Nogales international., 1929-02-26
Fifth Installmlent
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

Palermo is the scene. There an exile,
Leonardo di Marioni, has come TOR 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 Adrenne 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 rejected suitor on a lonely
road. He rushes to the scene, and proves
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 1--WE sat here week ago., re-
calls Leonardo. Lord ST. Maurice mods.
Leonardo and the Englishman quarrel.
The Englishinan at first refused to accept
a challenge to duel, then when the Italian
slaps him consents. The two men face
each other ready to fight to the death.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
1t was fair spot which their two
seconds had chosen to stain with
bloodshed. Close almost to their feet,
the blue waters of the Mediterranean,
glistening in the early morning sun
light, broke in tiny, ripping waves
upon the firm white sand. Inland was
semi-circle of steep cliffs, at the base
of which there were great powders OF
rock, fern-covered and with hyacinths
of hlany colors growing out of the
crevices, and lending a sweet fragrance
20 the fresh morning air. 1t was a
spot shut off from the world, for the
covering cliffs ran out into the sea on
either side, completely enclosing the
little cove There was only one pos
sible approach to it, save by boat, and
chat difficult and tedious one, and.
looking upward from the shore, hard
20 discover. But on the northward
side the cliffs suddenly dropped, and
in the cleft was thick plantation of
aloes, through which a winding path
led down to the beach.
Perhaps of all the little group gath
cred down there to witness and take
part in the coming tragedy, Signor
Pruccio, Lord St. Maurice'S second,
was looking the most disturbed and
anxious. His man, he knew, must fall,
and an ugly sickening dread was in
his heart 1t was so like murder.
He pictured 10 himself that fair boy
ish face-and in the clear morning
sunlight the young Englishman's face
showed marvelously few signs of the
night of agony through which he had
passed-ghastly and livid, with the
stamp of death upon the forehead, and
the deep blue eyes glazed and dull.
1t was an awful thing, yet what could
he do? What hope was there? Leon
ardo di Marioni he knew to be a
famous swordsman; Lord St. Maurice
had never fenced since he had left
Eton, and. scarcely remembered the
positions. 1t was doubtful even
whether he had ever held rapier.
But what Signor Pruccio feared most
was the pale, unhinching hate in the
Sicilian's white face. He loathed it,
and yet it fascinated him. He knew,
alas how easily, by one swift turn
of the wrist, he would be able to pass
his sword through the Englishman's
body, mocking at his unskilled defense.
He fancied that he could see the arms
thrown up to heaven, the fixed, wild
eyes, the red blood squirting out from
the wound and staining the virgin
earth; almost he fancied that he could
hear the death-cry break from those
agonized white lips. Horrible effort
of the imagination! What evil chance
had made him offer his services to
this young English lord, and dragged
him into assisting at duel which
could be but farce-worse than a
farce, a murder? He would have
given half his fortune for an earth
quake to have come and swallowed
up that merciless Sicilian.
Signor Pruccio had delayed the duel
as long as he could, under the pretext
of waiting for the doctor who had been
instructed to follow them, but who had
not yet arrived. Twice the Sicilian
had urged that they should commence,
and each time he had pleaded that they
might wait for a few minutes longer.
To enter upon duel d PontrGnce,
save in the presence of medical
man, was a thing unheard of, he
declared. But at last this respite was
exhausted, for the opposing second,
with a pleasant smile, had remarked
that he himself was skilled in surgery,
and would be happy to officiate should
any necessity arise. There was no
longer any excuse. Lord St. Maurice
himself insisted upon the signal being
given. Sadly therefore he prepared
to give it. Already both men had
fallen into position. The word
trenbled upon his lips.
A flock of sea-birds few screaming
over their heads, and he waited a
moment until they should have passed.
Then he raised his hand.
"Stop!"
The cry was a woman's. They all
looked round. Only few yardo
away from them stood Adrienne, her
fair hair streaming loose in the morn
ing breeze, and her gown torn and
boiled. She had just issued from the
doping aloe plantation, and was trem-
bling in every limb from the speed OF
ger descent.
The cloud on the Sicilian's face
grew black as night.
his is 10 sip't for you to look
sponw he cri--, between his teeth.
plications for attendance at these