Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1912-09-19
AN ATTEMPTED
REVENGE
By SARAH BOYD VAUGHAN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


> premacy when the court of the dog,
7 was one of the most splendid and de
t lightful in the world a young patri
clan, Leonardo di Guida, while riding
/ in his gondola on the Grand NAL pass
ed woman yho at once attracted his
attention. She was one of those stat
uesque beauties with lustrous eyes, 9
wealth of black hair, full round cheeks
and lips. Instead of lowering her eyes
as Di Guida passed she brought then
to bear boldly upon him.
Di Guida instructed his gondolier to
turn about and follow the lady. She
disembarked on the steps of a house
near the rialto. Di Guida shot by as
she was stepping from her gondola.
She turned and gave him another look.
The young man learned that this
charming creature was Senorita Lucia
ABBOTT, recently arrived from Florence,
He, being one of the prominent young
men at the doge's court had no trouble
in securing an introduction to her, and
his visits at once became frequent.
Leonardo was at the time betrothed
to Blanca Vincenza, the daughter of a
Venetian noble, girl just the reverse
from Lucia Aboti-a pure, religious wo
man, beloved and respected by all who
knew her. For awhile Leonardo was
like shuttlecock between the two in
fuences, though neither woman knew
| of the others existence. One night
after visit to Lucia he went home
with his brain in a whirl. He strug
gled with himself till morning, when
he swore before a crucifix that he
/ would never visit her again.
| Lucia, expecting him the next even
| ing, had all arranged to make him her
slave When the usual hour for his
| coming arrived and he did not appear
she was troubled.
Leonardo fastened his marriage with
Blanca, and after the wedding they
were both exquisitely happy. Leonar-
love for some time after his marriage
Then it was at a dinner. After tax
ing his seat he looked up and saw Luz
cia Aboti sitting opposite him, looking
at him. He expected to see some indi-
cation of resentment. He was agree
ably disappointed. She gently chided
him for not having invited her to bic
wedding and asked him to tell her all
about his wife, who sat at another
part of the table, manifesting through
out marked friendliness.
There was no danger in all this to
Leonardo Once he had conquered
himself he remained conquered. He
loved his wife, and loved her alone.
But he was deceived in the woman's
proffers of good will, and when Lu-
ella begged him to bring his wife and
dine with her the next evening he
consented. He did not relish the en-
nifty of any woman, especially on his
wifes account. Those were times |
when death lurked anywhere, every
where, and if this woman were really |
friendly he desired to fix her friend |
ship, not to excite her enmity.
He made a confidant of his wife, |
telling her all that had passed between !
him and Senorita Aboti. urging Bian-
ca to accept the invitation and TINS /
avert an enmitt. Blanca yielded re-
luctantly.
The bride and groom were received
with the same marks of friendship
that Leonardo had received at her for
mer meeting with the woman lie had
Tilted. Her expressions of cordially
for his wife were especially warm.
She kissed Blanca, but Leonardo saw
or thought he saw a faint SILVER pass
over his wife. When the three went
into dinner Senorita Aboti placed the
bride on her right and the groom on
her left and seemed anxious to do
everything in her power to convince
Leonardo that she regarded the past
affair between them obliterated.
The last course of the dinner was
nuts and sweets. The hostess sat
cracking and eating nuts, chatting
glibly till In an almond she found
double kernel. Tossing one to Leo
nardo, she asked him to eat it, while
she ate the other. He was about to put
1t in his mouth when he saw his wife
looking at him in terror. He paused.
"Why do you not eat it," asked Lu.
cia. "You don't mean to tell me that
you fear to eat anything in my house.
There was a change of manner and
tone in speaking the words which seem.
ed to indicate an intention to dominate
Leonardo to obedience by force of {
will. He held the kernel in his finger,
undecided. |
"Well, then, give it TO me. I'll eat it $
myself"
"Let me have it," said Blanca under
Ter breath. S
Leonardo reached across the table 7
Lucia playfully tried TO seize it, but t
Blanca got it. Lucia turned a CHASTITY S
white. /
"Come," said Blanca; lit is time for 4
IS to CO."
The hostess made no attempt to re
ume her former manner. On her face
vas look of defeat, almost doom c
d expression. With silent bows the /;
.uests descended the steps to their n
On1Ola =.