THE DOUBLE SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9641, 5 November 1909, Page 2

THE DOUBLE SECRET.

CHAPTER XL—Continued. "Why, Venus of the Louvre, woat a perfect dunce you must be to even ask such a question." Which answer Pauline very foolishly took for denial. A week after Pauline had been near the vineyard gate making a little sunset sketch of the hills, when a carriage rattling down from Fiesole overthrew a little child who was crossing the road with an apronful of fruit, and badly bruised its arm. Pauline helped the mother to carry the child to its cottage, and aa no one else was near she remained some time baching and binding up the arm, and making its comfortable. The newly risen moon was vieing with the fading sunset, when, with her portfolio under her arm, she set out through the thick rows of the deserted vineyard for Villa Paziz. Sh« had gone out but a few rods when she heard a joyful voice. "Dear signorina here ia a fortunate hour; howl have waited for a few Dlessed minutes '' She turned suddenly and faced Granitto Arriano standing with grape clusters and vine leaves drooping against his head and shoulder, like some brave young Bacchus in his vineyards. But here was not his Adriadne. Pauline started; she felt that she had been mistaken for the Lady Lina. That was prohably true, but commend me to your Italian for takingb est advantage of any situation. Arriano comprehended the position at once. "Signorina Percy, I command me to your bounty; I know you are wise and kind. In a merry freak of masquerading I have disgraced myself at the Villa Pazzi. Such jests are common to our countqmen, we mean no ill by them." "I trust not, Signor Arriano. Yet it is a serious matter to get an entrance to a gentleman's house under false pretences, and to lead a young lady to deceive her friends. Such a piece of folly puts a merry-hearted, thoughtless young lady at a great disadvantage, and I am sure you have too mucn respect for Lady Lina." "For both of you, signorina," interposed Granitto smoothly. "To desire to cive offence or cause embarrassment," said Pauline. "Pur Troprjo! and I ventured to speak with jou, signorina, to plead for my pardon, that you will offer my excuses, my regrets. Signorina, my heart shall ever cherish your image as my gunrriia-i angel, and I promise never hk.iv to offend " Whether Pauline would have declined the position of guardian angel to this fantastic youth remains un known, for glancing an.utid in haste to be gone, she caught sight of a paleface, with glittering eyes, looking at herself and Arriano through the vines. Was this Mrs Be'mis again, her head bound in a contadina's kerchief? She cried impulsively : "Signor Arriano, you must go! Leave this vineyard, and do not come back while we are living here, but pursue first this person who watched us, and find out where she lives." She sprang through the nearest path to the vineyard, and Granitto, shrugging his shoulders, turned to tne gate; artful in turning and tracking, he crossed, as he expected, the path of the woman who had watched them. "Signora," said Arriano politely, may I ask who it that watches my short interview with the gracious English ladv?" "I am your friend and the lady's," said the stranger. "Unseen I follow the fortunes of the ladv, and desire her happiness. I, too, have suffered, signor, from the cruel social distinctions which in England make no scruples ot breaking a heart for a whim." Arriano stopped and eyed the woman intently. His keen eye divined that she was in tamest, was shrewd and capable. "Signora," he said, "is there yet a good genius for unhappy lovers?" "There i 3 some for one," replied she, "who believes that love is superior to rank or money, fand that hearts should first be heard." . "And does my lovely signorina at the villa know of your presence?" inquired Arriano, remembering Pauline's excitement. "No, and let it be ~a secret; her friends are my enemies." "So much the better," said Granitto. "And is this your home with the Vignajo? So you may help me in little matters of keys and gates. Goodnight, and happy dreams."

BY DUNCAN McQREGOPv Author of "Kennedy's Foe," '-Islmiael Keforine "A. Game of Three," "Edna's Peril," Etc., etc.

"And," added Granitto to himself, a3 he went bis way, "if she helps me, I can see that she does not harm my charming Lady Lina." CHAPTEK XII. THE SECRET OF VILLA PAZZI. The Tazzi vineyard was surrounded by a high wall, and the key to the gate hung in the cottage of the vinedresser. The villa itself was surrounded by another wall, and the gate tc this inner wall had a porter's and therein slept Madzo, the Barbary man with the fez cap. Lady Lina was a young person destitute of filial respect and of family pride. Until she came to Italy she had especially cared for nobody but herself, but Granitto Marie Arriano met her, and between Lady Lina and Granitto arose the most intense passion. It was an honourable passion, too, in all except the fact that was sedulously concealed. Marriage was the object and intention of both these young people and both knew that of marriage Lord Harcourt would not hear, but that as soon as he discovered their affection he would at once remove his daughter from Granitto's reach, and inexorably deny all further intercourse. absolutely; knowing what would be her father's course, and as Granitto was denied all open access to Villa Pazzi, he and Lady Lina indulged in secret meetings. Granitto had now easy access to the vineyard. He had only to tap at the window of the vignajo's lodger, and she would hand him the key through thß window that opened upon the highway. This same lodger also warn2d Granitto that his English love would prefer him to show reppect and caution, and that he had better take a companion when he went to his trysts. This companion he found in the vignajo's boy, who for a proper fee attended Granitto as his faithful squire; and also was apt to carry notes between the lovers. Ths time of tr.eeting was midnight, the place of meeting the wall at the south side of the house. Eere the wall was strong and broad, and well sheltered with roses and among the fragrant blossoms met this new Romeo and Juliet. Now though Granitto's midnight visits were most carefully planned, they were not as entirely concealed as he thougnt. The Barbary man, Madzo, f t ll into a ftud with the vignajo and it pleased him to consider said vignajo a thief and a murderer, and nothing would make him so happy as to detect this man of grapes in some awful crime. One night the Barbary man walked forth to stone a cat wno was apostrophising the moo , and as he wallud he thought he saw the figure of Baptiste, the vinedresser's boy, silhouetted against the south wall. Madzo retired to meditate. The next night he woke to watch, and he again perceived that Baptiste, who should have been in bed, was abroad. As he watched again and again he perceived that Baptiste was doing picket duly, and that some one was on the wall, and voices were in conference. Now, bve was the smallest item in the mind uf the man from Barbary, but money loomed largely before him as a <notive power among men ; it never occurred to him that here some one might be intent on the daughter of the English "milord," but he was sure that some one was after his "ducats." "Oh, my soul!" cried Madzo; "oh. my courageous heart! I shall conquer and disgrace this vile vinedresser; I shall bring into the dust this wicked English boy; I shall save the great milord and the lovely miladis. There is nothing to hinder milord to say, 'Madzo, here are a few thousand pounds—accept them, since you saved me from being garroted." ; Madzo having thus arranged with himself the terms of his compensation, considered within himself the method of earning it. Although he had called upon his "courageous heart," Madzo was not courageous, and secretly intended only to attack in the struggle the vinedresser's boy, leaving the man and Ted to some other chastiser. He must have an ally, an ally who would do the work, and leave Madzo of Barbaby the honor and the rewards. Evidently one of the Englsh servants could not take this part; the English, Madzo knew, were greedy dogs, and always took all of everything. [TO BE CONTINCTED.I