Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-27

hepa me-Marie Bocetti? Oh! the blessed
saints all time so sooda to me-and no,
believe"
Then she burst into a tempest of tears
II was quite easy to tina, this simple
lures a, even fancied Indifference on the
part OF her husband.
MY hostess was dressed for the street
hated and coated kept trying to calm
her volubility and excitement and at last |
succeeded in discovering why she WAS at
tired In this way.
Her Impotence and suspicious had AT lac,
come 10 he more than Marie could endure
she Kept imagining her husband her Arturo.
ing To
with the trusting face of a child she burst
ono, hut IT ala RICH, now you here. You
eZi;.."
rha bp, ~ns s, are going TO the Venetian
ter tell me little more about II frst--so 1
can really help you?"
oh. yes. l forset;a you not know. Ar
turo play da violin In Tcatro"
Marie drew herself up with evident pr;d.
~ was quite clear that she adored her Ar
,uro. and that even In the midst OF her
superiority to the ordinary souls i'm the quar-
ter where they lived.
She smiled in the trusting way children
story. ny NV
tp TO the very morning, life for Arturo
hnn Marie re- Boeetti had been wonderfuliy
hdppE. Ihey had prospered in the new
country where they were making their home
s ant 1r'uro was winning a name for him
orchestra at the Venetian Theatre and gave
lessons on the violin. Marie often accom-
pointed proudly. and she assured me tina I
In hneE YOU'D play for me some day II only
moment OF tempest and srn.htr -
bined followed. and then Marie went on
Win her story. That morning the postrna n
ming OF all her troubles. When she rave -,
to Arturo she noticed how curiousiy he
violin abruptly-with far less care than ms hs
generally gave his beloved fiddle
He stood looking at the envelope mo-
violently as he read IT, Marie hurr.ea eco 20
his side but he crumpled the letter showed
into his pocket and answered ncrvouslv
and hastily that II was a business letter.
He never ,hava da secret from me-" cried
Marie Ma, e.. Il start to question him some more
why ne not show me letter-and then 7 de-
from her. '""' 'e''er
oh no. Maric--that isn't fair. Don, Won
see sec, you're Just building UP story for your
hsm III one .hS nttle episode? There may
tons" a.
Marie shook her head
II appeared that presently. when her hus-
band came back. she had gone to him with
AL the SELF control she could muster. She
doubt. She put her hands on his shoulders
and looked at him. But the eyes which al
avoided hers.
Then / go to our-how you sa-stronga
h Sox--and he hava take mucha our money-for
that guilt" laughed Marie almost triumph
antly.
felt sure there must be an explanation.
What it was ] could not imagine. but tried
to persuade Marie that she owed it to her
self and to her love itself to try to have
little faith.
Shall we meet him at tho theatre now ."
i asked
The girl agreed eagerly and we hurried
down to the dark street again.
At last we came to a corner intersected
ny an alley which Marie explained led to the
stage entrance Of the Teatro di Nenezia.
bands triumphs. some of her happy optim
ism gave me sudden feeling that we had
venture | could not guess that we were
scarcely at it's beginning!
Then 7 noticed man lurking in the dark
but they gave me terrifying glimpse OF a
heavy. brutal countenance. What could he
be doing there? For whom was he waiting?
At last the orchestra began to make it's
way to the exit.
That's my Arturo" whispered Marie sud-
denly.
saw a slender. romantic looking youth
with violin case under his arm. He hest
tated for moment and then hurried down
the a. alie Hos Then boy. who had evil
at the far end of the theatre. ran TO him
with a note. Arturo started.
1t was clear tina he was confused. annoy ed
and almost terrified. He looked at the note
uncertainty for a moment. but the darkness
was impenetrable: he could not read il. He
moved along the gloomy passageway toward
me more brightly lighted streets The man
IN the shadows came out Of his conceal
ment and began to follow Arturo.
He was unconscious of all Of us-the pur-
suing man, the suspicious wife and the on
locker. who hoped against hoped that these
romantic young Italian lovers had no sim
ister shadow in their lives like the ugly
darkness all around them.
Arturo stepped out into the light glanced
i az the note in his hand; crumpled 1t into
nttie Dali and SO dropped IT. Then he moved
on-with certain air of grim and fixed de-
termination.
Marie made move as IL to speak--but 1
stopped her. I had manifest duty; un-
pleasant, but a duty nevertheless. The key
TO the situation was the note which Arturo
woman at my side to read 1t.