The Island School — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

180 “Surely, chief, you do us an injustice, seeing that it took us hours to pick the accursed nails out of our clothing and flesh. Scarce a man of us but brought back with him at least three or four mementos of our visit to the castle.” | “Well, it was a child’s toy that scared you,” said Reonardo, with a wave of his hand. “As for those we encountered outside, I believe it was a small party of the boys, who had taken advantage of the night, foraging for food—in their vineyard, I reckon.” “Which Ugolino is, by your command, now laying waste.” “It is time his work was done,” said Reonardo, referring to a gold watch he wore. “He started before the dawn, and it is past the hour of noon.” “He may have fallen in with the young scouts from the castle.” “They will not venture forth in the daylight,” con- fidently asserted the chief ; “but it may be that his task is heavier than he deemed it. Ugolinois a-good man, and of great strength, as becomes a Castillian blacksmith. I would not lose him, for it is to him we must look to act when the hour comes to break down the castle gates.” “They are not broken down yet,” muttered Lorenzo. “Take five men,” said Reonardo, ‘and go to meet him. What! dost thou fear to do as I bid you?” “Tam not eager for the task, chief; but if you command I must obey.” ‘7 have spoken.” The rejomder was haughtily given, and Lorenzo, who knew the consequence of downright disobedience to orders, walked towards the gambling group and made known the commands of their chief. Low murmurings of a dissenting nature were heard “Who volunteers ?” asked Lorenzo. Nota man stirred. Lorenzo savagely named five men, who in turn rose reluctantly from their places,-and taking up their rifles from a stack of arms hard by, followed him on the way to the vineyard, to reach which they would have to pass the ruined schoolhouse. Reonardo meanwhile, with a small but powerful field-class, had been scanning the sea in the direction of Minorca. Hre long an exclamation of satisfaction escaped him. 1% originated in the appearance of a sail of the felucca type coming round a promontory of the island. “She comes,’ he murmured, “ my sweet Lucia, half- _ tigress and half-lamb. Now I must be wary how I smooth the way, for her jealousy must be put to sleep.” A quarrel among two or three of his men momen- tarily attracted his attention. He settled it by dashing i THE ISLAND SCHOOL. in among them, striking one with his fist, kicking | another with his foot, and shaking a third until his teeth rattled in his head like castanets. ‘Any more of this,” he said, fiercely, ‘and I will stop your quarrelling for ever.” They knew he was a man of his word, ona the game proceeded in a more subdued fashion. -Reonardo having lighted a cigar, smoked it as he strolled to and fro, watching the coming of the small felucca boat. It had but one occupant—Lucia di Valo—and she ran her little craft ashore with the impetuosity of a woman, and sprang out. Reonardo hastened forward to. greet her with a warm smile of welcome on his face. But there was no responsive smile on hers. ‘“‘T am here,” she said, “‘as I promised 1 would be.” “ You were ever good and true,” he answered, a little nonplussed by her bearing, “True to the false,” she answered, curtly. “Lucia,” he said, after a pause, “if this is the spirit in which you come to me, why come at all? “I wish to know,’ she answered, “if you are tired of pursuing a doll of a girl ?” “{ have no doll in my thoughts,” he replied. remain here solely to averge my lost comrades.” ‘You have lied to me so often,” she said, looking keenly at him; “ canTI believe you now ?” ‘“‘l swear I donot deceive you,” he cried, holding up his right hand clenched. “ If that will not suffice, go and leave me—with my misery.” She softened a little, and he drew a step nearer to her. “Come, Lucia,” he said, tenderly, ‘if I aie for a while been lured to the pursuit of a shadow, you know the strength of my love, and will forgive me.” ““Deceive me again,” she said, with her dark eyes 66 fixed upon him, “and I will treat you as a common foe.” She touched her ages in which nestled the small, sharp stiletto, significantly. “Il understand you,’ he answered, ‘and, ae faithful to you, can take the risk.” But even as he said this his mind began to hatch a scheme to rid himself of the woman he no longer loved, and of whom he was erowing afraid. He put his arm round her, and she yielded to his embrace. For the moment she was as the melting woman—the soft-hearted fool who loved and trusted. After a while he asked her if she had seen aught of Giuseppo. She nodded in acquiescence. “ And will he not return here ?” asked Reonardo. ‘No,’ answered Lucia. ‘‘ He says he is weary of attempting that which has already cost him so much, and must end in failure. He declares that the saints are all on the side of those who have the island.” “The saints have no power in the matter,” said Reonardo, irreverently. “‘ I left word for him to gather a band together and come to my help.” (@ 0) aa Cc 900 ES com |