THE DAY OF TEMPTATION. Chapter XXVI. Chapter XXVII.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 41

THE DAY OF TEMPTATION.

Chapter XXVI.

Chapter XXVII.

By WILLIAM IK QCEUX,

Author of " "Whoso Fimletli a Wife," " The Great Wav in England in 1897," " The E.ve of ]st.ir," "Jf fiinucis li.ntice Thee," "Zoiaula," " Guilty Bonds," " Devil's Dice," " A Hecnt Service," &c , Ac.

T!jo J'a'dzzo Funaro. AYS had lengthened into weeks, and it Avas already the end of February. In Florence, as in London, February is not the most enjoyable 'time of the year, and" those Aiho travel .south to the Winter City, expecting the sunshine and Avarmth of the Riveria are usually sadly disappointed. At the end of March Florence be-

ception deep and cunning, the. smallest icvelation of which would wreck all our hopes."' "How?" " Exposure of my plans would cost me my life," she answered, her face white and set, a shudder running through her slight frame. " Your life?" he echoed, still mystified^ " One would think you feared assassination." She made no answer, but pale to her lips she held her bieath. The ltonfcey m blue re-entered the room bearing a telegram upon a salver. His mistress took it, and, tearing open the folded pale drab paper, read its contents. " No reply," she said, and the man, bowing, withdrew. # " Nino," she exclaimed, m a voice ol deep earnestness when the servant had gone. "You may think it extraordinary, but for your sake, because I love no other man but yourself, I have resolved to risk my life and free myself. This telegram makes it imperative that we should leave again for England to-nii'kt. You have shown trust in me; you do not belike all the idle tales gossips Lave uttered. I lovo you, Nino. If I prove victor I gain your affection, and happiness always with you. If 1 lose, then I die, unwillingly, but nevertheless in the confidence that to the end .you trusted me." "No, no," he' cried fiercely. "You shall not die. You shall never be taken from me. 1 adore you, Gemma. God knows I love you, darling.' 1 " Tluvn you will never doubt me-- never ! she cried', clinging closely to him, ( and raising her beautiful face to his. "You will not doubt me even if, to gain my end, I feign love for another. To him hiv kisses shall be Judas-kisses, my smiles mockery, my lips venom, my embrace the cliillincr embrace of death. Hear me !" she cried wildly. "Igo to England with a pur- j p OSe __ a vendetta' complete ai.cl^ lerrible, which I will accomplish by hatred—or failing that mv love. Both will be equally fatal." * v

On the Night Wind. "\ou still wear your ring,' I.see."' MalVano exclaimed with a merry twinkle in his eyes one morning a fortnight later, while Gemma was sitting at breakfast at Lyddinglon with Nenci and his wife. The thin faced, black haired man had rejoined his wife suddenly a few day* before, and sin^e Gemma had returned they had formed a merry quartette. She had satisfactorily explained "her sudden disappearance, and had concocted a clever story of complications regarding her estate to account for her journey to Italy. r!°th men, knowing she was "wanjLed'"*by the Italian police, marvelled j at her audacity in going back, and her , adroitness in evading arrest. " I don't always wear the ring,'' she answered, raising her hand and contemplating it. " Let me see it," exclaimed Nenci, who jvas seated beside her In response she h.mded it to him. It was. unusually large for a l.idy, but of antique design, 'in the centre was a large oval turquoise around which were set two rows of diamonds, all of beautiful colour and lustre, while the gold which encircled the, finger was much thicker than is usual, the whole foiming a rather massive but extremely handsome ornament.

Nenci held it for a moment, admiring it with the air of a connoisseur, for by trade be was a jeweller, although he had perform >d, among other duties, those of wo-itni in a City restaurant. Ife declared at once (hal the diamonds weie dirty beneath their selin^s, o,nd, rising from the table, scrutinised it closely at the window. " I'll clean it for you to-day, if you Jilcp/' 3ie said when he returned to his seat." It i° very dull and dusty." She thanked him. and he placed it beside his phte. "Ah!" exclaimed the doctor suddenly, with a glance full of me.uiinrr. "That «.<s the marriage ring, wasn't if? " Nenci glanced across at him quickly and frowned, a gesture of displeasure wlndi Semraa failed to notice.

