The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-01-08
7@e Vendetta
Q>o
BY ROSE B. ETHERIDGE
1919, by the Western News
paper Union.)

| Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
paper Union.)
1t was in imperial Rome that / had
| first met Rafael Brose. l was then of
the artist community and his pleasant
| ways and love of pictures had COM
| mended him to every member of our
Bohemian group. He was wont to-
make the round of the studios, an en-
cOuragin& visitor and oftimes a pal
tron. Once or twice he brought with
/ him his sister, Teresa. She was then
! barely sixteen and the most beautiful
being had ever met. She and l were
| fast drifting from mutual friendship
into something more fervent 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 inhertors of deadly vendetta
which had pursued the family until
| four OF it's. 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 Western city, but 1 learned moth
ing of their whereabouts until about q
year later. l had entered a city res
taurant one day and just as seated
myself at table from the next there
arose young man and yelled lady.
The former wore il beard, the latter
colore, glasses, but l knew them at
once.
Rafael, my dear friend!" exuber
ated, rushing up to him and Selling his
arm in a transport. In flash he
turned, cast sweeping glance over
the crowded room and said hurriediy:
"NOt that name in public. Follow
as if casually until we get clear Of
this place.
handed Rafael my card. Tonight
llC SOlu III INV, NatuLlouo lOllC. &AAo
it may be late"
AT any hour; shall be waiting up
for YOU I replied, and they hurried
away, Teresa with a slight responsive
movement of her hand.
1t was after midnight when Brose
tapped at the Goor 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.
It was strange story that Rafaef
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 it was in a shape
where slow liquidation would be nee
eSSary.
His dealings had been mainly with
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, hut unostentatiously, he had
been selling off the property.
"About q month ago" he told me, Il
received a black-hand letter demand
ing Il large sum or death would follow.
Some one of my enemies abroad, or a
local blackmailer has guessed my true.
With farynpt haste I
closing up my business, then to seek
new home under less hazardous con-
ditions. I hope within week to close.
out all my business and then we can
welcome YOU as the esteemed friendl
that you are"
1t was one evening, month LATER.
! when my landlady came rushing to-
my. room in a state of frantic excite.
men. "Oh, sir!' she quavered, "a gen.
! tleman all blackened and burned is in
a taxi below and a lady with him,
| tainted or dead! I 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
! I 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.
Il am through with it all, however"
he said, almost gaily, cas- all the old
| business has been settled" and SO we
sat discussing our plans for pleasant.
home on the coast, for a renewal Of:
| our old close friendship.
There was tap at the door. A gen.,
| tie voice spoke. 1t belonged to Teresa
'NIay I come in?'
l stood spellbound. There was my
old-time love, now veiless. There was:
the old-time beauty, unmarried. To-
drive away rude and unWelcOme visit