The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-06-14

! said soberly. My gondolier is wait
ing below. We will let him take US to
the Molo and her dismiss him. We
want no witnesses or possible spies
Excellent" he murmured. And
bring along your Bible. That must be
our chart and compass in our voyage
of discovery"
Venetian Marco Polo himself. wide
eyed and eager. toiling across burning
wastes to the great khan Of far off
Cathsy. was not more imbued with
the very spirit Of adventure than were
st. Hilary and | that April afternoon
as we set forth on our little voyage Of
discovery In n prosaic gondOla.
We had lunched Mt the GTundewald.
We rose with a certain elaboration and
walked toward the Molo. The band
was laundering out a Strauss waltz.
The piazza was filled with its usual
laughing. chattering crowd. eating and
drinking nj the hundreds Of round little
tables that overlooked n quarter of the
square.
could not help thinking what a
] SffiNdiibl I HlVhiu thhNf - ~ r'NNN
throng was suddenly To he stilled,
while from the balcony up there by the
four bronze horses I cried aloud for all
the square to hear that We two adVen-
turers of the twentieth century were
about to lay bare one Of the mysteries
Of Yenice-that we were TO bring forth
To the light of day a marvellous treas
- -. III e. vWAnH1N~ half a
/ thousand years. How they would howl
me into n slammed silence with their
iecrs and laughter. And %supposing that
I could tell them the very hiding place.
would one of all those hundreds. even
the poorest. take the trouble to go and
see: Would the h~unchbaoked bootblack
i'm the arcade there. gnarled and twist
ed with the cold If winter and the heat
Of summer? Would the Jewish shop
keepers. the antiquarian in he library.
the tourists who bad come 5000 miles
To feast their eyes on wonders: Not
the most visionary would stir in his
scat. Only ST. Hilary and I. II appear
ed. in the whole world were absolute
fools this afternoon.
II dove?' demanded the gondoier
after we had taken our seats.
"Canalazzo." | cried. 'e presto, mol
20. motto presto
Isl. ST. %signor." he cried. with en-
thusiasm. seeming a generous tip.
The sun. Just dipping behind the
dome of the Salute, blazed iiercely' but
the awning of our gondola was thrown
back. Swiftly we swept down the sun
kissed stream, cleaving the lake OF
gold. The great palaces on either side.
ablaze with riotous color, seemed as
unreal as a painted picture. What had
we to do with this mysterious Venice
this cnchantress of the seas. holding
herself aloof i'm melancholy disdalnF
Like curious sayages. we were TO prowl
i'm her very holy of holes. We were 10
despoil her of her last glorious treasure
that she had guarded so jealousy these
hundreds Of years.
The fantasy burst as a bubble in thin
mir Behind US raced Il boatful OF trip
pers the two Oarsmen eNerting ever!
/ effort 70 urge on their craft 20 the rail-
way station. There were the Ensllsh
mere de famille: the comfortable nam
ma with A chick on either side. And
about them were piled high bandDoAeS
md shawls. portmanteaus n carry
oils II was the twentieth century
after all. 1t was quite fitting that we
should be seeking TO reap where we
had not sown.
We passed the Grand hotel. MIS-
Gordon. Jacqueline and the duke were
seated on the balcony. | raised III!
hot mechanically. The duke returned
tho greeting with a flourish. Mrs. tor
,1op was suddenly interested IN the
customs house opposite. Jacqueilhe
smiled lint her greeting would have
heen as cordial to the concierge oil her
hotel NV face burned. wished 10
toll 81. Hilary To continue the search
witbout me. and yet | hesitated' Even
nav one nod 10 the sondolier Inc !
,o,,ld be landed Mt the steps; put
,aai,,ted and i'm five seconds we had
nossrd. Before | had wholly recoNeleu
my nresence of mind we were at 'ne
Rio iii Bocca. rr
mr. rondolier uttered his vera cry
warming. The gondola turned the
oar,or sharply. We were in cool depthS-
rna smell of damp mortar. thai niue
eaahIo moist smell of the cahaiettl OF
vonice smote our nostrils. We skir'el
~ aid wall. bulging outward win de-
.ronitude: a narrow quay palneu
onn,lcht. the barred windows OF par
h,ackness and gloom within \
- ~ bricks was poled slowly past
rs. then a funeral cataianaue, saw
omnibus just escaped collision. rs su
~ ! saw IL all unheeding. Ihree