Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-12-01

She slo1uly removed the peil.
to him the receipts he could conduct
the tourists as often as he pleased.
They shared a flask of wine.
The porter's bell rang loudly.
Tourists" whispered O'Mally. He
settled his cap on straight and went to
the gates. A party Of five Americans
stood outside-two men. two women
and a girl.
This is the Villa Ariadne?" asked
one Of the women.
1T is" said O'Mally. touching his
cap.
He speaks English" cried the
woman, turning joyfully to the others.
1--WE wish to see the villa and the
park"
'"The villa is now occupied, ST.
gnora." replied O'Mally. but you are
permitted to see the park and gar
dens."
How much?" asked n of the men.
"~Cinquanty." said O'Mally, then
correcting himself. for each person."
Ten cents? Two lire fifty? Why.
this is downright extortion!" declared
the
O'Mally gave ven to a perfect Ital-
ian shrug and put a hand out sug-
gestively toward the gates.
"Oh. ONE dear" protested one Of
the men YEARLY. you've dragged US
up here from Fiesole. and I'm not 60
ing back without seeing what's to be
seen"
Solemnly Pietro watched them pass.
wondering what the terms were.
O'Mally led the party to the fountain.
This" O'Mally began, with a care
less wave Of the hand. lis the famous
fountain by Donatello. 1t was origi-
nally owned by Catherine d'Medissy.
The Borgias stole it from her. and
Italy and France nearly anne to wal
owe it."
1.-THE Borgias" doubtfully. "Were
these two families contemporaneous?"
"They were," sc%ornfully.
The quintet consulted their guide
books, but before they had located the
paragraph referring to this work
O'Mally was cunningly leading them
away. He passed on to the antique
marbles, explaining how this one was
Nero's. that n Caligula's, that one
Tiberius'. He lied so gracefully that
the tomb Of Ananias must have rock
ed.
do you know" said the oma
who had not yet spoken, you speak
English with an accent I do not under
stand.'
O'Mally shivered. Was she going to
spring dago on him? 81 am an Ital-
ian," he said solemnly. 81 was born.
however, in County Glare. My father
and mother were immigrants to Ire
land"
"Ma," whispered the girl. task him
for one Of those buttons"
The stage whisper was overheard by
O'Mally. '"These b%uttons,' he explain
ed. "cost a Ira each. but if the signo-
rina really wishes one And thus
another Ira swelled the profits Of the
day.
At the gates O'Mally received his
pourboire (tip) of 20 centesimi and re-
turned to Pietro.
"Quando"' he cried.
O'Mally handed him the exact
amount. minus the Ira for the button.
Santa Maria! All thees? How? No
more 1 take dem! You!"
O'Mally sat down on the bench and
laughed. 1t was as good a part as he
had ever had.
Early evening. La Signorina leaned
over the terrace wall, her hand idly
trailing over the soft cool roses.
Stretched out on either hand, white
and shadowy, lay the great road. She
was dreaming. Presently upon the ST.
lence came the echo of galloping
horses. Two horsemen came cantering
toward the Villa Ariadne. She heard
their voices.
"Jack, this has been the trip Of my
life. Verona, Padua. Bologna and
now Florence! This is life. Nothing
like it."
1T has been enjoyable, Dan. I only
hope our luggage will be at the hotel"
La Signorina's hand closed convul-
sively over a rose and crushed it.
"a last canter to Fiesolew
The two went gathering down the
road.
La Signorina walked slowly back to
the villa. It was fatality that this
man should again cross her path.