Gunnison news-champion., 1910-05-20
CHAPTER Nv

Campo torutoSa a-ain 10
nigh = asked Nerrihew. step
- ping into the aondola.
''It viii be a waste of time Beftina
viii have warmed them. What's M.
Italian coming %. aEyhow2 She ne
fused q hundred francs i.uf ! can see
that Mrs sandfosd bad 3 hand in this
latest event She has probably writ
ten that We mizbt hook Cor them in the
l Campo"
"An right Weu Iisi irn &C. the mu.
sic. " zrumbled Merrihew. he wanted
% hnd nifty right away. Tiillarts =
indifference annoyed him.
ITO the barses Of the troupes,- said
Hillard 20 Aehillc
Ia the great canal OF san Marco the
scene was like a water carnival Hun
eireds of gondolas. with bobbing lights.
swan slowly round the barges u the
serenaders. who. for the most part
were fallen operatic stars or those who
had failed to attain those dizzy
heights.
What was that? Hillard was mo
longer lethargic.
From a goBdola ON the far side of
the barge. standing out of the press
and just beyond the radiance of the
lanterns. came voice which had u
soul In Il. voice which broke into
song for the pure joy ~ it-clesr.
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 a great singer. IiiIlavds
heart beat fast. That voice. There
could not he another like il. And she
was here in Venice.
Quick. AchiIle.' for the far souslola
was heading for the Grand canal
Merrihew understood now.
| Follow" commanded Hiliard. Ten
lire N you can come up alongside that
gondola. Can you see the number:"
1t Is 152. sign0r-Pompeo. Ii 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 on again the
/
past Pompeos blade. Pompeo called.
and Achille answered. There was a
war Of words. figure of 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
| ''sisnorina." said Pompeo. boiling
with rage. shall | call the police:''
f, No. Pompeo," said his solitary pas.
senger.
To the Campo, Pompeo. Mr.. Hi
Hard. will You kindly follow: | would
speak to You alone. since there Is nc
escape"
The way to the Campo Formosa was
made without further incident
The gondolas became moored. Hill
lard jumped cut and went to assist La
Signerina. but she ignored his out.
| stretched hand
What is it you wish?" she asked.
"one 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 eonjured. 1t seemed 10
him that Necchio's-Paola Necchio's-
Barbara had stepped down from her
frame-beauty, tranquil. fiawIess beau
~. A minute passed. He was inca
pable OF speech; he could only look
/ "WellF she said in the same ex.
pressionless tone.
= II pf ns a..
replied
| since this is TO lie 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 mask
1T is unanswerabie Truthfuny ! do
not know"
Who is that man-the .tasar with
the scarf"
4 viii not answer that
"A lady? Grace ~ Mary. .oat is
drou--
Why do you say thaty-
4 Il am only quoting the man O4,n the
scar. Those werr the Ws%aD - ~
IN regard to you-
ferhaps he is right. Perhap. I am
hot lady according to his lights. -
But she laughed.
i DO not laugh like that. What ypu
are or have been or nigh. have t.ssp
70 him is nothing to me. Only Spe
fsct remains clear. and that is I ,cxe
you--
4 No. Mr. Hilisrd. you are only es-