Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-24

They will call thee soon to supper and
shall not have seen thee al all. come
look over the wall. Beppecchia.'
The stiffness among the rosy pome-
granates and small green leaves remained
unbroken.
sweet Beppicchia. forgive me. I will
cook the macaroni."
Il do not want any macaronL' laugh
ed the damsel up the tree.
"Beppecchia, sweet creature, tell me
what thou dost want" cried the lover
overjoyed TO evoke an answer at last
Come down: see what l have brought
thee"
After a slight pause a big red pome-
granate fell crunching through the
branches. 1t would have struck Antonio
Sairo on the head. but Nureddu stepped
deity aside. and the fruit burst or lhe
ground. scattering its clear garnet seeds
in all directions. Again there was rus
tie. a n of scarlet flashing its way
down ng the foliage, a hasty little
slide .nG Beppicchias merry face looked
over tine hchened wall. She was an appa-
meath the black shawl drawn over her
curly black nair her eyes sparkled with
bewitchfng gayety. Her broidered scarlet
turned back to reveal the soft roun6ness
of the arm resting on the cold gray
stone.
The garden was on a slope, so that
Sairo and Nureddus back in the road be-
low could just reach TO the top of the para
pet on which she leaned. In the evening
light her beauty was more maddeningiy
tempting than ever before, and the blood
surged hotly under the dark skin. but he
curbed his passion for fear of startling
her. and held up a bunch OF purple lilies
of the field" \ little cloud of disappoint-
ment fell on the laughter Of her lips and
eyes.
"One would have thought thou hadst
brought all the treasures OF America. she
exclaimed pettishly clasping the flowers
with listless fingers.
His face fell.
Treasures do not grow on the noun
tains. almond of my heart. l brought you
all there was. What would you have?
Beppicchia did not like TO see people dis
pleased She reached over and caressed
his dusky cheek with her fingers.
Dear Antonio. it is only that flowers
fade so soon and one cannot wear them
One would have something one could keep
always"
Sweetest. say what thou wouldst have
I would get it for thee if it took the blood
of my heart"
Beppicchia beamed like child. and bent
over until he felt her warm young breath
on his cheek.
"Antoniuccio. how GOOD thou art 7
could not ask any one but thee. Listen,
friend of mine. Sabina Santorn was mar
ried to-day. and such a corredo she had.
Such earrings, And necklace-such
beads. big as walnuts, Antonio. how
would a necklace look on my neck?"
She bent so close that he seemed to hear
the beat of her heart and his brain whirl-
ed He rose up in his stirrups and flung
his arms about her and when the star
tied girl drew back and he saw the sur
prised look in her eyes sudden remorse
smote him. He fell back into his saddle
and gazed up in reaction Of penitence at
the girl. who had dropped her shawl. and
for the first time in her life stood bare
headed before him. The twilight had fad
ed. but the new moon threw radiance
over her figure. and he felt as though he
had desecrated the Virgin of Bonnaria.
Beppicchla had never liked him so much
before.
Mari Louisa Sairo was grating cheese
on the tough macaroni, which was like
wet rope to eat. Overhead, a little boat
shaped iron lamp hung from the reed cell
ing pickering dimly, scarcely breaking
the gloom in which her brother Antonio
sat. waiting his supper.
she shall have the necklace" ham
mered itself persistently over and over
again in his brain.
"Sabina Santorn was married to-day
he said at last.
Mari Luisa had been longing for an
opportunity TO begin;
That she was, and Antonio. such
corredo. l went TO carry my basket of
grain in with your bottle of Muscato stuck
in the middle. and / saw it all The jew
els were something to make one melt with
desire. There must have been a thousand
francs worth of gold stun. Cucureddu
went up to Casteddu for it all. and they
say the necklace and earrings alone cost
a good five or six hundred francs Nam
ma mia, how true the saying: Some
everything and some nothing Dowry.
corredo, house husband. that girl has
them although Cucureddu is "A little
plaster Of a man
In spite of the last clause Mari Luisa
put the macaroni on the table with an
audible sigh.
Five or six hundred francs" Kissed in
Antonio's ears. alternating with the I'M
perative words. she shall have the neck
lace" and still the bewitching face
cleaned on his sight full of its dimples
ard roguish laughter. He could not sit
still, he pushed his plate aside and went
out into the little shed which belonged to
Nureddu. Arabian blood flowed in Sairo's
veins He loved his horse like a brother.
hut a fever consumed him that night. and
he could have bartered his soul TO please
Beppicchis.
"Nureddu, she wants the necklace So
he murmured, apoogetically. The mare
looked up at him with wonder in her soft
black eyes. She felt there was trouble in
the air. so she rubbed her nose against
his hand TO show she had perfect conf
dence in him. and that she waited pa
tienty while he curried her carefully. took
down the bride and saddle and finally
led her out into the cool darkness. Nj
reddu thought it very queer but she did
not even neigh her surprise-knowing her
master wanted the thing kept quiet she
was not the beast to betray him. When
they were clear Of the town. Sairo mount