The Net

three men rode out quietly from the courtyard at the r

as they left the valley and began the long ascent o

lf of San Sebastiano will accompany us, too, and everybody will be dressed in his finest.

ing," said the overseer, gruffly. "The roa

rmed men. I fancy Narcone, nay, even our dreadf

nvoluntarily shifted the strap of his own weapon so that it might be ready in case of an emergency. He had rebelled, somewhat, at carrying a firearm,

e plainly audible. Strains of music floated up the hillside, the shouts of the master of ceremonies came distinctly as he issued his commands for a country dance. The many lights within the grounds shone cloudily among the tree-tops far below, like the effulgence from s

uld have us go prowling like robbers when our hearts are singing loud enough for all the mountainside to hear. There is

id of you, just the same

s; it casts a shadow; it has a chilling breath which any one with sensibilities can feel. As for me, I see the future as clearly as if it were spread ou

Martel." He turned in his saddle, and the others reined in as a rocket soared into the nig

Count, gently. "I can

!' 'It is an ang

laiming, 'It is that angel from San Sebast

I scarcely know where to begin or how to talk about them. I could never be an artist, no matter how furiously I painted, no matter how many beautiful women I drew; but I can paint smiles upon the faces of those sad women down yonder. I

you now,

much to do. It is delightful to be young and full of hopes, and to have the means of realizing them. Above all, it is delicious to know that there is on

at. "Do I not love my girl Lucrezia? Do I not love

. "I was merel

ing meteors behind them, and the Count, in the

ly, too, was different from any land he knew, and even Margherita Ginini was hard to understand. She seemed to be the spirit of Sicily made flesh and blood. He wondered if the very fact that she was so unusual might not help him to forget her once he was away from her influence. He hoped so, for this last week had been the most painful period of his life. He had come south, somewhat against his will, for a kaleidoscopic glimpse of Europe, never dreaming that he would carry back to America anything more than the usual flitting memories of a pleasant trip; but inst

r he was tired mentally and physically, watching the gray road idly as it sli

olent, semidetached frame of mind that he r

h a shock. Simultaneously he heard a cry from Ricardo; it was a scream of agony, cutting through Savigno's song like a saber stroke. For a moment Blake's heart seemed to stop, then began pounding crazily. A stream of fire leaped out at his left side, splitting the quiet night with a detonation. The wood which had lain so silent and deserted an instant before was lit by answering flashes, the blackness at an arm's-length on every side wa

rs had crossed over a powder-train at the instant of its eruption,

d and stunned him, but he struggled weakly to his feet only to find himself in the grasp of a man whose black visage fronted his own. He tried to break away, but his bones were like rope, his muscles were flabby and shaking. He exerted no more force than a child. In front of him something sickening, something unspeakably foul and horrible, was going on

name called and saw Savigno's figure outlined briefly against the gray background, saw another figure blend with it, then heard Martel's voice end in a rising cry which liv

nto the lesser shadows. There was no longer any struggling, although men were speaking excitedly and he could hear them panting; some one was worki

nto the American's and showing a brutal count

tors answered, whereupon the tall

er. "He is already dy

"It is indeed the Ameri

e has seen too much," said

e American. Do yo

der, Narcone," c

not laid hands upon him he might have made good his intention. They argued with him, all a

ave you

can! He ca

ttering angrily, and the others fell back to give

the work if you

a babble of argument, whereupon the new

o! Who d

brigand who held Blake's hands pinioned at his

red. We pulled him down firs

shooting," growled t

ourself. There was not

t Ricardo was

in took to be the infamous C

ignore, speak!

did not know whether he was injured or not. His deni

ou. There would be consequences, you u

nnot strike true? The knife went home, twice-once for us, once for poor Galli, who was murdered. It was li

Ferara where he lay sprawled in the dust, his teeth showing beneath his gray mustache, then died away,

so closely that his mind was confused; but when, in the halting yellow glare, he saw those two slack forms and the crooked, unn

egan to run, heavily, awkwardly at first, stumbling as if his joints were loose; but as his body awoke and the blood surged through him he went faster and faster until he was fleeing like a wild animal. And as he ran his terror grew. He fell many times, goblin shapes pursued him or leaped forth from the shadows, but he knew that no matter how fast he fled he could n

s echoed to the applause of the delighted spectators. The Don

ertained these poor people so magnificently, but t

. They had come out upon the open piazza which overlooked the lawn, and the other guests who ha

reatest event this village ever witnessed. And Margherita! Have you ever se

s ablaze with love. Oh, that Martel has broken all our hear

w that she loves it and that it pleases me. Now Martel-Madonna mia! What is t

at a run; others were hurrying toward them across the terrace, calling excitedly to one another. A w

as one who labored heavily. He was bareheaded,

ht." He dropped his companion's arm and hastened to the steps, then halfway down

seen the white face of

God! The

ries. No one guessed as yet what had befallen, but the loud voices d

ignore?" Colonel Neri

ged and he would have pitched forward had not the sol

the Colonel in

a uttered a second shrill cry, and then through the ranks of s

ried. "What is

olonel of carbineers. "Something dreadful has occurr

and nodded, whereat she closed her eyes an

ed painfully. "God in hea

eech and the people merely stared

ay? What is th

y haltingly, clinging to the Colonel to prevent himself from falling, his matted head rolling weakly from side to side. When h

," he ordered in the voice of a sick man. "Call S

before he had finished speaking. Then Blake was helped in

d was among the last to hear the evil tidings, came runni

e of Christ! They tell me he is

to scream, flinging herself upon her knees at the feet of

cried, loudly. "He was here but

rible condition of collapse. Bit by bit, the soldier learned all there was to learn of the shocking story, and through it all the Countess Margherita stood at his elbow, never speaking. Her eyes were glazed with horror, her lips were whispering somethi

ring with wide, shocked eyes? Realization had come to him long before he had reached Terranova, and he was sick with loathing for himself. Now, therefore, in every blanched cheek, in every parted lip, he felt an accusation. He supposed all the world would have to

hinking of Martel out there on the lonely

"Help will be here in

sit a horse

from which he had just fled! He would not go! His mind recoiled at the thought and terror came upon him afresh. Neverthe

nt." In a lower tone the Colonel urged: "For the love of our Savio

aid a shaking hand upon her

ould not go on and turned

ed dully. "How can that be when

red his working features. "If

hat would have

rear of the house came

ess cried: "Poor child!

ter all, he was

ou, Signorina. The doctor is with

rtel," she answered in the

cocked hat and uniform of a lieutenant of carbineers

e read

erself, saying: "Then

led her away from the door. "No, my child, we will go alone. You must wait." His

s, leaving her standing in the great hall like a statue