The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-28

not in keeping with his honest and re-
liuious character, and there were times
when the recollection Of it made him
feel uneasy.
As the winter wore ON Antonio's de-
yotion to his employers never slackened.
Beyond the commissions which it is but
lust and right that the faithful Condo
lier should exact from those dogs Of
tradesmen, even if they did charge the .
same commissions in his masters bills,
he was tirelcss in protecting the Mild
mays from imposition. He was never .
too tired to do anything that he was .
asked to do and although, when his
brother Spiro was temporarily out of
employment Antonio discovered that
there was nearly alv avs too much wind
to render it safe to take the gondola out
with "a single oarsman, and that he
would, therefore, furnish a second oars.
man in the person of Spiro at his mas
tors expense, he never intimated that
he was not ready to row hour after hour
while the Nlildmays explored the city
and the lagoon. Mr. Mildmay was fas-
ciuatcd by the narrow Venetian streets
and spent hours exploring alone every
part of the city. lie was probably per-
fcctlv safe in so doing, for highway rob
berry and crimes of violence are almost
unknown in Venice; but, for all that,
ne was always, though without his
-nowlcdge, accompanied on his walk
ing excursions by tho stoalthy and I'M
suspected Antonio who kept out of
sight, but in readiness to come to his rs
siStancc should the necessity arise
I Toward spring Antonio thought il
best to have his wife's mother die, but
20 his surprise Nh Mildmay did not
1 offer to pay the old lady's funeral ox-
peuses. He drew the line at muthcS-in-
law, and Antonio received only his half
holiday to accompany the corpse to the
cemetery. This miscarriage made An.
tonic think more than ever of that fail
ure to keep his promise to the Madonna
in the matter of the wax candles, and
he sometimes wondered if she We're cana
bic of carrying her resentment so far a.
to take his EngliShman from him,
There is gas in Venice, but the judi
cious householder does not use it, save
when he desires to enshroud his rooms
{
light strong enough to read by, he burns
petroleum. 1t was, of course, Antonio
who supplied the petroleum TO the Mild
may household, and equally, Of course,
he bought the poorest quality ana
charged for the dearest. Now, in spite
of all the care which timid person
may lavish on lamp burning cheap
petroleum it is nearly certain sooner or
later to accomplish its mission of set
ting somebody or something on fire, and
Antonio's petroleum, which was rather
more explosive than gunpOwder unac-
countably spared the inmates of the casa
Mildmay until the month Of March,
when it suddenly asserted itself
1t happened i'll this way: One even
ing Mrs. Mildmay took a lamp in her
hand and started to cross the wide and
slippery floor of her drawing room.
The rug on which she trod moved under
her, and in the effort to save herself she
dropped the lamp. 1t broke, and in IN
instant she was i'll a blaze.
Antonio was in the anteroom. Th
, door was open, and he saw the accident.
He sprang to Mrs. Mildmay's assistance.
He did not attempt to avoid the flames,
but rushed directly through the pool OF
, blazing oil, burning his feet and ankles
horribly. He seized Mrs. Mildmay and
tore away her dress with his bare hands.
He had nothing to wrap around her, fol
he was wearing no coat at the time, but
he claspod her close in his arms and
smothered the flames that had caught
her petticoat by pressing her against
his bosom. She escaped with nothing
worse than a slightly burned finger, but
Antonio's hands, arms. feet and ankles
were burned to the bone. By this time
Mr.. Mildmay, who had been in his
study, heard his wife calling for helI
and made his appearance.
Antonio asked the parona's permits
; sion to sit down for moment and ther
, tainted away. The cook was called ant
: sent for the doctor. She met Antonio
, brother in tile Gale, close to the house
I md sent him up stairs. With his hell
, Antonio was carried to Mrs AIildm0y''
, bedroom and laid On the bed and be
, fore the doctor came the wounded mar
regained consciousness and thanked thc
T Mildmays for their care OF him.
The doctor, after dressing the wounds
said that the man might very probably
recover, but Antonio announced that M
: was about to die, on hearing which de
I cision the doctor changed his mind
p when Venetian of the lower elias
gives up and says he is going to die, 3
said the doctor, mo medical science
: can save him. Your man will die be
! fore morning if he has really lost al
hope, There, he says he wants priest
( You might as well order his coffin a
"a once / can do nothing to save him. "
{ "Paron," said Antonio presently
S would you, in your great goodness
l permit my wife to come to see me 70
: the last timer"
v You shall have anything you want
= my brave fellow, " replied Mr.. Mild
n may, "but l thought your wife wa
dead.
J.. II was mistaken about it, " said An
[ tonic. ''It was her twin sister VIII
@ died, and they were so much alike tina
b. their own mother could not tell then
apart No; my poor wife is still alive
4. May she bring my little boy with hcr:'
!. Tell her TO bring anybody you MA,
$ want to see, " replied his master, "bu
A l certainly thought your little boy wa
buried last January.
q 1.-The paron is mistaken, if he viii
r pardon me for saying so. 1t was m,
! little girl who died, Was it not so
: Spiro?'
Spiro confirmed Antonio's statement
8 like loyal brother who is afraid of IL,
fraternal lie, and Mr.. Mildmay had no
p the heart TO trouble the sufferer Will
/ any more doubts of his vcracity.
I Antonio was duly confessed and re
/ ceivod dissolution. Did you tell tn,
father about the candles?" Whispered
Spiro after the priest had gone
81 thought" answered Antonio
. "that perhaps the Madonna had not We