The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-09-14

DonatellO's had been the hand. lint
hers mad 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. and
pressed hin close, close to her bosom.
with a clinging embrace that brought
their hearts together. "Yes, Donated
10, you speak the truth" said she
My heart consented The deed knots
us together like the coil of q serpent"
They threw one glance at the bean |
OF death below to assure themselves
that 1t was not all dream-thep |
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 ints
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. The
three pushed back the heavy curtain
and entered the nave, only to have
their gaze arrested at once by a 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 loos ed
down. "My God" she murmuiad,
} "what is this?" She grasped Doua
tello's hand and felt him give a cun
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 visagn
5 that had glared upon their naked souls
J the night before as Donatello had flung
him over the precipice. What did II
}, mean? Kenyon drew near, perceived
r their agitation, and started to say
( something. But Miriam laid her
finger to her lips and quietly said.
8 Hush" From the shadOwy church
the tree emerged into the Roman sun
!, light, Kenyon to 60 in search of Hill
S da, but leaving a darker shadow still
e to settle down upon the lovers. The
e young italian was petrified with hor'
e ror. Miriam tried to cheer him, assur'
d ing him of her undying love. But she
e met with no response. They parted
= almost as strangers, 1t being agreed
!. that Donatello should seek his castle
e in the mountains.
It Thither, in the summer, Kenyon
n went to pay a long-planned visit. HI
a found the poor faun sadly changed
e The idea of lifelong penance hat
d taken firm possession of Donatello
l. He was intent on finding some meth
Is cd of self-torture. Kenyon, knowing
now something of what had happened
10 arranged with Miriam that she shoul'
,e be in the public square of Perugia o.
+ specified day, near the statue
O pope julius. There the lovers me
&c again. The sense of their mutua
n. crime had stunned, but not destroye
,s the youths affection. They neede
one another. Kenyon cheered and er
i. couraged them. Their two lives tioWe
20 together and the great bronze statu
,o of the Pope, his hand outreached l
), a papal benedction, beneath whlc
h+ they had met, appeared to lmpart
7 blessing on their marriage.
~ So Kenyon went back to Rome
Nh WOO the gentle Hilda. whose sensltl'
ho soul was burdened by the knowleds
m of the awful guilt of her friends. IL
In secret weighed upon her heavily. 81
a. sought the seclusion of great churche
N and at last, Protestant though 81
was. she found relief by pouring OF
- in the confessional at st. Peters II
q story of the crime that she hao WI
no messed.
he But for Miriam and Donatello u
n end was not yet reached. The SEN
bo of sin had awakened in the taun-ill
~ youth what human love could not
wv suage, Miriam could not rld MN
=, the idea that he must surrender MI
self to Justice. Kenyon had gliinps
ha of the pair, now taking part IN rev
n. ries. but again concealed behind hae'
Oh ments of woe. In desolate spot
10. the Campagna Miriam at last u
ID closed the mystery surrounding Il
un own past. 1t was the story OF p'a
"a rage to be forced upon her from WIN
az az her soul revolted. She escaped thou'
ne not without unjust suspicious o'
-. crime. Concealing her identity 5
.or gave herself to art. Then in the "a
od acombs, the man whom she ioalh ,.
=. half brute and half religious mana
- had reappeared, DIGGING her steps a !.
w.. threatening to disclose her 10