The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-09-17

DOnatellO's had been the hand; but
hers had been the look, except for
which the hand had not been lifted.
She turned to her fellOw-criminal,
the youth so lately innocent, whom !
she had drawn into her doom. ana
pressed him close, close to her BOSOM
with a clinging embrace that brought
their hearts together. eyes, Donatel-
10, you speak the TRUTH" said she.
"My heart consented. The deed knots
us together like the coil of serpent
They threw one glance at the heap
of death below to assure themselves
that it was not all a dream-then
turned from the fatal precipice and
made their way back into the city
arm in arm and heart in heart.
An agreement had been entered into
| before the moonlight tragedy had
| taken place that the four friends
should meet next morning in the
Church of the Capuchins to study to-
gether Guido's famous picture of st.
Michael and Satan. Thither at the
hour agreed upon Miriam and Dona-
tellO turned their steps. Conscious
of secret guilt, they were the more
anxious to keep a casual engagement
But, when they drew near the
church, Kenyon alone was waiting for
them. Hilda had promised to be OF
the party, but she was not there. Inc
three pushed back the heavy curtain
and entered the nave, only to have
their gaze arrested at once by con-
spicuous object. On a slightly elevated
bier lay the dead body of monk, tall
candles burning at his head and feet.
The rigid figure was clad in the brown
wooden frOck of the Capuchins: with
the hood drawn over the head but
so as to leave the features uncovered.
Something seemed to act like mag
net upon Miriam. She passed between
two of the lighted candles and looked
down. "My GOdw she murmured,
what is this?" She grasped DOna-
tello's hand and felt him give con-
vulsive shudder No wonder that their
; blood curdled. The dead face of the
monk gazing at them beneath its half
closed eyelids was the same visage
, that had glared upon their naked souls
; the night before as Donatello had flung
him over the precipice. What did 1t
mean? Kenyon drew near, perceived
. their agitation, and started to say
{ something. But Miriam laid her
finger to her lips and quietly said,
Hush" From the shadowy church
the tree emerged into the Roman sun
light, Kenyon to go in search OF Hill
J da, but leaving a darker shadow still
, to settle down upon the lovers. The
, young Italian was petrified with hor-
, ror. Miriam tried to cheer him, assur-
] ing him Of her undying love. But she
, met with no response. They parted,
: almost as strangers, it being agreed
that Donatello should seek his castle
2 in the mountains.
t .Thither, in the summer, Kenyon
r went to pay a long-planned visit. He
a found the poor faun sadly changed.
. The idea of a lifelong penance had
I taken firm possession Of Donatello'
: He was intent on finding some meth
8 cd of self-torture. Kenyon, knowing
now something Of what had happened,
o arranged with Miriam that she should
Q be in the public square of Perugia on
specified day, near the statue OF
Pope julius. There the lovers met
9 again. The sense of their mutual
!. crime had stunned, but not destroyed
8 the youths affection. They needed
one another. Kenyon cheered and en-
J.. couraged them. Their two lives flowed
o together and the great bronze statue
. Of the Pope, his hand outreached II
!" a papal benediction, beneath which
+ they had met, appeared to impart
I blessing on their marriage.
ii So Kenyon went back to Rome tt
h WOO the gentle Hilda. whose sensitive
a soul was burdened by the knowledge
= of the awful guilt Of her friends. Tit
. secret weighed upon her heavily. Sh'
!. sought the seclusion Of great churches
\ and at last, Protestant though sh'
was, she found relief by pouring on
. in the confessional at st. Peters TIT
q story of the crime that she had wit
o messed.
al But for Miriam and Donatello tn
, end was not yet reached. The sens
: of sin had awakened in the faun-llk
youth what human love could not as
NJ suage. Miriam could not rid him
!. the idea that he must surrender him
:. self to justice. Kenyon had glimpse
q of the pair. now taking part IN revel
!. ries, but again concealed behind habill
h ments of woe. In desolate spot Il
a the Campagna Miriam at last dis
4 closed the mystery surrounding ne
= own past. It was the story OF a maj
4 rage to be forced upon her from wnlc
- her soul revolted. She escaped, thoug
: not without unjust suspicious OF
= crime. Concealing her identity sh
- gave herself to art Then, in the Ca,
4 acombs, the man whom she loathet
:. half brute and half religious maniac
10 had reappeared, logging her steps an
- threatening to disclose her to tn
- world-with what catastrophe tn
"A sculptor knew.
= AS for Hilda and Kenyon, they wer
Z forward into happiness, their pur
,ova consecrating all they did. Br