The Argosy, October 1906 — page 82: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a Seid Ney tie is yours, ane - forfeit. was no sign, no hint of who you were.’ My head grew dizzy. Here, for the 2s _ stranger was addressing me as. though I og ~~ were a king. What had come over my Se self, that duke and bandit alike should do me reverence? -And why, in the lat- ter instance, had the reverence been de- = 2 | ferred until now? =e _ I still doubted. : Bas. “Your knife?” I demanded. ‘Where en is-it?* “In my belt, eccelenza. To eke right.” -. J found and drew out the ugly, curved : little weapon. ‘““T am to die, then?”’ he acked quietly, = ‘misunderstanding my action. —- = None.” “Are you lying?” ae _“Eccelenza knows I cannot lie to ze hint: but he may search.’ St - Still holding the knife, I rose, Sore, a tight hold of the fellow’s arm. “Get up,’I said. Goss: = He obeyed ‘submissively. “Where is your torch?”’ ‘Somewhere on the lowest step. Shall T search?” “No. Have you no other means of Z Aight 2 “A candle, eccelensa, in my pocket.” ‘Light it. » He did so, : ? showing me my guide’s now familiar features, but paler than a when I had last seen them, and stamped with a mute respect, in place of their former sly insolence. = “Set the candle there, on the coping. ce “So. Now, take three steps backward. _ Farther back! Against the rear wall. a> Now, stand there while you answer my | questions.” I was between him and the water. He had no room to dash past me. I had ge proven myself the stronger man, sane I held, in addition, his knife. ~ ; So he could not escape, even if he chose to, which, from his slavish ‘obedi- ence to 8 every command, looked un- -‘Tikely. I saw that I apparently had some hold over him. What it was I did not know. ee «But I had no notion of lcsing it by be- ae is Yet how was I to know? There “What other weapon do you eye see —= the red beetle painted on the wall. = -traying my ignorance. Certainly. Hot as_ long as the fact is aid me inv rescu-— = ~ing Doris Todd. -_ = SS ‘“‘ How are you called? * &: i “began n my = =3 = Sith time in twenty-four hours, a totak~ catechism. © Jacopo” Marin ‘eceelenza, of Ca- sada in the Sicilies.” — “Why did you kidnap the lady and myself?” — “ Eccelenza, because I and my bectie ren were fools and mistook you for rich — Americans. The ‘signorina, as any one— can tell, is American ; but eccelenza’s Italian should have told us he was not a tourist. eee ds no excuse.’ a “Then,” I risked the danger of the ‘inquiry, “ ee did_ a “discover who LT — 3 really am?” Sa “T—I was creeping back, eccelenza, — to see how the tourist was taking his: = lonely captivity. I saw you beaming over, studying the Sign——"— ss He waved one Shaons hand Toad ‘“ By the way, who painted that?” = “T did, eccelenza,’” a touch of artistic = pride. flashing _ through” his — servility. = Before the query was fairly ‘spoken — could have bitten out my tongue for my folly in asking it, for he stared at ie in utter amazement. ~ ee ~ “Why, surely,” he muttered, “oe. - = ~celenza knows this is one of the Places!” “Yes, yes!” I broke in impatiently, — although I knew nothing of the sort. ‘“But why did yew paint it instead of some more accomplished artist ? Could — == “no one be found to——” — — A light of understanding and a jook= = of chagrin broke Soaitancousty on his evil face. “Ts it so ill done?” Ge ns hoped I had made no error in the task. ees I am accounted Seles! with the brush, and——” SS “Oh, it will serve!” I interrupted, as if dismissing the trifle from my mind. _ I was still shivering with alarm at the — narrow escape I had had from betray- ing my utter lack of knowledge. But for — the inspired turn I had given to- question I must surely have aroused his ge ee Vet i ; veneared a = fy rthe