Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-01

uIOpS VI COOliuS rain pdlIcF Cu HIS
cheeks. Il love her, love her!" he
murmured
CHAPTER XIII.
The morning sun poured over the
hills, throwing huge shadows in the
gorge below. The stream, swollen by
the heavy rains of the past night,
foamea and snarled along its tagged
bed. The air was fresh and cool, and
the stately expresses took OH deeper
shade of green. Lizards scampered
over the damp stones about the por-
ter's lodge or sought patches of golden
sunshine, and insects busted them
selves with the daily harvest O'Mally
shifted AS the wind veered intermit-
tently there came to hirl the perfume
of the locust trees, now in full bloom,
tn flowers of which rese-rbled min
iaure cascades hanging In mid-air.
Pietro rocked, his legs crossed, his
face blurred in the drifting tobacco
smoke
NO more tourists. Pietro.''
mo" Pietro sighed, a Illuminating
light in his faded eyes.
did you ever see La Signorina be-
fore? Do you know anything about
herr
Never! MOI" answered Pietro, with
the perfect candor of an accomplished
liar
Have you ever seen her Higiiness?"
when she So" indicating height
about two feet from the ground
you said that you had never seen
her"
"Meestake."
How old would she be?'
Pietro wrinkled his brow. "Oh,
quaranta, cinquanta; fitty--forty. Who
knows?'
Fifty! How old are your" sus,
piciously
"Scttanta; seventy
well, you look it. But why hasn't
the princess ever been here, when it's
SO beautiful"
Woman
what woman?"
ia Principessa. Many villas, much
money
O'Mally kicked at onn of the lizards.
81 thought she might be young.
mo. But La Signorina-bah. they
ar-r-r-rest her. Patienza!"
you think so?"
Wait"
But her friend the princess will
come to her assistance
Pictro laughed scornfnlIy, which
showed that he had some doubts.
But Eou won't betray Ler?"
''Never!" putting quickly.
"Its bad business" admitted
O'MHlly. This old rascal of a gardner
was is hard to pump as a frozen WE'LL
Pietio agreed that it was bad bust
ness ''EensDector, he come today,
domain tomorrow. He come mex
day; watch, watch" Pietro elevated
his shoulders slowly and dropped them
sharply. "All ar-r-r-rest!"
"You think so?"
"si."
"But you wouldn't .betray her for
money, Pietro?"
mol" energetically.
Pietro might be loyal; still, O'Mally
had some shadow of doubt.
LA Signorina is very beautiful" If
relevantly
"Ah!' with a gesture toward the
heavens.
And If she isn't a princess, she
ought to be one" slyly
"Zitto! She GOMEZ" Pietro got up
with alacrity, pocketing his pipe, care
full that the bowl was right side up.
| She was as dainty fresh in her pink
frock as spring tulip; frock
thought O'Mally that would have
passed successfully in any ballroom
She was IS beautiful as the moon
and to this bit of Persian O'Mally al,
ded, conscious of deep intake OF
breath, the stars and the farther
worlds and the roses close at hand
Her eyes were shining, ou. her color
was thin. O'Mally, for all his buf.
toonery, was a keen one to read a
| face. She was highly strung. Where
would they all land finally?
Il have been looking for you, Mr.
O'Mailr :" she said.
AT your Highness' commando
Pietro, hearing this title, looked
from one to the other suspiciously.
81 have Just received telegram
from her Highness."
An expression of relief fitted over
Pietro's withered couatenancc
st wasn't necessary" said O'Mall.
gallantly.
But l wish you TO read it. | know
| that you will cease to dream of dun
geons and shackles." There was a bi,
of laugh in her voice. 1t was re
assuring.
"All right" oMally accepted the
| yellow sheet which the government
folds and pastes economically. There
We're fifty words or more. 81 car
made out word or two" he said
tits in Italian. Will you read it fol
me-"
Il forgot" apologetically.
Briefly, La Principessa di Monte
Blanca gave Sonia Rilda Grosveno
full authority to act as her proxy il
giving the ball; that in case Of an.
difficulty with the civil authorities t.
wire her at once and she would come
AS for the invitation. she knew abso
lutely nothing about it.
This last statement rather staggered
the erstwhile concierge. If the princess
hadn't issued the invitation, who tn,
deuce had? This leaves me con
fused, but it improves the scenery
whole lot. But who. then, has don,
| 1T l,,S