OCR Text |
Show H 1 ft te-STORY I I Mr. Barnes, i American Archibald Clavcring Guntcr A Sequel to Mr. Barnes of New York 9 Author of "Mr. D.me. of New Yoik." I "Mr. J'oller of Torn," I "That Frenchman," Etc. Copyright, IW7. Dodd Wood Co.. N. V. SYN0PSI8. Burton It. HarnoB. wealthy American tin rini; Corjilcu. rescue the youtiK Hnir-IIhi Hnir-IIhi llcutunant, Edward Qprnnl AtiHtruth-rr, AtiHtruth-rr, unci lil.i 'Cornlcnn bride, Mnrlnn, ilaiiRhtor of the l'nollH, from the mur-clnrmi mur-clnrmi vvnclattn, undarntnmllnir that Ills rownrd In to liu tlio liuml of tlio Rlrl ho lovi'B, Knlcl Aniitriithcr. sinter of tlio KuK-IIhIi KuK-IIhIi lleiitcnnnt. The four lly from AJac-clo AJac-clo to Marseille1 on liourd the- Kronen ntenmor Conntnnllne, Tho vetuluttn iiur-hiiph iiur-hiiph nucl an the quartet nro nhout to tioiird tho train for London nt Mnrsellles, Mnrlna la .handed a inystorloim note which causes her to .collapse nnd necessitate necessi-tate a postponement of tho Journey. Barnes nnd Bnld nre married. Hoon aftor tholr wedding Barnes' hrldo dls-uppears. dls-uppears. BnrrloK discovers bIih Iuih liecn kidnaped , und takon to Corsica. Tho Kroom sccurcn a fishing vessel nnd Is about to start In pursuit of his brldo'a raptors when ho hears a scream from the villa nnd rushes hack to hear that Anstrmhcr's- wife. Mjirltm, Is also missing, miss-ing, llarnes Is compelled to depart for Corsica without delay, and so ho leaves tho Beurch for ''Marina to her husband while ho goes to hunt for Bnld. Just bo-foro bo-foro Uarnefl' boat lands on Corsica's wlioro Mnrlna Is discovered hiding In a corner of tho vcsol. She explains her nctlon by saying sho has como to help names rcscuo his wife from tho Corel-cans, Corel-cans, nornes and Mnrlna hnvo unusual adventures In their search for Bnld. In seeking shelter from n storm tho couple enter a liermltngo and there to their amazement they discover Tomasso, tho foster father of Marino. Tomnsso learns that Marina's husband did not kill her brother. Many wrongs nre righted. llarnes Is surprised In tho hermitage by Uochlnl Hnd Itomnno, ' the. two detested bandits, who have been searching for him to murder him for his money. Tho bandits attempt to tako nwny Marina. llarnes . darts out tho door. The bnndlts start to pursue, but as thoy reach tho door both lire, laid low by llarnes' revolver. Anstru--Uier arrives to find Marina and learns that Bho has been lured nway by tho telegram which hud been soni by another without his knowledge. Tho two start In search' of Marina, llarnes and Edwin tako different roods In their search. Edwin Is trnpped In n tower where ho Is made prisoner. In endeavoring to eBcape he opens a trap door where he1 finds Emory, tho detec- , tlve. who had been Imprisoned there pre viously. In another secret chamber To-maMso To-maMso Is found Imprisoned. Edwin In climbing down a wall sees upon tho portico porti-co of a farm house Marina and Count Danolla sitting and talking together. Barnes arrives and finds the bridge swung preventing his crossing over, lie hears the voice of Marina crying for mercy. Ho examines his revolver. CHAPTER .Vll. Continued. Hastily ho soloc'ta a spot with a good lino of sight and Btands waiting waiting wait-ing for tho chnnco; for Intervening vinos trouble him. nnd tlio follago of n great orango trco, standing alono In Uio garden and midway between tho hou bo and tho turret, jumbles the light, 'which la only tho faint sheen of the rising moon. . Slightly boforo this, Marina had been sitting qn,'thq, long veranda of tho Corslcan farmhouse, tho lighted lamps placing 'somo tinges of ruby In her dark brown hair and giving color to tho light costume that enhances her loveliness. Quietly entering from tho house, Clprlano Danelia, costumed in tho old tlmo, romantic 'Corslcan garb, gazes upon the oxqulslto girl outlined by tho light costume. Tho eagerness of his glanco draws Mrs. Anstruthor's oyos to him. Sho ; looks up and snys: "Ah, Count Clprl ano, It was vory noblo of you, who I had feared would hate mo, to rescuo mo from tho 'Luccheso.' At your nd-vice, nd-vice, I havo rested hore, but to mor-, mor-, row, notwithstanding tho romantic i Bcrenado you havo provided for mo, I must- go on to Ilastla." l"Oli, yes, to Dnstla," murmurs tho ' count softly, and stopping nearer, says suavely, though thoro is a weird suggestion sug-gestion In his volco that somowhat disquiets dis-quiets