The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-10-10
1he Vendetta
o0
BY ROSE B. ETHERIDGE

bohemian group. He was wont to
make the round Of the studios, an en-.
couraglng visitor and oftimes pa.
iron. Once or twice he brought with
him his sister, Teresa. She was then
barely sixteen and the most beautiful
being I had ever met. She and were
fast drifting from mutual friendship
into something more fervelt when sud-
denly both brother and sister disap-
peared.
1t was an old native sculptor who
solved the mystery Of their vanish
ment. 1t seemed that the Broses were
! the inheritors Of deadly vendetta
which had pursued the family until
four Of Its members fell victims to the
stiletto.
"The last living relative Of Rafael
fled to America to save his life FIVE
years ago." explained my informant.
II heard that he had died there. Per-
haps he has left his fortune to Rafael
and his niece"
The memory Of the beauty and gen.
| tleness Of Teresa did not leave me,
even after I had returned to my home
In a Western city, but I learned moth
ing Of their whereabouts until about a
year later. / had entered city res
taurant one day and just 8s I seated
myself at table from the next there
arose young man and yelled lady.
The former wore a beard, the latter
colored glasses, but l knew them at
once.
Rafael, my dear friend!" I exuber-
ated, rushing up to him and seizing his
arm in transport. In fash he
turned, cast a sweeping glance over
the crowded room and said hurriedly !:
"Not that name in public. Follow
as If casually until we get clear Of
this place."
handed Rafael my card. Tonight"
he said In low. cautious tone. And
1t may be late"
AT any hour; shall be waiting up
for you" I replied, and they hurried
away, Teresa with slight responsive
movement Of her hand.
1t was after midnight when Brose
tapped at the door Of my studio. He
fingered at the threshold for mo-
ment or two, peering sharply down the
street stairway as though fearful Of
being followed.
1t was a strange story that Rafael
told me. For the sake Of his sister he
had fled from his native land to evade
the desperate menace Of the vendetta
that had been sworn against them. His
uncle had died, bequeathing all he
owned to them, but 1t was in a shape
where slow liquidation would be nee
essary.
His dealings had been mainly with a
large number of foreigners. Rafael
had taken up his abode and that of his
sister in the poor quarter Of the city
where his uncle had lived, assumed a
new name and pretended to be the at.
torney for heirs abroad. Piece by
piece, but unostentatiously, he had
been selling off the property.
"About a month ago." he told me, II
received a black-hand letter demand
ing large sum or death would follow.
Some one Of my enemies abroad, or q
local blackmailer has guessed my true
identity. With fervent haste I am
closing up my business, then to seek a
new home under less hazardous con-
diti0ns. hope within week to close
out all my business and then we can
welcome you as the esteemed friend
that you are"
1t was one evening, month later,
when my landlady came rushing to
my room in state Of frantic excite
men. "Oh, sir" she quavered, "a gen.
tleman all blackened and burned Is in
taxi below and lady with him,
tainted or deadw / ran down to the
street. Rafael indeed looked as though
he had gone through some terrific ex-
perience. He bore his sister In his
arms.
"Give us shelter" he spoke. "She
has only tainted from fright. The
black hand dynamited our house, but
l escaped with few bruises"
My landlady took charge of Teresa.
When she had been carried to her
room Rafael sat In my apartment tell
ing of the vindictive efforts Of his per-
secutors.
81 am through with 1t all, however"
he said, almost gaily, "as all the old
business has been settled" and so we
sat discussing our plans for pleasant
home on the coast, for renewal Of
our old close friendship.
There was tap at the door. A gen.
tie voice spoke. 1t belonged to Teresa.
MAY l come in"
| I stood spellbound. There was my
! old-time love, now veilless. There was
the old-time beauty, unmarried. To
drive away rude and unwelcome visit
Ors she had dis6gured her face with
pigments and stains. Now her peer
less beauty shone forth, and, too, in
those expressive eyes, Invested of
glasses, there cleaned the old radiant
light that told that she still loved me.
There Is no echo Of the dark past
for Rafael Brose now. for his peerless
sister is my wife. In beautiful home