The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-03-05

''Ho. Anitai' called out the man who
appeared to be the leader of the band;
open. We have brought friend to sup
per, who will require a nights lodgings"
An old woman with light appeared.
and over her shoulder. to my delight, l
saw the face had asked 10 be allowed to
paint so shortly before. / was about to
recognize her with an exclamation, when
| saw a hurried motion of her finger to her
lip, which looked natural gesture to the
casual observer, but which 1 construed
into sign of prudence.
! Where did you pick him up. CroppOw
she asked carelessly. HE ought to be
| worth something"
Just y bajocchi." he answered with a
sneering laugh. "Come. AMIGO MIC. You
Will have to give us the names of some of
your friends" ~
Il am tolerably intimate with his Holt
ness the Pope, and | have Il bowling ac-
quantance with the King of Naples,
whom may God speedily restore to his
own,"s ! replied in light and airy fash
ION, which seemed exceedingly TO exas-
perate the man called Croppo
"Oh, yes. we know all about tlat,ryye
never catch n man who does not profess
to be Nero of the deepest dye in order
to conciiiate our sympathies. 1t is inst
as well that you should understand nv
friend. that all are fish who come into our
net The money of the Pope's friends is
quite as good as the money of Garibaldis.
You need not hope to put us off with your
Italian friends of any color: what we want
is English gold..good solid English gold,
and plenty of it."
All, said i, with laugh, eff Won did
but know, my friend, how long / have
wanted it, too. If you could only suggest
an Englishman who would pay you for my
life; l would write to him Immediately,
and We would go halves in the ransom.
Hold" l said, a bright idea suddenly
striking me; suppose / were to write to
my Recommendations would that doYv
Croppo was evidently puzzled; my cheer
ful and unembarrassed manned apparently
perplexed him. He had suspicion that
was even capable of making n fool of
INN, and yet that proposition about the
Government rather staggered him. There
might be something in it. 80
Don't you think" lie remarked pr;m,v
1T would add to the effect of your com,
muhlcatIon if you were TO inclose your
own ears i'll your letter? I can easily
supply them: and If you are not a little
more guarded in your speech, you NAV
possibly have to add your tongue"
1T would not have the slightest effect, /"
L replied. paying no heed to his threat.
you don't know Palmerston as l do.
III you wish TO get anything out of him
you must be excessively civil. What does
ne care about my ears" And laughed
with such scOrnfui contempt that Croppo
this time felt that he had made q fool of
himself; and l observed the lovely girl
behind. while the corners of her mouth
twltched with suppressed laughter, make
a sign of caution.
Per Dio.' he exclaimed. jumping nm
with fury, understand. Signor Inelese
that Groppo is not to be trifed with. |
nave summary way of treating dsre-
spect.' and he drew n long and exceeding
ly sharp-looking twO-edged knife
SO you would kill the goose and 1
certainly am a goose. l refiected-''that
may lay golden egg" But my aIusion
was lost upon him. and saw my charmcr
touch her forehead Significantly, as though
to imply TO CroppO that l was weak in
the upper story.
'An imbecle without friends and twelve
bajocchi in his pocket" he muttered
savagely. Perhaps the night without
} food will restore his senses. "COme, foolr'
and he roughly pushed me into dark
little chamber adjoining. Here, Valeria,
hold the light"
SO Naleria was the name of the heroine
Of the donkey episode. As she held a
small oil-iamp aloft, I perceived that the
room in which l was to spend the night
had more the appearance of a cellar than
!. chamber; it had been excavated on two
sides from the bank, on the third there
was small hole about six inches square,
apparently communicating with another
room, and on the fourth was the door by
which l had entered, and which opened
into the kitchen and general liying-room
Of the inhabitants. There was n heap of
onions running to seed, the fagots Of
firewOod which Valeria had brought that
afternoon, and with an old cask or two.
wont you give him some kind of a
bedy' she asked CrOppO.
bah! he can sleep on the onions" re-
sponded that worthy. ST he had been
} more civil and intelligent he should have
, had something to eat. You three" he
, went on, turning to the other men, 'sleep
in the kitchen, and watch that the prison.
bolt besides. Come, Valeria.'
} And the pair disappeared, leaving me
in dense gloom, strongly pervaded by an