Nogales international., 1929-03-19
Ninth Installrnent
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE


Leonardo di Marioni, has come for love
of Adrienne Cartuccio, who spurns him.
He meets an Englishman, Lord St. Mau-
rice, who falls in love with Adrienne on
sight. Leonardo sees his sister Margharita,
who tells him his love for Adrienne is hope
less. But he pleads with her to arrange an
accidental meeting, to say farewell, be-
tween Adrienne and him.
She consents. That night the Englishman
| is informed of an attempt being made to
carry off Signorina Cartuccio, and Mar
gharita, who are walking by brigands
employed by a rejected suitor on a lonely
road. He rushes to the scene, and proves
able to rescue the ladies'.
Inhamed by the failure of his scheme,
Leonardo sees Margharita who shows him
she knows that he was instigator of the
attempted attack. The Englishman now
sees Adrienne often. The Englishman, sit
ting in the hotel, finds dagger at his feet.
Looking up, he sees the Sicilian, and scents
trouble. "We sat here week ago." re-
calls Leonardo. Lord St. Maurice mods.
Leonardo and the Englishman quarrel
The Englishman at first refused to accept
a challenge to duel, then when the italian
each other ready to fight to the death.
Margharita stops the duel by coming just
in the nick of time TO save the Englishman
from his fate. with two officers who arrest
geance. After 25 years in Jail he is again
at his hotel, an old, broken man with only
memories left to him.
At his hotel the proprietor, worried
about him, advertises for his friends and
Leonardo is first visited by the woman he
had loved, whom he Shoes out of his sight
Then there comes to him the daughter of
his sister, whom he greets in great sur
prise. He learns that his sister is dead.
Count Leonardo tells his niece the story
of his love for Margharita. She is sympa-
thetc.
Margharita Briscoe takes a post at the
home of Lady St. Maurice, Marioni's for
mer love, as governess in order to be in
position to wreak vengeance upon her.
Lord Lumley, the son of Lady St; Mau-
rice, talks to his mother of Miss Briscoe
and Lady St. Maurice begins telling him
about the past.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY F.,
"Yes."
"Lumley, twenty-five years have
passed away, and he is free"
"But, Miss Briscoe?" he asked, be-
wi1dered. "FIow does all this con-
Germ her?"
"She is his niece"
"FIis niecel his niecer"
Lord Lumley could say nothing.
With all the swift selfshness of a
man his thoughts were centered round
one point. Would this new develop
ment hinder his purpose, or was it
favorable to him?
"Leonardo's sister, Lumley, was my
dear friend. She married a man
named Briscoe, and died very soon
afterwarI} GlMargharita is their daugh-
ter, and, Lumley, there is no English
blood in her veins. She is a Marioni
| can see his eyes and his forehead
every time / look at hers. They seem
to tell me that that wild oath still
lives; that some day he will stretch
out his hand and redeem that muir
derous threat. Lunley, there have
been times when it has terrified me
to look at that girl"
His face was clearing. A smile even
began to dawn upon his lips.
why, mother, don't you see that so
far as Miss Briscoe is concerned that
is all fancy" he said. "You feel in
that way toward her simply because
she happens to resemble the Count
di Marioni. Isn't that little unfair
10 her? What can she know of an
oath which was sworn five-and-tWenty
years ago, long before she was born.
Why, l don't suppose that she ever
heard of it."
She smiled little sadly.
"Lu1nley, I do not attempt to defend
my feeling. Of course it is absurd to
connect her with it, really"
Il was sure that you would say SO,
mother"
But, Lumley, although I cannot
defend it the feeling remains. Listen.
No woman has known greater hap
piness than have. My life has been
sometimes almost too perfect, and yet
/ never altogether forgot those passion
ate words of Leonardo's. They lay
ike a shadow across my life, darken-
ing and growing broader as the years
| of his confinement passed away. The
time of his release came at 1ast-only
a few months ago, and only a few
months ago, Lun1ey, saw him."
''You saw him Where?"
"In London, Lui1lley! Why did he
come, almost on the day of his release,
here to England? 1t was country
which he hated in his younger days
and yet, instead of visiting his old
nome, his love for which was almost
a passion, instead of lingering in those
sunny southern towns where many
friends still remained who would have
received him with open arms, he came
straight to London alone. l found him
at a hotel there, broken down, and
almost, as it were, on the threshold of
death Yet, when he saw me, when
ne heard my voice, the old passion
blazed out. Lumley, I prayed to him
! FOR forgiveness, and he scorned me.
He had never forgotten He would
never forgive! He pointed to his per-
son, his white hairs, to all the terrible
evidences Of his long Imprisonment,
and once more, with the same passion
which had trembled in his tone twenty
five years ago, he cursed me! 1t was
| horrible! I fled from that place like
haunted woman, and since then,
, -umley, l have been haunted. Every
feature in the girls magnificent face,
| md every movement of her figure,
! reminds me that she is Marioni |"
She had risen and was standing by
| bis side, a beautiful, but a suffering
| t L.