Nogales international., 1929-02-12
Third Installment
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

, WHAT HAPPENED BEtORE
Palermo is the scene There an exile,
Leonardo di Marioni, has come for love
of Adrienne Cartuccio, who spurns him.
He meets an Englishman, Lord ST. Ma
rice, who falls in love with Adrienne on
who tells him his love for Adrienne is hope
less. But he pleads with her to arrange ar
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 Cartucco and Mar
gharita, who are walking, by brigands
employed by a rejected suitor, on lonely
road He rushes to the scene, and proves
able to rescue the ladies.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
The two ladies looked at their pre-
server standing i'll the middle OF the
road-fair and straight and tall, like a
Greek god, but with terrible fury
blazing in his dark blue eyes.
"You are not hurt, + trust?" he
asked, his breath coming quickly, for
he was in a towering passion. He
was not speaking to the darker Of the
two girls at all in fact, he was uncon-
scious of her presence. He was stand
ing By Adrienne Cartuccio's side,
watching the faint color steal again
into her cheeks, and the terror dying
out of her eyes, to be replaced by a
far softer light. Her black lace wrap,
which she had been wearing in Span
ish fashion, had fallen a little back
from her head, and the moonlight was
cleaning upon her ruddy golden hair,
all wavy and disarranged, throwing
into soft relief the outline of her slim,
girlish figure, her heaving bosom, and
the exquisite transparency of her COM
plexion. She stood there like an
offended young queen, passionately
wrathful with the men who had dared
to lay their coarse hands upon her,
yet feeling all woman's gratitude to
their preserver. Her eyes were fash
ing like stars, and her brows were
bent; but as she looked into his face
her expression softened. Of the two
sensations gratitude was the stronger.
"You are not hurt?" he repeated
II am sorry that I did not get here
sooner, before that fellow touched
you"
She held out her hand to him with a
little impetuouS movement.
Thanks to you. No, Signor," she
said, her eyes suddenly filing with
tears. "Oh, how grateful we are, are
We not, Margl1alila?" ?"
Indeed, indeed we are. The SignOr
lad saved us from terrible danger"
1T is nothing. The fellows were
Irrant towards. But what was the
.arriage doing here?"
He pointed along the road. Already
he clumsy vehicle had become black
,peck in the distance, swaying heavily
rom side to side from the pace at
which. it was. being driven, and almost
enyeloped in a cloud of dust.
Adrienne shook her head. Margha-
rita had turned away, with her face
buried in her hands.
II cannot imagine. Perhaps they
we're brigands, and intended to carry
IS off for a ransom"
The. Englishman shrugged his
shoulders.
odd sort of bandits he remarked.
"Why, they hadn't the pluck of a
chicken between them, especially this
one."
He touched the PROSTATE figure with
MS foot, and the two girls shuddered:
He isis not dead, is he?"
Margharita asked.
Not he. / shouldn't say that he
was very badly hurt either" the Eng
lishman declared, bending down and
listening to his breathing. More
frightened than anything. He'll get
up and be off directly we leave. You
will let me see you homer" he con-
tinued, speaking to Adrienne.
She looked up at him with a gleam
of humor in her wet eyes.
you don't imagine that we should
let you go and leave us here?" she
said. "Come, Margharita."
The Englishman looked at the other
girl. almost for the first time, as she
came up and joined them. Her dark
eyes were full of tears and her face
was troubled. There was very little
relief or thankfulness for her escape
in her expression. The Englishman
was no physiognomist, but he was
little puzzled.
There is no danger now, Sig
norma" he said reassuringly. "To-mor-
row / will go to the police, and dare
say that we shall get to the bottom OF
the whole affair"
She shuddered, but made no reply,
walking on by their side, but a little
distance apart. AS for the English
man, he was in paradise. To all
intents and purposes, he was alone
with Adrienne Cartuccio, listening to
her low voice, and every now and then
stealing a glance downward into those
wonderful eyes, just then very soft and
sweet. That walk through the scented
darkness, with the far-off murmur OF
the sea always in their ears, was like
the dawning of new era in his life.
Ii was she who talked most, and he
Who listened. Yet he was very happy;
and when they reached her villa, and
he left them at the door, she gave him
a white flower which he had found
courage to beg for.
May l call on you tomorrow" he
asked, trembling for the answer.
III you would like to, yes" she
answered readily. Come early if you
have nothing to do, and we will give