" Yes," she answered', r.ither harshly "It ivas the marriage ring— if you like to so term it. I scarcely ever wr-ar it, because it brings back too many painful memories. The bond Las been galling enough, Heaven knows!" " I thought you had no remorse. Yon always declared you had none," Ncnci remarked. " T»ut. since you've known that confounded lover of yours youNe K<jn a cha)-.L'O'l

"(.'incited for the boiler. I lio-pc,'" she relorted. "Do you think it po- Mble that I can "wear that ling wi'hout i-fmcmbei \wj. a cortan night in Livorno — ihe night, vlion till my c-vil fortune fell upon me?' 1 Nenci laughed superciliously. "Come," he said. "You're pp 7 r<- *',•••* sentimental. That's the worst of bi-iug love-sick.. When a woman of geuiu-H

[ loves *he ah\ ays throws common-sense to the ■winds." Her brows contracted for an instant, but too discreet to exhibit annoyance she nn-i ely joined in his laughter, and with skilful tact so characteristic of her answered — v " Ah, my dear Lionello, you • oen» to have forgotten our old Tuscan saying, ' L'armre avvicma gli uomini agli angeli ed al Cic'o ; i poiche il paradiso scende con l'amore in • noi."

" She'v had you there," exclaimed tieDoctor, merrily. " Gemma isn't the person upon whom to woik off witticisms." As he sat at table Malvano looked the very picture of good health and spirits, rudely, wel lshaven, and spruce i)i his lxnigh tweed riding coat and gaiters, for the roads being ] heavy and wet he had resolved to ride ais round that morning instead of driving. Only the day previous he had been attending upon the customers of the Bonciani, his ears ever open, and arriving back at Lyddiugiou by the last train from London he had been a long time closeted v/ifcb Nenci, prior to going jto bed. The Uvo men had held a long con- ! sullatiou, the i:r-tave of wliioli Gemma was ! unable Lo dete mine, but id war, evident from i her close observation of their demeanour tt&t morning that they' had resolved upon some line of immediate action. La Funaro wa3 now playing a dangerous game. Calm, silent, watchful, ever iv.ady to listen to their nefarious plans, and even making suggestions of deeper cunning and a veugeance more terrible, she had remained thr^-e acting a double part with a skill that v w other women could accomplish. ]3ut her previous training in the wiles of diplomacy and espionage under the crafty, fjii-bccing Montelupo now held her in good sstocul. Klie could criiiceal all her womaii's pity sxud lo\bcirance, all her repugnance at the terrible plans which were so calmly discussed, and with them grow enthusiastic at the thought of what was to follow. Hers was a strange personality, «. curious blending oi the grave with the gay. The mnsk she wore ?s a heartless, abandoned woman was absolutely without Haw. j That day Nenci spent most of his hours in the doctor's study, the room wherein no one was allowed to enter. Sallow-faced, ' | unshaven, wild-haired, he was so striking a ! j figure that the Doctor had advised him not i to go into Ihe village, as his pie^enec would ; !be at once remarked. Therefore, when Maivano was absent, he amused him&elf in chatting to the assistant at work making lip mixtures in the dark little room beyond the ' surgery ; in reading in the room, half-stivly, j half- laboratory, which Malvano reserved to ' himself ; or in strolling about the extensive grounds walled in against llip vulgar gaze. j : Gemma that day idled over magazines and i i newspapers in the moniing-ronn tihiil luncheon, when the doctor came in cold and half-famifhcd, with an appetite which did justice to his truly British appearance, i Afterwards she passed the afternoon in de- ' sultory gossip with Mrs Xonoi while the two \ men went to smoke, and in the evening, ! when coffee was served in the dr.o\ii.LX-room. she played and sang to them " Duorme, ■ Carme," " Surriento bello ! " the humorous ''Don Saverio," and other pieces, while Malvano, in his usually buoyant spirits, fetched his mandolino and accompanied her until the sweet music and the passion itc Avoids brought back to each of them memories of j their own fail far off hind. j About 10 Mrs Nenci and C>mm;i iv tired. } I and that night the woman, whom all Italy j j kn.">vi' as " La Funaro," knelt in the silence I of her chamber long and earnestly before ; i her ivory crucifix, praying for courage and > for release. Meanwhile the two men pro- ' cecJed to the DorU^'s study, turning the key in (be door af<or t'u'm. The small place , with its shutters closed ami haired smelt i overpovi enngly of ir.ingev.f- divrnicals. the table being "laden with bottles, test-tubes, ' retorts, a crucible beneath which a small spirit-lamp wo,s burning, and -i host of sundries which plainly showed tLat expm- j meuts were in progress. Ai the wall oj-po- • site was a side-lable upon vi-i;;''h a '•■•n.ill ■ vyc 1 hod been fixed, while ix-rHe il lny I several files and other tools. .' Both' men threw oi>" their coats and turned j up their shirt-cuffs, Malvano taking his seat in the centre of his chemical appliances, while his companion commenced work st j the small side-table. I Ncnci was smoking a cigarette wtieu they ! entered, but at a sign from the doctor ai- j once extinguished it. "Have you giv\ji. Remma bsuk L.*. 1 ring?' Malvann inquired, as they sai dow: , to work. The reason the Dorter c^'vsys locked himself within that room wa.s evident, lie was 'making cxpi;i imenls in j secret. j " Vpi, I gave it her just btiVre d'nnc," i tho o.her answered. i '" \f\ cleaned il, eh'! )' the doc!«.r wd. Mill, v yrim c :mile.

