The San Francisco call., 1905-04-16

IL girls voice a note of pity and
NJ OF fear for his safety, and a
y flash OF smile softened the Bit
terness Of his lips.
You are right, Signorina.' he an
swered, and preceded her. The people
parted as they passed, some peering
maliciously. some shamefaced. Tita,
bringing up the rear, glared about
him, his fist clenched like a hammer
He knew well enough who the stranger
was, but his sighorina walked with
him and that was sufficient. Tita knew
what was expected Of him.
1t was growing dusky as they
emerged. The group before the shop
had run to watch the great surgeon
alighting from the water stairs. The
dozen steps that brought them to the
open piazetta they walked in silence.
There Teresa paused. wishing TO say
she knew not what, burning with sym
pathy, yet timid with confusion. The
street seemed TO wear an unwonted.
uneveryday luster. yet she knew
that around The corner lay
little Pasquale, woefully hurt,
in full view Tita was unIash-
zetta she could see the entrance OF the
cafe where her father was slipping
his coSnac. A fear lest the latter
should appear and find her absent from
the gondOla mixed with the wave of
feeling with which she held out her
hand TO the man beside her.
Poor little fig-merchant." she said
the scene with the mother was too
painfully recent to touch upon at once.
He watched for nv gondola every
day. 1 hope he is not badly hurt.
What do you think. Signore?'
No bones were broken he rejoined-
But os 10 internal injury, ] could not
tell. / shall hope doubly for him." he
added. since you love him..
Her eyes sought the ground suddenly
shy. Il have loved him from the frsC.
You know, he cannot play like other
Chiidlen. He is lame; L think that is
Nhy ! love him"
Ciordon's lips compressed. his cheeks
flushed with an odd sensitiveness that
had long been callOused- But he saw
instantly that the remark had been
innOcenI OF allusiol. A weird forgot
ten memory shot jaggedly through his
brain Years agO-how many Neals
agO-he had overheard a girls voice
repeat u mocking antitheSiS: DO you
think ] could ever care for that lame
boy" This girl facing him had the
same fair hair and blue eyes of that
bOvish love of his The resemblance
caught him. Was it this that had
haunted him IN the miniature2 Was
this subconscious influence what had
inspired at La Mira his aching desire
that she should not think worse of him
Than might be?
Her voice recalled him. She had not
understood that veiled look, but it
brought to her lips what had been
nearest to her thOught-the resentment
and regret that the viragos shrilling
voice had reused.
What must you think of our Venice.
SignOre." she said. But they knew
not better-those poor people They
cannot tell evil from good
1t is no matter, SignorinS," Gordon
answered. DO not give it thought.
II was not unnatural, perhaps"
Not unnaturali" she echoed
Natural TO think you evil? All, Sig
nore-when your every touch was kind
ness, Could she not see in your face?'
She paused abruptly, coloring under
his gaze.
The words and the flush had cut him
like a knife. The lines of ravage he
had challenged in the mirror her inno-
cence had misread. In the olive wood
she had seen only Wretchedness, here
only mercy.
The face is sorry index. sometimes.
SignOrina. In mine the world may not
see what you see.'
He had schooled his tone TO light
ness. but her mood, still tense-drawn,
felt its strain. She spoke impulsively,
bravely, her heart beating hard.
What / see there-it is pain, not
evil. SignOre; sorrow, but not all your
own; loneliness and regret and feelings
that people like those"-she threw out
her hand in a passionate. gesture
toward the shop-"can never under
stand"
1T is only such as they" he inter-
posed. The wcrld. your world, would
not understand. either II is only here
and there one finds one-like you, Sig
norina-with sympathy as pure as
yours"
Her face had turned the tint
that autumn paints wild straw
berry leaves. q rich, translucent
Hush that deepened the light in
her eyes. tt was a lyric world to-
dsyl Just then Tita's voice spoke
Warningly from. the waterside. She
looked around, and through the gath
erfng shadows, saw her fathers form
standing in the door Of the cafe across
the piazzetta-
OH" she said confusedly. and turn
ing hastily crossed the pavement to
the gondola-
Tita's oar swung vigorously on the
return. for Count Gambia was in haste
He was Voluble. but Teresa. as she
looked out through the curtains. was
inattentive.
Swiftly as they went. gondola out
stripped them on the canal. II held the
low -broWed carpenter whom Tita had
thrOttled in the shop. In addition to
q superstitious mind. the carpenter
possessed a malicious tongue and loved
a sensation. He knew that the father
OF little Pasquale was at work that day
on the Giudecca. AS the doctor had
driven all save the mother from the
shop. there was little profit to be got
by remaining He therefore hastened
10 bear the news TO the quay where
the stonenasons labOred overtime. He
had drawn his own conclusions. The
child Was mortally hurt-dying. doubt
less-and as he revolved I'm his mind
the words with which he should make
the announcement to the father, the
wicked MILFORD and his evil eye entered
with all their dramatic values.
Teresa noted the speed Of the gondola
as il passed TO tie to the rising wall.
saw the gesticulations Of the blue-clad
ssorkmen as the man IL bore told his
story. Even in the failing light she
saw the gesture Of grief and despair