tho lady: "Wo aro alono hero I In my old farmhouse, only old Martha, tho cook, who, fan away, will snoro till dawn, aud.my nophow Count Enrico." "I haven't scon him," remarks tho girl uneasily. "Parbleu, you did onco, tho gontlo-man gontlo-man with tho scar upon his face, tho one who delivered tho letter that caust'd your nerves to Jump In tho Marseilles railroad station. Even now Ills name sooms to havo an 111 effect upon you," for Marina has started up, and the Muttering of her light skirts shows her limbs aro trembling. "Mia Madro, was ho tho man?" sho shudders. "And was it you who penned it?" Then somo divination entering hor mind, sho implores pathetically: "Holy Virgin, no harm has como to Edwin? Havo I not kopt tho cruel pact? Havo I not dosortod my dear husband? It was tho promlso of that awful letter that no evil should como to Edwin if I loft his arms." "Ah, but you intended to return to them, bulla mla," smiles tho gontlo-The gontlo-The young wife scarcely hoeds tho insinuation of the subtle Italian term, hut stammers confused: "Why do you think that?" "Ma fol, you wero Journeying to Bas-' Bas-' , . tla to 'meet,.your husband, lurod thoro '. " by a telegram I directed to bo sont to you fromVthat. place," whispers tho count slgufflVantly, 1 "Tho telegram was false? Edwin Is not In Corsica? Edwin Is safo7 Madro ell Dlo, 1 thank thge!" Marina's voice rings with a hopo that produces a supremo su-premo Joy In Clprlano's occult mind. This lady upon whom he has set his fervid heart, Is courage personified as regards her own Bafoty, but the great lovo sho hears tills Englishman makes her timid for him. 'TIs Danolln's plan to uso for Its own destruction this generous gen-erous and mighty love. "That's what I wish to discuss with you," ho observes quietly, gazing upon n fnco to which each wave of passion adds such loveliness that ho cannot restrain the monstrous proposition on his tonguo. It breaks forth. "My poor brother loved you, but you gavo him death," ho whispers passlountcly. "I lovo you, but, per Daccho, you will not glvo mo death but lovol" "Lovo? Impossible?", Marina starts from him wildly; then scorn coming to her eyes and voice, remarks haughtily: haughti-ly: "You aro speaking to a wedded wife, Monsieur." "Not legally wedded, I havo hopes. My brother, poor Musso, perchance by his lips In private gavo his consent to your nuptials, but of that I havo no proof. Thoro Is no written document. You nro still n child but 20 according accord-ing to tho French law, you cannot wed without tho consent of your guardian for sovoral years. Anstruther, In his I careless English way, thought not of It; you wero too eager for his wooing to noto tho omission. Ily my poor "Edv My Flowers Brought You to Thlsl" brother's death, his authority as your guardian passes to me." "Pish! I was wedded In Musso'svery presence," answers tho girl, proudly; then cries: "I urn Edwin Gorard An-struther'8 An-struther'8 wlfo, by tho church and by my lovo." " 'TIs a pity; you compel mo to mako you his widow.' "Edwin's widow?" At that awful word, Marina shudders and sinks overcome over-come into a chair. "Listen to mo!" Clprlano's volco Is deep with menace, yet soft with passion. pas-sion. "On tho further clirf down tho coast aro quarries of dazzllng-hued green Orczzn mnrblo that Is takon from this island to deck palaces." "Orczzn marblo, what has that to do with Edwin's life?" half scoffs tho girl. "Hut It may havo something to1 do with his death," observes Danelia. "For tho blasting of tho rock is used much dynamite. I havo robbed tho quarries and havo mined tho baso of yonder turret with tho oxploslvp. In It aro threo men: one, old Tomnsso, whoso knlfo ontored my brother's heart; tho othor. an Amorlcan detective detec-tive who has placed his Yankco noso Into this vendetta, unfortunately for himself. Emory Is In that turret.' You will glvo something for these men's lives?" "For Emory nnd dear old Tomasso? Certainly anything In reason." Tho lovely eyes aro filled with a strange alarm. "Ah, but It must not bo In reason It must bo In a passion as exalted as my own fo you. When I dlroct my nephew, who Is bound to mo not only by ties of blood, but of grntltude, and who is lnllamcd against you all by his oath of vendetta for tho murdered Musso, ho will light tho fuse leading to tho mlno, nnd puff! that tower, with every man who's In It, goos Into tho air!" "Murderer!" shudders