] " Yes, 1 '" tLe other replied briefly. ' 1 "It seems a pity — a groat pity," Malvano j exclaimed in a tone of regiet. '' Is there no other vray?" "None," Nenci answered firmly. "She knows too much. Besides, I hu\ c su.-pi-1, ! cions."' c "Of whafcY" "That she may play us false," the - sallow-friiod man replied. " Remember, she still loves that man Armytdge -the devil >' tiike him." "Well." Malvano sighed. "It's the only c way, I suppose, but it's hard — very hard c on a woman whose life has been wrecked :': ' as hers has." " Misericordia ! my dear fellow," cried ;s; s Nenci impatiently. " Surely you won't turn chicken-hearted after all this time. You've never shown the white feather yet."' ■, The doctor remained silent, and turning in Ins chair, bent over the small crucible ,s benepth which the blue Hi me was burning, J while his companion, easting a keen halfy suspicious glance in his diiection, also 1 turned to the small vyce fixed to his table o and commenced work. A long "time elapsed in almost complete y silence, so intent were both on ivhat they l " were doing. Once, only once, did Mal0 vano refer again to the subject of Gemma's j ring. n j "Is she actually wearing it now?'" he in- } quired. i " She did at dinner, I noticed," Nenci | answered. " But whether she wears her rings ? at night 1 don't know," he laughed. 0 "Isn't it— well — dangerous?" " Dangerous? not at all/ his companion - replied impatiently. " She suspects nothing, . absolutely nothing.'" f Again they lapsed into unbroken silence. Fully an hour went by when Nenci rising, still in his shirt sleeves, folded his c arms, and exclaimed in a tone of satisfaction ° and confidence — ' "At last, my dear fellow. I've worked 1 it out completely. . Failure has become absolutely impossible." 8 Malvano, still seated in hi^> chah , leaned 1 back and contemplated with admiration the 3 . object which his companion had placed ' before him, an exquisite little marble bust ■J of King Humbert of Italy. It was only * I about 18 inches high, but a faithful and I beautifully executed copy of that celebrated 5 head by the renowned Pisan sculpt...)-, Fonf j tacchiotti, which is so prominent- a figure 1 , in the centre of the great reception hall of '" the Quirinal at Rome. Piaster replicas of 1 this bust can be bought everywhere in i i Italy for half a franc, and are to be found 5, in most houses, of the loyal, while larger ■ ! ones stand in every court of justice. But * this miniature reproduction before the i ( Doctor was really an admirable work of art, ' i one such as a connoisseur would admire. J j Nenci had not chiselled k, but had appa- | rently been doing something to its small b'i?e iI of polished malachite. The hand that had I h\\n ceded in reproducing the feature^ so !