The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-09-07

WHICH INC ndnO naO not been lifted. |
She turned to her fellow-criminal,
the youth SO lately innocent, whom
she had drawn into her doom, ana
pressed HIN close, close to her bosom,
with cling1ng embrace that brought
their hearts together. Eyes. 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 heap |
OF death below to assure themselves |
that 1t was not all 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 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 Guides 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 q con-
| spicuous object. On slightly elevated
| "a ne 60
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 God" she murmuf,d
"what is this?" She grasped Dora
tello's hand and felt him give a con
vulsiye 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
that had glared upon their naked souls
the night before as Donatello had flung
him over the precipice. What did il
mean? Kenyon drew near, perceived
; their agitation, and started to say
something. But Miriam laid her
finger to her lips and quietly said,
J 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.
l ing him of her undying love. But she
2 met with no response. They parted.
: almost as strangers, it being agreed
: that Donatello should seek hts castle
e in the mountains.
t Thither, in the summer, Kenyon
r went to pay long-planned visit. BE
A found the poor faun sadly changed
e The idea of lifelong penance had
taken firm possession Of Donatello
: He was intent on finding some meth
s cd of self-torture. Kenyon, knowing
now something of what had happened
o arranged with Miriam that she should
e be in the public square of Perugia OF
a specified day, near the statue Of
!, Pope julius. There the lovers me-
G again. The sense Of their mutua
!. crime had stunned, but not destroyed
G the youths affection. They needed
one another. Kenyon cheered and en-
l. couraged them. Their two lives flowed
o together and the great bronze statue
O of the Pope, his hand outreached II
+" papal benediction, beneath whicl
# they had met, appeared to lmpart
blessing on their marriage.
J.. So Kenyon went back to Rome Il
h WOO the gentle Hilda. whose SENSITIVE
% soul was burdened by the knowledg
n of the awful guilt of her friends. In
% secret weighed upon her heavily. Sh
sought the seclusion of great churches
h and at last, Protestant though sn
was, she found relief by pouring on
g in the confessional at st. Peters tn
q story of the crime that she had VII
10 messed.
- But for Miriam and Donatello tn
J, end was not yet reached. The sens
% of sin had awakened in the faun-ilk
- | youth what nuludu loNc SouAu NV 80
=, suage. Miriam could not rid him G
r, the idea that he must surrender hin
self to Justice. Kenyon had glimpse
"a of the pair, now taking part IN reve
J, ries hut again concealed behind habil
h ments of woe. In a desolate spot
q. the Campagna Miriam at last oil
= closed the mystery surrounding be
~ own past. 1t was the story OF a p'al
- r,age to be forced upon her from whic
~ her soul revolted. She escaped, thong
% not without unjust suspicious OF
~ crime. Concealing her identity sn
:. gave herself to art. Then, in the "a
- acombs. the man whom she loatne'
!. half brute and half religious mama
~ had reappeared. DIGGING her steps an
NJ threatening to disclose her 10 ~
=. world-with what catastrophe u
n sculptor knew.
Us rruJc ord KonyOn. they wei