The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-09-13
A Tragedy cf
Naples
, Ey F. A. Mitchell

was spending some tinle lii \
ples Nearly all the curiositleS i'll ILL.,,
city except those of nature are cor
tanned in the museum. and when on
has done the museum and the bur-,
cities he must cOnfine himself to look
ing out upon the beautiful bay. One
morning / climbed the high ground
back of the city to get more COM
prehensive view, including Vesuvius
and the islands of Capri and Ischia.
Coming to suitable spot, ! threw my
self on the grass to regale myself i'll
what to me is the most attractive view
in the world. .
Presently heard a voice behind me-
which l took for that of a woman's
deep contralto.
"Parley vous Francais, monsieur?"
I turned, and there stood young
man apparently about twenty years
| old. He was evidently not Italian, for
his hair bespoke one of the north. |
speak French indifferently and appris-
ed him of the fact. He asked me to
what country L belonged, and I told
him America.
"You are the very man l wish to
see," he said. 81 am thinking of going
to America, and you can tell me how
to get there
'The shortest way is to sail from
this port for New York or Boston"
"Do steamers go from here direct
without stopping at any European
port?'
81 think not Some of them go to
Genoa before turning westward, and
think nearly all stop at Gibraltar.
Then there are the Azores and Ma
1Ma, OUT III the arlant1c.''
He seemed disappointed at this-at
least he looked So though he did not
express his disappointment in words.
when does the next steamer sail|'
he asked
81 don't know One sails week
from today. l go in her myself
"a week from today" he said, evi-
IDENTIFY thinking of something else be-
sides the starting. AT what hour?"
told him that had not yet learned
the sailing hour; he could find out by
applying at the offices of the line. He
asked what stops the steamer made,
and told him only one on the Euro
pean Observation-Disclosures. When
+ inquired if he would be passenger
with me he said he couldn't tell; he
didn't know if he would be ready.
After some information l gave him
about America. to which he did not
seem to be listening, he made an abrupt
adieu, with thanks, and went on his
way down the decIivity.
The houses climb the steep hills back
Of Naples. Sometimes the front door
on the street is in the second or third
story It made me dizzy. to look down
into the back yard of my pension.
Beneath me was hotel with yard
| In the rear off the fourth story. A
gentleman = evidently of high rank.
walk every afternoon about 8 O'Clock
In this yard. He appeared to be an in
valid and chose that hour because he
got the sunshine, for the shade in Italy
Is very chilly. / noticed that he was
quite regular in taking his outing, and
I used to watch him and the attention
he received from his servants.
The afternoon of the day sailed ]
was sitting at my window enjoying
the view of the bay when heard re
port as of a gun or pistol. Leaning
forward and glancing down into the
yard of the hotel, / saw the invalid .ly-
ing on the ground. Then half dozen
persons ran out of the hotel to where
he lay. Presently two servants took
him up and carried him into the hotel.
| His fall, coming so soon after the re-
port, caused me to think that he had
been shot, as could easily have been
| done from any of the back windows
Of houses on the street above the one
on which the hotel faced.
| sailed the same evening without
| getting an explanation of what I had
seen. I was inclined to think that the
| gentleman had tainted. I could read
| Italian sufficiently well to extract the
| gist of an item and took newspaper
aboard the ship with me. Before get
ting into my berth looked it over.
One of the first articles I read stated
| that Russian nobleman who had been
| the governor of Finland had been shot
| that day while taking exercise in the
yard of his hotel. The assassin was
supposed to be a Russian. The de-
ceased had been prescribed by the rev.
olutionists. Considering the position
| from which the shot was fired, escape
| for the assa ssin was easy. He had not
been arrested.
had seen a Russian political assas-
eination without even suspecting it.
Somehow the matter got on my nerves.
After passing the Azores, where we
made our last stop, noticed sitting in
| q steamer chair on deck girl whose
| face was familiar to me. Where had
| I seen her? was sure l had seen
| her somewhere. and that very recently.
| While passing her scrutinized her. she
returning my gaze with stony stare.
The next morning. lying awake In
| my berth, when, after good sleep, the
| brain is in perfect working order. it
| suddenly came to me that the young
| man with whom had conversed on
| the heights back of Naples and this
| girl were one and the same person.
What should I do in the matter:
| Nothing | had no relish for mixing
myself up in a. foreign affair that
| might bring me no end of trouble.
When 1 passed the girl again did nor
look at her. nor did l mention the oc-
currence to any one aboard the ship.
| She never knew that l could have sent
her to Siberia.