< exactly was without doubt a master-hand. j On the t;ib!e -where the sallow-faced man had . been working stood two other busts exactly • similar in every detail, both in little cases of ' polished wood, lined with crimson velvet, • and each bearing the royal monogram in gilt ■ upon its base, exactly similar to the one in ; the Quirinal. "It's excellent. The Gobbo ha? eoitoii.lv turned them out marvellously well," the ■ Doctor observed. . ' " He's a genius," the other said enthu^ias- ; tically. " The reproduction is f-o exact that i detection is absolutely impossible. Look ! " ! and taking up a photograph of a miniature bust stand in;.; upuii a carved shelf against a frescoed wall, they both cempared it with | the one before them. "Do you see that small chip in the base?" Nenci said, pointing to the picture. "The Gobbo has even ' reproduced that." , ! "A wonderful piece of work," Malvano acquiesced. " Very neat and very pretty." ; " After Jt loves our hands it won't want ' many servants to keep it duftul," hi* companion observed grimly. "You see the ba>e being circular is made to move." he added, \ taking the little ornament in hi* hand. i " You twist it slightly so. and the thing is ' done. You see those two scratches across the stone. The ba?e must be so turned as to join ! thorn. And then, to the very instant, i well " and he broke off without concluding his renlenee. "II will strike the half-hour, eh?" the Doctor suggested Avith a laugh, i The otbei raised his shoulders and oivt- | spieud his palms. Then, regarding lu.s ' handiwork with the keenest satisfaction he ! thrust his hands deep into hN pocket*, nnd lcr-iiing against the mantelshelf goily ■ hummed ihe popular Neapolitan chorus — Peeche. Ndringhete-ndiinghete-ndra. Mmiez' 'o mare 7iu sco^lio nee sta ! Tutto vpiienc a bevere cca, Pocehe. N'dnnghete-iidvii.ghele-nclra, The Doctor, with fingers stained yellow by j the acids he had bsen mixing, the fumes of 1 which filled the s-inali den almost to btiffoe.iI tion, took up the beautiful little bust and ! oxi>mined its green polished base with a critiI cal eye, turning it over and over, and weigh- ' my it carefully m his hand. ! " Dcvili.-'h Minnmgly contrived/" he f-akl. i " ItV a pity it must be sacriiiced. Cut I suppi -te it iniibt." ! "Of four^-e," Nenci snid quickly. "We ' inu?t complete oui experiments and ascertain i that it actually strikes true. Is it quiet enough vet to try. do you think? " j Malvano ro-;e. The troupers he wore were J old and burnvd brown where corrosive liquids ! had fallen upon them, his hair v.^ milled, and his fa>-c duty, as if smoke-blackened. J " J iiope the thing won't acate too much i fu«^." he said in an ypprchensive tone, j "Leave all that to me," his companion answered confidently, and taking the bust he carefully unscrewed its malachite bise, 1 revealing a cavity wherein rested a small I square receptacle oblong and deep, something :ct the shape of a l:irge-:-i:'ed snuff-box. It j was scnuTd in its phice by fwo springs ' vUiih, when released, allowed Mic box to ft' ll ' out. 'Poking it out and operin^ it, he s-ud to his companion, " Here you are. Fill it up, -mFiV. I '»rra,njrG the tube." I Then -\\lii!e ll'f Doctor carefully fil'rd the S box with P(>me /-rcyish-wbite powder from a j tiny grpen »!ass bn<(lu on tiic table, Nenci j took up a tnbe of tl) ; !) <;] .ibout an iiuh loiH', one of Ihe t'>o or three \.!i' |1 h Malvano hj/1 ji&t IW-ii \<iih y-" d a>«U K\r .-IjuUly

