The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-02-10
Ky.

"CHALL VIC take a look into the
Campo Formosa again to-
night?" asked Merrihew. step
~ ping into the gondola.
at will be a waste Of time. Bettina
will have warned them. What's the
Italian coming to, anyhow? She re-
fused q hundred francs. But | can see
that Mrs. Sanford had a 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 troupes!' 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 letnarglc.
From a gondola on the far side Of
the barge, standing out Of the press
and just beyond the radiance OF the
lanterns, came q voice which had a
soul In It, a voice which broke into
song for the pure Joy of it-clear.
thrjlling-a voice before which the
world bows down. The prima donna
In the barge was clever; she stopped.
The tenor went on, however, recognize
ing that he was playing opposite, as
they say, to q great singer. Hillard's
heart beat fast. That voice! There
could not be another like 1t. And she
was here in Venice!
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 n expected.
A police barge nosed round an ell.
BY the time Pcmpeo was off again the
ferrule Of the pursuing gondola scraped
past Pompeo's blade. Pompeo called.
and Achille answered. There was a
war Of words. figure of 3 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 police"
mo. Pompeo,'' said his solitary pas
senger.
'"To the Campo, POmpeo. Mr.. Hill
lard. will you kindly follow? would
speak to on alone. since there is no
escape"
The way to the Campo Formosa was
made without further incident.
The gondolas became moored. Hi.
lard jumped out and went to assist La
Signorina. but she ignored his out
stretched hand.
"What is it you wish?" she asked.
"One look at you face" be answer
ed simply.
She slowly removed the veil. Then,
" tnc biot t&iuc, ue ioOhcu upOl ZIG
face Of this woman who had burdened
his dreams. The face was not like
any he had conjured. 1t seemed to
him that Vecchio's-Paola Vecchio's-
Barbara had stepped down from her
frame-beauty, tranquil, fa wless beau
ty. A minute passed. he was inca
pable Of speech; he could only look.
"Well?" she said In the same ex-
pressionless tone.
Let us begin at the beginning" he
replied.
"Since this Is 10 be the End
why did you permit me to dine
with you that memorable uightP"
"A regrettable impulse"
And why. after all had come to an
apparent end-why did you send me
that maskT'
1T is ununs wera TruchfuEy ] do
not know"
who Is thar ne u,i,ss with
the SCARF
II will not ans~~e mat.
"A lady? Or.ce 81 Mar. a.: IN
drollr"
why do you sag thatY
II am only quoting the oan wns the
scar. Those were ths scvAs - ase0
IN regard tn ycu."
Ito be continuec.)