Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-20

acclQentally, where my mistress is? r
| That, of course
"a hundred lire note!" To Bettina
this was an enormous sum in these
unfortunate days. Her resolution wa
vered. "a hundred-lire note!" She felt
that she could make no strong de-
tense against such an assault.
Hillard drew the note from his
pocket and crinkled It, IA new dress
and bits Of lace"
Bettina saw duty one way and avar-
ice the other. Her mistress would
never know. Still, If she should find
out that she, Bettina, had betrayed
her! Was hundred-lire note worth
the risk of losing her mistress? She
began to think deeply. At length she
shook her head sorrowfully.
mo, signore. l dare not"
tBut a hundred lire
3Ah, no, no." Bettina put her hands
over her ears.
"Then shall follow you step by
step, all the day long"
She searched for the jest in his eyes
but there was none. Yes, he would do
it. How was she to escape him? Her
glance travelled here and there. BY
liC Sidoo-SuOD vi IHc COI uST SIG SS-
pied two carabinieri. There lay the
way.
do you see them?" she asked.
"The carabinieri. Yes" But he
swore under his breath, as he under
stood the drift of her inquiry.
II shall ask them to hold YOU"
"But l have done nothing"
mot yet, but you will attempt to
follow me-
Begin" he said, with banter.
Whats the row, Jack?" Merrihew
called out impatiently. Why didn't
they talk in language a fellow could
understand?
"stay where you are, Dan" To Bet
tina, Hillard repeated: Begin"
She busted her hands of the corn
and walked resolutely toward the
carabinieri. billiard, equally resolute.
followed, but with rowing eye which
took in all things ostensibly save Bet
tina. He had plan by which he pro-
posed to circumvent any interference
by the guardians. And Bettina aided
him, for she never turned her head
till she stood at the side of the cara
binieri.
"Signori, this man is following me"
she said.
Hillard came on and would have
passed. but they stopped him.
''You are following the signorina,"
said one.
81? What put such preposterous
idea into the lady's head?" Hillard de-
manded Indignantly.
For a moment the carabinieri enter
tanned some doubt.
''He is following me, l tell YOU
Bettina reiterated. 81 do not wish
him ill. Simply detain him till l am
out of sight"
This was not unreasonable. "It shall
tie as the little signorina wishes;
and the carabinieri laughed. 1t was
some jest, and they would take their
part in 1t willingly.
Hillard resigned and Bettina took
to her heels. Her victory was perma-
nent one, for the carabinieri released
Hillard only when they knew 1t would
be impossible for him to take up the
pursuit So, taking his defeat philo-
sophically, Hillard returned to Mer-
rihew.
"Well, what was it?" asked Merri-
hew. scattering the doves.
did I ever tell you about Bettina?"
"Rettina? No"
well she is the maid. The women
we are looking for are here in Venice.
Now, what's on the program for the
rest of the morning."
Merrihew iammed his hands into
his pockets. ooh, let's go and take a
look at the saints. I'm in the mood
! for it,
So the two set out at the heels of
the German tourists. They went
through the cathedral and the ducal
palace, and when the bronze clock
beat out the noon hour Merrihew
was bursting with information such
as would have filed any ordinary
guide book. He never dreamed that
the world held so many different
kinds of stone or half so many saints
AS they. started off for the hotel he de,
clared that he would be willing to
give ten dollars for a good twenty,
round fight. as counter-irritant.
/ you ought to be ashamed of your
self" cried Hillard.
81 know it. It's like caviar; the taste
has to grow I'm capable of only lin
tied artistic education, Jack; SO feed
me slowly"
You're in love-"
That's better than growing maud
! lin over raft Of saints who never
did me any good Your Titians and
your Veroneses are splendid; there's
color and life there But these cross
eyed mosaics!" Merrihew threw W
his hands in Drotest
Hillard let so his laughter Merri
hew was amusing, and his frankness
in regard to his artistic Temperament
in nowise detracted from his consider
able accomplishments.
AS they passed out of the quad
rangle, man accosted them. 1t wa:
Giovanni, with weeks growth o
beard on his face, his clothes ragged
. and his shoes out at the toes. Swift.
he enjoined silence.
Follow me-" he said softly.
He led them through tortuou
streets, over canal after canal, toward
the Campo San Angelo. He came to
stop before a dilapidated tenemen
and signified that the journey was a
an end. The three mounted the dust,
1--we 70; sc