[ sealed by the aid of his spirit-lamp and blow- • pipe. This he carefully inserted in the openi ing, afterwards replacing the closed box of i gn-y compound, securing it deeply in its 1 place by the two little steel springs.- ; Again he placed it upon the table, and rotreating a few step?, stood admiring it. "The reproductions ore all absolutely perfect," he observed. " We've only now to prove that om calculations are correct. Come, let's go. If anybody meets us they'll j think you've been called out to some urgent ! case. Therefore we're safe enough." i "Very well," the Doctoi ayreol, and both put on their co.tU and vreufc oui., Xcaci wuh I the bust covered carefully beneath the long , ulster he a'/jumed in the hall, j Koiselessly they let themselve.", out by the j .■ben ants' entrance, crossed the large paved ' yard to the stables, and finding a spade, the Dc'ttoi hid it beneath lii.s overcoat. Thou, crossing the lawn, they passed through a j.,ap m the boundary fence, and vere >o j )ii skirting a high hetlgeruw, ]>rocecdmg towards the open country, crossing field ailer field until about twenty minutes later tho - paused at a lonely spot. The place where they halted wa« so dark that they could scarcely sec one another, but the mossy, marshy ground avis soft bene.ith their feet, therefore the Doctor, , knowing the country well, suggested that ! this was the spot where the expemmnr. should take place. His companion at on<_e acepjiesced. and the Doctor, speaking in a low undertone, dnive his spade deep into the earth, and worked away digging a hole, although he could scai'ce see anything in that pitch darkness. Presently Nenci, placing the bust upon the ground, boldly struck a match, and by its fickle light ascertained the depth of the hole. j Malvano was still working away, fearful lest J they should be discovered, tiie perspiration dropping from his brow in great beads. ■» ' 1 think that's deep enough,"' he said after some minute-* had elap>od. Then, Miih'icg another vesta, he glanced intently at lus | watch to ascertain the exact time. Tie [ handed t3ie Doctor the matches, asking him , to strike another, aud by its aid held tho bvi^t ' upside down and moved tLo base very care- , fuily round. When at h?.t he had placed it at the ck<\^l point, he knelt and &h-\vly lowered it into tlie hole Avl.ich had bcwi dug. Botli men. v. jiking lika moles in the d<uk, quickly replaced tlie earth, Nenci stamping it down with hifc feet. At the risk of detection — for a lighted match can be seen a long way on a dark nis>ht— they struck two moie vestas in order that they might the more completely hide the beautiful little work of art upon v>hich Ncnci iuul been engaged so many hours that day. When it had been entirely covered, and the ploughed land rearranged, both men retreated rather hurriedly across a couple of fields, 'and at an old weather-worn stile stood and waited, peering back into the darkness. Thp chimes ot a distant church sounded over (he hills ; tnen tho dead 'jilen^c of the night fell again unbroken save for the mournful sighing of the wind For fully h'\e ininutes they waited uttering no word "' It's failed," Malvano at last exclaimed disappointedly, in an excited half-whisper " 1 tell you it c;,n'< fail," the other answered quickly " " I ought td know something of such conliivancos " Malvano muttered some word's expresshe of doubt, but scaice had they left hi* lips when of a yiefdon there was a blood-red Hash, a loud report, and tons of earth and stones shot skyward in the d'irkness, some falling unpleasantly close to them. ■ fl(,ly Virgin! ' <jjiu\ila<td the Doctor. '' It'h tenible. V>y heaven, it is! " ■" Nulling could withstand that," Nenci observed enthusiastically, with an air of complete satisfaction. "I told you it was absolutely deadly." The report had caiu-ed the earth to tremble where they siood, and borne upon the night wind had' no doubt been heard for mile^ arom.d. Ld'inj; no time they sped quickly fuiward towards tlie spot, and there in the gloom discerned that a great oak in the vicinity had been shattered, its branches hanging torn and broken, while at the spot wheie the little bust had boon buried was a wide, deep, funnel-shaped hole. Koine ercat hazel bushes in the vicinity had been Torn up by the iv\,t& and hurled a^ide, while on every hand was ample evidence of the tei rifle and irreM&tible force of the explosion. "The st length of the compound is far i>i cater than I ever imagined! It's frightful,'!, exclaimed the Doctor, gazing around half- fearfully. " Bui. let's get back, oi s.omeon? attracted by the jepon may be astir. What v, ill people think when it is di?*.')\ered in this morning'/ 1 " "They'll only believe that lightning has, done" it," Nenci said airily as, thrusting j their hand.-- into their overcoat pockets, they j retiaced their steps, bending against the i icy wind sj-weepinij acioss the open (ard. j In pn'-sin^ back acvo'-Fs the lawn both were too preoLUipied m it h their own thoughts to dctoct that behind the nnvet-hedoc i'.iere was a crouchmq figure, and that the person so concealed had probably watched all their ' mysterious movements and taken the keenest . interest in their extraordinary midnight J expei'iment. (To be continued.)