Marina, .who has listened astounded... "Ah, you havo sympathy for these poor fellows! That Is well; I shall lovo you more for your tondor hoart," continues Clprlano softly. "But tho law!" half screams tho lady. "Pah In Corsica In a vondetta. Hesldes, tho blown-up tower will bo thought but nnother outrage of tho rioting 'Luccheso.' Oh, this Is noworso than dagger thrusts or' blows from bullets which nlwnys como In a blood feud. And In that mined turret," Clprlano's Cl-prlano's volco is low but terrlblo, "thoro is another man, who following tho cyclamen ilowers you dropped in tho road and a fow moro wo added to lead him into that fntal tower" "Edwin!" Marina's limbs hardly uphold up-hold her. "Tho man you foolishly call husband." hus-band." Tho finger of tho suavo wooer points to tho turret's' upper lloor. Then tho gamo Is on! Her oyes following hla gesture, a shuddering cry, low, broken, despairing despair-ing yet full of tondorost lovo, Issues from tho girl's lips that havo now bo-como bo-como whlto as death itsolf, "Edwin, my husband my Howors brought you to this following for lovo of mo" "Ho Is caught llko a rat.ln my trap!" smiles tho count., "Not without', warning, wrotch;" t She would spring from the veranda nnd run over to the bnso of the towoi nnd call up o tho man whoso face she sees outlined ngalnst tho grlllago of the upper window, through whose Iron bars lie Is struggling to force his way. Hut Clprlano's strong hand clutches her white arm; ho pulls her back Into tho scat nnd commands: "Not until you've heard my words, which may savo his life!" "His lUo? Toil mo!" "I hnvo explained you nro not legally legal-ly this man's spouse," Clprlano's voice Is trembling with desire, "Ilccome mlno! I had purposed In Nice tb give you a very cruel death for what you had to do with my brother's killing, but when 1 saw your beauties and knew that tho llttlo child 1 had oTice Been had grown Into a Venus, but nc marble one, to myself I said: 'Corpo dl Haccho, 'tis In tho blood of tho Danol-las Danol-las to lovo this woman. I am enamored of hor as wildly as poor dead Musso 'TIs a mcdlovnl Idea; Instead of slay lng her, I'll hnvo rovengo In winning her against herself, tho wife also against tho husband." "Not ngalnst Edwin! You havo no causo of hato against him." "Vendettas are caused by lovo as well as hato! Ho dares to call you wlfo. Each moment my eyo rests upon you Increases thy sweetness to me. You aro Corslcan so nm I no foreigner for-eigner should stand between us." "Holy Virgin, you expect mo to lovo you?" stnmmcrs tho girl. , To this ho answers with Mnchlavel; Han subtloty: "Of course not now,' but that may como In tlmo. At present pres-ent you loKijoKdwIn! Hecnuso of this dovoted.ilpvviirrntw savo this gentleman you ndororrrMO11 Blvo yourself to mo." At his hideous mathematics tho girl ultcrs a cry of horror. "If you would savo tho llfo of this J Englishman whom I should dispatch by my oath of tho vendetta, at onco your kisses. "Would Edwin wish to llvo, his wlfo untrue? Monster!" Marlnn's faco blazes with shame. "Oh, no, not monstor; simply a man who hqs gono crnzy for thee. Understand, If you nro mlno, tho man In thnt tower lives. To-night on tho vessel that Is anchored horc, I'll boar you away to somo far distant Isle of Greece" "My husband would follow us forever!" for-ever!" "Not If ho know you woro faithless! 'TIs not their English way. A woman who Is dishonored Is no moro to them than a tainted orange." "Dishonored in his oyes? Never!" cries tho girl. "I'd sooner you killed him sooner you killed mo, much! I'm In your power; I'm alono hero, holp-lcss holp-lcss In your hands. Kill mo. Lot my darling go." As Danolla has clutched her, tho old neck fastenings of tho ancient gown havo given way; sho plucks its laces further apart over her dazzling bosom and begs: "Bury your stllotto hero, but sparo my husband." Her pnso only makes hor the more alluring to bfs devouring oyes. "What, kill inc being I adore!' shudders Clprlano. "I have nn stiletto and I havo takon caro no knlfo Is near your desperate hands, my lady. Hesldes, He-sldes, I'll novcr lot you go. If you will not loavo your husband as his wlfo, leave him as ills widow." "Horc, Enrico!" ho calls. Tho young cavalier with tho scar abovo his eyebrow comes onto tho veranda and says: "My uncle, I honor thee, you havo decided to glvo this woman death?" (TO UK CONTINUED.) |