The record-union., 1896-12-06

He was suspected once Of stabbing
man, but it was not proven. The Ital-
ian habit of concealing from the police
all social quarrels for private settlement
saved him.
/ The day he appeared to Maria he was
out singing merely to help the old gul-
| tar player earn some sadly needed
| money. That was a kind deed, and it
was generously offered, too. When
| Luigi saw the Tanagra, however, his
charitable purpose was superseded by
| another, very different one. He con-
| tinued to sing for two or three miles
till the old man, in his intimate knowl-
edge of Luigi, was marveling at such in
dustry.
Luigi coveted the Tanagra. He meant
to have it, not to keep it for it's beauty
he didn't know it was beautiful-but to
sell for it's price. He had seen one sold
once and knew what it would bring. The
F'uzori did not, he reasoned, else they
would have turned it into gold long ago.
Il can buy it-for a song" he thought,
and he sang
At noon he asked his companion how
much he had taken in.
-Four dollars and twenty" was the
prompt reply.
More than that, you gray liar" said
Luigi pleasantly. Show
The old man backed off in alarm.
Luigi reassured him and insisted on a
count. Reluctantly and gingerly the
old man pulled a fistful of coppers out
of his pocket He kept an eye on Luigi
who, however, managed by an agile
kich to scatter the coins into the air.
Ac bnf h
men fell to work picking them up, the
older man moaning and wimpering, the
younger in silence. When they had
gathered all the money, each counted
his share.
"A dollar ten," said Luigi and he
turned on his heel and walked off, deaf
to the prayers and imprecations of the
guitar player.
Luigi meant to buy the Tanagra, but
he never could tell any more than any
one else just what he would do. Dur
ing the afternoon he spent part of the
money in a winery, gave some away,
and on the rest he dined. With the
many pennies disappeared his good in
tention. Not that he gave up the Tan
agra; diablo, no. He would have that
anyway Only the mode of acquiring
it was changed.
If he couldn't buy it he would have
to steal it; that was all there was about
lit. He would steal it while Fuzori were
out
After his dinner he sauntered along
the Bend toward Marcos stand. Maria
and her mother sat there with the old
man as usual at that hour and gossiped
with their neighbors. Luigi slipped
LII a.
of the street till he was opposite the
tenement where the Fuzort lived. Then
he darted across the street into the
dark hallway and slowly climbed the
stairs to their apartment.
He knocked. No answer, of course
so he tried the door. 1t was not locked.
That was luck, though it meant
speedy return. Boldly pushing in the
door he entered as if he had right
there. Inside he waited a moment
for his eyes to adjust themselves to the
meager light from the street lamps, land
then began his search. Swiftly he
moved about, touching lightly all the
objects one the table, shelves and bed
in the first room. 1t was not there.
He started for small bedroom, Ma
rias.
Suddenly the hall door opened and
Maria came in, looking for him. She
had seen him leap across the street and
disappear in her house door.
"Signorina, most beautiful, most gra-
cious, dearest lady," said Luigi softly,
as he dropped on one knee and raised
his face to hers. II am come for my
heart. You stole it from me this morn
ing with a glance of your Madonna
eyes. Give it back, little woman, for
you do not, cannot want it,
The light reflected from the street be-
low fell full upon Maria's face Luigi
saw her great eyes grow with wonder,
and mistaking their meaning, he hur-
riedly said:
NO no; do not be frightened. /
will go away in peace. l did not think
to find you here. An impudent intruder
1 am, l confess; but is there no excuse?
l saw you, sang to you, thought /
pleased you. You were above me,
daughter of the prosperous fishmonger.
But why should I not for moment be
where you are, move where you live,
see what you see, touch what you
touch? The desire was irresistible I
am fool, but love, gentle lady, love is
a folly lovely women forgive
Maria's heart beat so hard she put
both her hands on it, She thought
Luigi was beautiful; she thought his
eloquence delicious. and she believed it,
1t surprised her, but her honest heart
accepted every word.
The young man perceived his advan-
tage. Emboldened ~ it, he stayed to
tuhjoy the situation he had made to cover
his flight from the room.
PITY is sweet in your eyes, carissima
mia," he whispered. 'In patience of my
love behind it? All, sweetest creature,
may hope? VIII you listen? Might you
love?"
Luigi had risen and approached Maria
as he spoke. He was smiling now: his
eyes spar1led and his white teeth shone
His hand took hers and his arm was
about to wind around her waist But
. she was watching his eyes and she saw
, in them and she felt in his manner the
mockery of his exultant humor. That
race. but which she had never known
: till the singer that morning aroused it
in her. rose in her small body now 1t
spread darkly over her face and flashed
| from her eyes. With both hands she
thrust the man from her, kissing in her
rage:
You lie, brigando, you lie. You are
laughing in your throat at me-"
With the fury in her face. the pretty
child became to Luigi beautiful
women. Her passion awakened his. For