The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-12-23
CHAPTER XIV.

nightr' asked Merrihew, step
- ping into the gondola.
1T will be waste Of time. Bettina
will have warned them. What's the
Italian coming to, anyhow? She re-
fused a hundred francs. But I can see
that Mrs. Sanford had hand In this
latest event. She has probably writ
ten that we might look for them in the
Campo
"All right Well listen to the mu-
sic,'' grumbled Merrihew. He wanted
TO find Kitty right away. Hillard's
Indifference annoyed him.
ITO the barges of the troupesn said
Hillard to Achille.
In the great canal of San Marco the
scene was like a water carnival. Hun
dreds of gondolas with bobbing lights,
swan slowly round the barges of the
serenaders. who, for the most part,
were fallen operate stars or those who
had failed to attain those dizzy
heights.
What was that? Hillard was no
longer lethargic.
From a gondola on the far side OF
the barge. standing out of the press
and just beyond the radiance of the
lanterns. came a voice which had
soul in it, voice which broke into
song for the pure joy of it-clear,
thrilling-a voice before which the
world bows down. The prima donna
in the barge was clever; she stopped.
The tenor went on, however, recogniz-
ing that he was playing opposite, as
they say, to great singer. Hillards
heart beat fast. That voice. There
could not be another like it. And she
was here in Yenicel
Quick. Achiller' for the far gondola
was heading for the Grand canal.
Merrihew understood now.
Follow commanded Hillard. Ten
lire if you can come up alongside that
gondola Can you see the number"
1T is 152, signor-Pompeo. 1t will
be a race
At each stroke Merrihew swung for
ward his body The end of the race
came sooner than any one expected.
A police barge nosed round an ell.
By the time Pompeo was off again the
ferrule of the pursuing gondola scraped
past Pompeos blade. Pompeo called,
and Achille answered. There was a
war of words. figure Of a dog, name Of
a pig. Achille was in the wrong, but
10 lire were 10 lire.
Hillard caught the gondola by the
rail and chung. The race was over.
"Signorina, said Pompeo, boiling
with rage. shall call the policep
mo, Pompeo," said his solitary pas
senger.
ITO the Campo, Pompeo. Mr.. Hill
lard, will you kindly follow? l would
speak TO you alone, since there Is no
escape
The way to the Campo Formosa was
made without further incident.
The gondolas became moored. Hill
lard jumped out and went to assist La
Signorina, but she ignored his out
stretched hand.
What Is ii you wish?' she asked.
Zone look at your face" he answer
ed simply.
She slowly removed the veil. Then.
for the first time he looked upon the
face of this woman who had burdened
his dreams The face was not like
any he had coniured. 1t seemed to
him that Vecchio's-Paola Necchio's-
Barbara had stepped down from her
frame-beauty, tranquil, fiawless beau
~. A minute passed He was inca
pable Of speech; he could only look.
.WeuT' she said in the same ex-
pressionless tone.
Let us begin at the beginning" ne
replied.
Since this is TO be the end"
"Why did you permit me to dine
with you that memorable night"
"A regrettable impulse"
And why, after all had come to an
apparent end-why did you send me
that maskT'
1T is unanswerable Truthfully l do
not know
who is that man-the Italian with
the SCARF
II will not answer that"
"A lady? Grace of Mary, that is
dronr'
why do you say that?'
Il am only quoting the man with the
scar. Those were the words he used
In regard to you"
: Perhaps he Is right. Perhaps | am
not lady according to his lights
But she laughed.
do not laugh like that. What you
are or have been or might have been |
to him is nothing to me. only one
fact remains clear. and that is | love |
YOU"
mo. Mr.. Hillard. you are only ex-
cited | may be II fugitive from the /
law"
II do not believe It,"
There may be scars which do not |
show" she faltered-''in the heart. In /
the mind. | am sorry, terribly sorry.
Heaven knows that | meant no harm.
Forget met
Forget you, Tell me what prevents
friendship between us"
you say you love me. Is that not
answer enough? Give up all idea. all |
thought. of me You will only waste
your time. Come, is your love strong
enough to offer a single sacridceE