The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-08-19

Emilian plain, Madonna Biancs
broke at last the long spell of 81.
lence that had endured between
herself and Castrocaro.
81 have brought you here, Sin
Lorenzo she said, "that you may
tell me the true object of your visit
to San Leo Her eyes were avert
ed from his face, her bosom heav-
ed gently. her voice quivered ever
SO lightly.
| He cleared his throat to answer
her. His resolve was now clear anc
/ definite. 81 can tell you wat | die
not come to do. Madonna" he an.
swered. and his accents were al,
! most harsh. 81 did not come to be.
tray you into the hands OF youl
enemies. Of that I here make oath
as 1 hope for the salvation of my
soul"
1t may seem perjury at the first
glance; yet it was strictly true, il
not the whole truth. AS we have
seen, he had not dreant that she
was in San Leo. or that in deliver
ing up the castle to Della Volpe's
men he would be delivering up Ma.
donna Blanca Had he known OF
her presence. he would not, it is
certain, have accepted the task
Therefore was he able to swear as
he had done, and to swear truly,
! tho he suppressed some truth.
seThat much / think / knew
she answered gently.
The words and the tone, if they
surprised him. emboldened him in
his deceit, urged him along the
path to which already he had set
his foot. At no other time con-
sidering what he was, and what
she would he have dared so much.
But his was now the courage Of
the desperate. He stood to die, and
nothing in life daunts him who is
face to face with death. He threw
boldly that he might at the elev-
enth hour win back the right to
live.
"Ah, ask me not why. came"
he implored her hoarsley. sT have
dared much, thinking that I dared
all. But nowhere before you, un-
der the glance of your angel eyes
my courage fails me. am be-
come a coward who was not afraid
when they brot me out to die.
Look, Madonna He held out
his hands, bruised, swollen and
gashed. ct am something in this
state from head to foot" He turn
ed. 3Look yonder.' And he pointed
down the sheer face of the cliff.
"That way / came last night-in
the dark, risking death at every
step. You see that ledge, where
there is scarce room to stand?
Along that ledge crept, and then
leapt across that little gulf" She
shuddered as she followed his tale.
"By that crevice I came upward,
tearing knees and elbows, and so
until 1 had gained the platform on
the southern side. there"
How brave" she cried.
"How mad!" said he. .I show
you this that you may know what
courage then was mine. what inn
pulse drove here. You would not |
think, Madonna, that having brav-
ed SO much. I should falter now,
and yet" He stopped, and cover
ed his face with his hands.
She drew nearer. siding toward !
him. "And YETI" said she softly
and encouragingly.
ooh! / dare not!" he cried out. |
I was mad-mad!" And then by |
chance his tongue stumbled upon
he very words to suit his case.
Indeed. do not know what was |
The spirit of madness that possess
I'd me"
He did not know! She trembled |
rom head to foot at that admis-
sion. He did not know! But she
Snew. She knew, and hence the
confidence with which she had in
to brush Tolentino aside.
For had he died. had the execu-
;ioner driven him over the ledge
n that horrible death-leap, it
would have been her hands that
lad destroyed him.
For was it not she who had be-
him? Was it not she who
had drugged him with love-phil-
elixirum aureum procured
from Messer Corvinus Trismegis-
JUS? Did she not know that it was
hat elixir. buring fiercely and un-
appeasably in his veins, that had
possessed him like madness and
him thither, reckless of
all danger, SO that he might come
20 her?
"Poor-poor Lorenzov' she muir
INJURED fondly.
He started around and stared at
her, very white.
ooh, Madonna" he cried, and
sank upon one knee befor cher.
you have surprised my secret
my unutterable secret! All. let me
go! Let them hurl me from the
rock, and so end my wretched-
ness"
1t was supremacy well done, the |
villain knew; and she were no wo-
nan but very harpy, did she now
permit his death. He was prepared
for plying gentleness toward an |
affliction which she must now sup |
pose her own beauty had inspired,
and so he had looked for kindly |
But he was not prepared
for any such answer as she made
him.
"Dear love, what are you say
ing? Is there no other happiness
for you save that of death? Have
shown anper2 Do know aupht |