The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-12

| "Your poor knee-is it quite well?''
I asked svmpathetically, and in Italian.
at is quite well, signor.n she replied
laconically.
.'Will you take glass of sweet wincP
} have some here"
Teresa, in spite of our inimical rcla-
tions, made no objection. so filled q
glass and watched her sip it approx
ingly.
''ls the Signorina-Miss March well?
have not seen her to-day"
q ''She is well.'
~ 1T is about her wish to speak to
you-you have guessed thatp"
Il have guessed it." As she spoke
Teresa gave me u sullen. defiant look.
YES" l continued, "your vigilant.
faithful eyes have seen what have nj
wish to conceal. love the SignoriEa
Pauline"
.'She is not to be loved" said Teresa,
sulkily.
"One so beautiful must be loved |
love her and will marry her.
''She is not to be married"
"Listeu, Teresa. say will marry
her. / am gentleman and rich.
have 80, 900 lire year"
The amount of my income. magnih-
cent when reduced to her native coin
age, was not without its expected effect.
If her eyes, as they met mine, were as
| unfriendly as ever, their look of aston
ishment and increasing respect told me
was appealing to her tenderest feeling
! -cupidity.
snow tell me why should not marry
the signorina? Tell me who her friends
are that may see them and ask her in
marriage?"
''She is not for marriage"
This was all could get from the old
woman. She would tell me nothing
about Pauline's family or fr ends. She
would only reiterate that she was not
for love or for marriage.
l had but one chance left. Teresa 8
eager look when l mentioned the in
come possessed had impressed me. l
must condescend to the vulgar act of
direct bribery; the end would justify
| the means.
AS / was so often travelling it was my
habit to carry large sum of money on
my person. Idrew out my pocket-bOok
and counted out a hundred pounds in
new crisp notes. Teresa eyed them
hungrily.
"You know what these are WORTH"
l said. She nodded. l pushed cou-
pie of the notes toward her. Her skinny
hand seemed twitching with the desire
to grasp them.
"Teil me who Miss March's friends
are and take these two notes; ali the
rest shall be yours on the day we are
married."
The old woman sat silent for awhile.
but l knew temptation was assailing
her. Presently L heard her murmur-
Eng, $50, 900 lirel 10000 lire year"
The spell worked. At last she rose.
Are you going to take the moneys" 1
asked.
81 can not. dare not. am bound.
But"
"But WHAT"
81 will write. Twill say what you
say to il dottore."
"Who is the doctor? 1 can write to
him or see him."
Ibid say il dottore? 1t was slip.
No. you must not write. l will ask
him and he must decide"
You will write ut onc,?''
AT once" Teresa, with linger-
ing glance at the money, turned to leave
me.
"You had better take thess two
notes." said, handing them to her.
She buttoned them in the bosom of
her dress with feverish delight.
It'll me, Teresa" l said. coaxing-
ly, tell me ii you think--if II, Sig
norma cares at all for me?"
"Who knows" answered the old
woman, testify; Il do not know-hut
again l say to you she is not for love or
marriage"
Not for love or marriage! l laughed
aloud as thought of the old woman s
absurd and oft-repeated assertion. If
on the earth there was one woman
more than another made for love and
marriage it was my beautiful Pauline.
l wondered what Teresa could mean;
then remembering the fervor with which
she prayed in San Giovanni l decided
that, being an ardent Roman Catholic,
she wished Pauline to take the veil.
This theory would explain everything.
Now that l had bought Teresa l
looked forward to the enjoyment of
Pauline's society without espionage or
interruption. The old woman had
taken my money, and no doubt would
do her best TO earn more. If | could
persuade the girl to let me pass several
hours of each day in her company l
need fear no h;nderance from Teresa.
The bribe had been accepted. and. al
though blushed at the expedient to
which had been compelled to resort,
it had been successful.
l was obliged to defer any further at
tempt at loye-making until the next
evening, as an important piece of BUSH
ness had to be attended to in the morn
ing. 1t kept me away from home for
several hours, and when at last / re-
turned to Mazda vale 1 was thunder
struck to hear that my fellow dodgers
had left the house. The landlady had
no idea whittier they had gone. Teresa.
who it appears always acted as purse
bearer, had paid her dues and had de-
parted with her young mistress. There
was nothing more to tell.
Threw myself into my chair. cursing
Italian guile; yet. as L thought OF
Italian cupidity. not altogether hope
less. Perhaps Teresa would write or
come to me. I had not forgotten the
eager looks she cast upon my money.
But day alter day passed without letter
or message.
Ispent those days, for the most part.
wandering about the streets in the vain
hope of encountering the fugitives. 1t
was only after this second loss that l