San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-27

melted SappnlreS, Gancle0 1 coulu@ see
her, the Deliah of my life, lying prone
on the golden sand, her rich hair float
ing straightly around her like yellow
weed, her hands clenched in the death
agony, her laughing lips blue with the
piercing chillness of the washing tide
powerless to move or smile again. She
would look we'll so, thought, better to
my mind than she looked in the arms of
her lover last night. fell into strain
of profound meditation-a touch on my
shoulder startled me. | looked up; he
Captain of the brig stood beside me.
He smiled and held out a cigarette.
"The Signor will smoker" he said
courteously.
/ accepted the little roll of fragrant
HAVANA half mechanically.
"Why do you call me Signor?" / in
quired brusqyely. Il am coral
fisher"
The little man shrugged his shoulders
and bowed deferentially, yet with the
smile still dancingly in his eyes and dim
ping his olive cheeks.
"Oh, certainly! AS the Signor leases
ma. And he ended with an
other expressive shrug and bow.
| looked at him fixedly. what do
you mean?" / asked with some stern
ness.
With that bird like lightness and
swiftness which were part of his manner,
the Siclian skipper bent forward and
laid brown finger on my wrist.
''Scusa, vi prego But the hands are
not those of fisher of coral"
| glanced down at them. True
enough, their smoothneSS and plant
shape betrayed my disguise, the gay
little captain was sharp witted enough
to note the contrast between them and
the rough garb | wore, though no one
else with whom / had come in contact
had been as keen of observation as he.
At first was slightly embarrassed by
his remark after a moments
pause met his gaze frankly, and light
ing my cigarette | said careessly:
"Ebbene! And what then, my friend?"
He made a depreCatory gesture with
his hands.
NAY, nay, nOthing,-but only this.
The Signor must understand he is per-
fectly safe with me- My tongue is dis
creet--I talk of things only that concern
myself. The SignOr has good reasons
lOr WHAT he uOeS. . .Ol tHdb L all sure.
He has suffered; it is enough to look in
his face to see that. All. Dio! there
are so many sorrows in life; there is
love, he enumerated rapidly on his
fingers there is revenge, - there
are quarrelS, there is loss of
money: any of money; any of
these will drive man from place to place
at all hours and in in all weathers.
Yes, it is so, JUDGED ] know il! The
Signor has trusted himself in my boat
desire to assure him of my best SER
vices"
And he raised his red cap with so
charming candOur, that in my lonely
and morose condition | was touched tc
the heart. Silently | extended my hand
he caught il with an air in which re-
spect, sympathy and entire friendiness
were mingled. And yet he overcharged
me for my passage, you exclaim! Ay-
but he would not have made me the OBJ.
iect of impertinent curiosity for. twenty
times the money! You cannot under
stand the existence of such conflicting
elements in the Italian character No,
Il dare say not. The tendency of the
calculating Northerner under the
same circumstances would have been to
make as much out of me as possible by
means of various small and contemplate
items, and then to go with broadly hon
es countenance to the nearest police
station and describe my suspicious, APP
pearance and manner, thus exposing me
10 fresh expense besides personal annoy
ance. With the rare tact that distin-
cuisines the southern races the Captain
changed the conversation by referOce
to the tobacco we were both enjoying.
at is good, is it not?' he asked.
excellent" | answered, as indeed IL
was.
His white teeth glittered in smile of
amusement.
1T should be one of the finest quality,
for it is present from one who Will
not smoke nothing but the choice brands.
All, Dio! what fine gentleman spoilt Is
Carmelo Neri"
could not repreSs a slight start of
surprise. What caprice of Fate aSso-
ciated me with this famous brigand? |
was actually smoking his tobacco, and |
owed all my present wealth to his stolen
treasures secreted in my family vault!
''You know the man, then?" | in
qured with some curiosity.
"Know him?" As well as ] know my
self. Let me see, it is two months
-yes-two months to-day since
be was with me on beard this