The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-05-15

add to our collection of enamels. Is II
not exquisite?"
"Beautlfll!' breathed Lisetta, a jeal
Gus light cleaning in her dark eyes
"Ah, madame" she added playfully. III
/ had glimpsed this wonderful bracelet
first SOrio would never have brought ii
as peace Offering TO your She laugh.
ed with sudden merrimeA. all her III
humor gone in Il second. Am | not a
bear to look so cross about your brace.
letT
Il am sure Count Sorio would rather
place 1t on your arm than on mine,'
laughed the American.
"If 1t did not seem ungrateful to
Count Sorio, l would like to have you
wear it away as your own" added
Ethel. "Ah. Cesare. we will come at
once, as the servant announced lunch
con. 1.-THE gentlemen are coming now.
When Count Sorio saw Lisette Tes-
tino standing in the library toying with
the enameled bracelet his face went
suddenly pale and his greeting to her
was shortened to utter whispered
word of protest.
"Such gaudy trinkets do not become
your pale dignity, my queen he whis-
pered hurriedly. Put it aside. Lisetta.
1t is i'll luck. 1t attracts the evil eye.
1t is accursed." He shuddered as he
caught himself up sharply.
Ethel's clear voice was speaking as
they moved toward the dining room.
Count Sorio says that the bracelet
is q charm, that it will avert the evil
eye and that it will bring me good
luckv'
Dick Raymond laughed genially, but
the dark eyes of Lisetta met the black
glance of SoriO. There was puzzled
questioning in her glance and min
Cling of fear and annoyance in his.
Lisetta went back to the drawing
room after her handkerchief and when
she returned there was look Of
amusement in her cool glance as 1t
crossed that Of her lover.
The meal progressed slowly. The
RaymOnds had a good cook in the per-
son of Margharita, the grandmother Of
Cesare and the wine of the country
was excellent.
Lisetta was sparkling with gayety.
and the counts dark eyes often sought
hers across the low arrangement of
flowers on the table. and the Ray
monds realized that very soon would
the fiery Italian declare his love for
the widow.
Suddenly Lisetta lifted one white
hand to adjust the rose Ethel had
tucked in her Jet black hair. AS she
did so her three companions saw for
the first time that she was wearing the
enameled bracelet.
Lisetta tossed her head and smiled
impudently at Ethel.
See. carissima. | am wearing your
bauble while may
ut becomes you rarely. madame"
laughed her hostess
Sorio's face was CHASTITY pale. Twice
his lips parted as If to give ntterance
to some protest. but they closed as If
secrecy demanded silence at any price
At last he could contain himself no
longer
madonna" he gasped rising and
reaching across the table at Lisetta's
arm. Take it off. cara mia. It-means
death" He half whispered the last
words and sank back in his seat as
Dick Raymond jumped M and held
glass of wine to Lisetta's pale lips.
Nine TESTING had uttered a sud
den cry of anguish and her head droop-
ed slowly down until 1t rested on one
shoulder.
1.-THE pain. the pain" she muttered
before she lost consciousness.
Dick Raymond dashed around the
table and caught the shrinking Sorio
by the shoulder What has happened.
you coward:" he demanded What is
there about that bracelet that causes
Nine Testino to swoon, and the very
sight of her wearing 1t upon her arm
causes you alarm? Eli? Tell me. or.
by thunder, I'll shake you into etcr-
nity"
Cesare had darted in and out of the
room like lightning flashes. He had
a page for a physician. and
while Dick was still trying to get az
explanation from Sorio the doctor ar
rived and went into the salon where
Lisetta was lying on sofa, pale and
Iifelpss.
That was an eventful night in the
villa Rosario. The doctor remained un.
til morning and administered antidotes
for the deadly poison which had been
Injected into Lisetta's veins through
the medium of the poisoned bracelet
A tiny needle had darted into her flesh
rs she clasped the bracelet about her
shapely wrist. but the prick had been
SO slight that she had scarcely no
ticed it.
BY morning the danger was over
rhe poison. which had remained in the
bracelet for perhaps n hundred years,
80 ancient was its history. had lost its
potency. and the quick action Of the
physician. combined with Lisetta's
splendid physique. resulted in completes
recovery for Nine. Testino. AS for En-.
rico Sorio. who had intended the poi.
soned bracelet for Ethel Raymond. the
wife OF the man upon whom he wished
to be revenged. Dick permitted him to
disappear from Florence.
1t was perhaps punishment enough
FOR his .murderous heart that he for.