that he had lost everything in
the world worth living for, was mad
for killing.
For time the others were incapa-
BILE of action. Merrihew, Kitty O'Mal-
ly and Smith were in the dark as to
what had passed verbally; they could
only surmise. But here was something
they all understood. La Signorina was
first to recover. She sprang toward the
combatants and grasped Hillard's
hand, the one buried in the princes
throat, and pulled. She was not strong
enough.
"Merrihew, O'Mally, quick! He is
killing hint" she cried wildly.
The two, Merrihew and O'Mally, fl
nally succeeded in separating the
men, and none too soon. The prince
staggered to a chair and sank heavily
into it. A moment more and he had
been dead man. But he was not
grateful to any one.
La Signorina turned upon Hillard.
"And you would have done this thing
before my very eyes?'
Il was mad" he painted, ashamed.
Il love you better than anything else
in Gods world, and this man means
that shall lose you"
"And you would have come to me
across his blood?" wrathfully.
81 was not thinking of that. The
only thought l had was to kill him.
God knows I'm sorry enough" And
he was.
"Ah, what a night" She swayed
and pressed her hands over her eyes.
"No, do not touch me- she said. Il
am not the kind of woman that
| faints''.
| The prince lurched toward Hillard,
but fortunately Merrihew heard the
slithering sound of the saber as it left
| its scabbard. Kitty screamed and
O'Mally shouted. Merrihew, with a
desperate lunge stopped the blow. He
received a rough cut over the
knuckles, but he was not aware OF
| this till the excitement was past. He
| flung the saber at O'Mally's feet
you speak English" said Merrihew
in an ugly temper, half regretting that
he had interfered with Hillard. you
may send your orderly to the Hotel
Italie tomorrow morning and your sa-
Der will be given to him. You will not
carry it back to Florence tonight.
Now, it is time for you to excuse your
self. We can get along without you
nicely"
The prince tore at his mustaches.
He would have put them all to the
sword gladly. Meddlers! To return to
Florence without his saber was dis
honor. He cursed them all roundly,
after the manner of certain husbands,
and then turned to La Signorina.
81 am in the way here" he said.
controlling his passion with difficulty.
But listen attentively to what l have
to say: you shall remain my wife so
long as both of us live. had intended
arranging your freedom, once the es-
tate and moneys were divided, but not
now You shall read my wife till the
end of the book; for unless | meet
you half way, the marriage contract
cannot be broken. In the old days 1T
was your conscience The still small
voice seems no longer to trouble you,
turning suggestively to Hillard. You
the stopping at the Hotel 1talie?"
81 am. You will find me there" re-
turned Hillard with good understand
ing.
Good. You Highness, tomorrow
night I shall have the extreme pleas
ure of running your lover through the
throat" He picked up his cap, which
lay on one of the chairs, put it on cav
alierly, and took his princely presence
out of their immediate vicinity.
st will do my soul good to stand be-
fore that scoundrel," said Hillard,
stretching out his hands and closing
them with crushing force. "He has
felt the power Of my hand tonight |
will kill him.
La Signorina laid a hand on his
arm mo, Mr.. Hillard, you will fight
no duel"
"And why not? do not see how it
can be avoided"
"You have told me that you love
me. AS it stands l may sometimes see
you, but if you kill him, never"
''He is far more likely to kill me, .
said Hillard morosely. "And perhaps
it would be kind service
"Shame!" she cried. Have you no
courage. Can you not accept the inev-
liable manfully? Think OF me. l can
fight no duels; I must live on and on,
tied legally to this man. And it is you
who will add misery to my unhappi-
ness? You will not fight him." with
the assurance of one who has offered
complete argument.
Every we'll. To be called coward
by a man like that is nothing. l shall
| not fight him"
Thank you" And she gave him her
hand impulsively.
II love you" he murmured as he
bent to kiss the hand; "and it is not
dishonorable for you to hear me say
so'
81 forbid you to say that!' But the
longing of the world was in her eyes
as she looked down at his head. She
! released her hand. my friends, tomor.
row our little play comes to an end
This is no longer Eden. We must 60
'This is what comes of American
girls marrying these blamed foreign,
ers," growled the tender-hearted
O'Mally. "Why did you do it,"
81 am almost Italian, Mr.. O'Mally
| had no choice in the matter; the af