The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-02-17
AModernLady
Of Lyons
BY MARTHA v. MONROE.

BY MARTHA v. MONROE
An auto drove up to building occu
pied as lodgings in Rome, and the &C
eupant, lady, said to the chauffeur:
''Go up to the rooms Of signor Wis.
cont and tell him that Miss Flynn 10
waiting for him"
The chauffeur disappeared and re-
turned, followed by an Italian perhaps
thirty years Of age and handsome az q
picture. Instead Of looking pleased at
the appearance Of the girl in the car he
knit his brows.
"Come for q drive" she said.
II cannot" he replied as though IN.
noyed. "Shall be busy this afternoon"
II leave Rome tomorrow. This 10
your last opportunity to be with me-"
The man could not repress q look Of
pleasure at this. He hesitated, then
got into the car and closed the door
behind him.
"Take the Appian way" said the
lady to the driver.
After threading several streets they
passed through a gateway and found
themselves on that great road which
centuries before had been the favorite
thoroughfare of the Romans. There
was little said between them. The
man made several efforts to start
conversation, but they all failed. The
woman seemed preoccupied. If her
companion had been placed SO as to
look her In the face he would have seen
a dangerous glitter in her eye. As
they passed various objects Of interest
her companion endeavored to interest
her in them. Coming to a columbia.
rum, building with inches within
for urns containing the ashes of the
dead. he proposed that they alight and
inspect 1t.
NO." she replied; II wish for q lar
ger cemetery today. We will visit the
catacombs."
Several miles from Rome there Is an
entrance to these subterranean cham
bers, and when they reached it they
left the auto and Joined a party Of
sightseers. A guide led the way down
q marble staircase, and at the bottom
all were provided with candles. Miss
Flynn took position at the end of the
line, which compelled her escort to do
the same. They passed through mar
row corridor. on each side Of which re-
posed the bones Of the early Chris
| tans.
Come" said Visconti; I'VE shall be
left behind" as he noticed that his
companion loitered.
"Would 1t trouble you to be left
alone with meT asked the girl by way
Of reply. when you were making
love to me at my home in Texas you
sought every opportunity to get away
from others with me-"
The mans brow darkened, but he
made no reply. Coming to a place
where the corridor divided, Miss Flynn
struck into the one which the party
had not taken.
where are you going?" cried the
man.
Il am going where we shall not be
troubled with Others"
Heavens, Emily! Don't you know
what It means to be lost in the cata-
combs?'
III you are afraid go after the 9th
ers."
The man stood still; the girl went on.
He called to her, but she paid no heed
to him. Then he ran after her. She
had gone some distance, so far indeed
that he saw only the dim light of her
candle. He followed faster and came
up with her standing in space where
the corridor opened into a chamber.
Then she turned and faced him.
| Come back" he cried in terror.
| mo; We will remain here. Once, at
| my home on the other shore of the
Atlantic. when we were standing ON
the sands washed by the great gulf,
you said to me:
"'I would rather die with you out
on the bosom Of those waters than live
without YOU Now l say to you l
would rather die with you in these
subterranean labyrinths than live with
out you"
The man paled. "You do not know
what you are saying" he pleaded.
Eve are in danger. Already the guide
has led the party far from us. 1t will
be pure luck If we find them again.
If not we may wander here till we are
starved"
1--WE will die together"
"My God! Are you in earnest?'
"Were you in earnest when you
played Claude Melnotte to my Pauline?
The only thing that saved me from be-
ing your dupe was that you heard my
fathers cattle to be hundred head in
stead Of thousands. You disappeared
as suddenly as you had come. You did
not know that he had sold his steers
and put the money into cotton. came
here to tell you in these catacombs that
am rich"
"Rich" exclaimed the man.
YES: rich enough to buy you a pal.
ace In the heart Of Rome. But what is
that to us now?"
Nothing unless We can find our way
out of here"
The girl laughed. Then. assuming q
tone even more cutting than before.
che told him that she would die with