The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12

COAANA aHAN~OAE liLiSs tNClIRlOn ndQ Ln6n
gone hand in hand with paganism;
Savonarola had grown up beside the
Medici; popes had decreed peace and
had plunged whole NATIONS in war. aud
the laugh OF friend had oftentimes
been but prelude TO the death blow.
OF this many sided, sinful epoch the
crucifX dagger was symbol 1t rep
resented at once. its art, it's religion.
and its lust Of blood, HaEar evoked
strange visions in her dingy parlor
from that strange piece of silver
Afterward. in the imperative de-
mands OF business, Hagar forgot her
dreams about the crucif1x and looked
upon ii as an article Of value merely
pawned by it's owner and which would
be redeemed in due time. month
later the ticket made out in the name
Of Gemma Bardi was brought to her by
man OF the same nationality. This
tall slender, supple Italian, with oval
olive face and fierce eyes, had come to
take the crucifix out of pawn. Al
though he produced the ticket and Of
fered the money. Hagar hesitated at
giving the article to him.
1T was pawned by Gemma Bardi,"
said she, taking down the crucifix from
where II hung in the obscurity.
My wife" replied the man. briefly.
She sent you to redeem it?"
Gran Dio. Why notf7 he broke out.
impetuously. II am Carlino Bardi, her
husband. She pawned the crucifx
against my will, while was absent in
the country with my organ. Now that
have returned, I come with ticket
and money to redeem it. l do not wish
to lose the Crucifix Of Fiesole."
The Cruci1X OF Fiesole," repeated
Hagar-''is that what it is called?"
"of a surety. signorina; and it is
worth much money"
More than flo, 1 am sure" said Ha-
gar. smiling, as she picked up the note
silently placed on the counter by Car
limo Well. l have no right to refuse
you the erucihx. You give me the
ticket, principal and interest so all is
shipshape. Take Up your cross"
MY cross" echoed Carlino, with a
fash from his big eyes. "Gemma is my
cross"
Your wife! That is strange way
to speak of one dear to you"
Dear to me. signorina! That may
be; but she is dear 70 Pietro Neri, May
the pains Of hell seize him.
WY! What has he done:'.
Run away with Gemma," said Bardi,
ierceiy- ''Oh, she went cheerfully
enough. To get the money for my dis
honor she pawned the crucifix."
oh, So she did not send you to re-
deem it,"
no ESp-lSQ 1dInnOr Win LEdnQQli
insolence. That was lie told to get
back my property without trouble. But
now IL is mine"-he clasped the silver
Christ conyulsively to his breast. Il
shall make Genlma and PietEo pay for
their evil deed"
You speak English very well for a
foreigner"
Il ought to- answered the man in
differently, Il have been ten years in
my Tuscan tongue. But ] remember
still what Tuscan husbands do to faith
less women and their paramours. We
kill them"-his voice leaped an octave
TO a shill scream of wrath-"we kill the
man and the woman
Thrilled by the terrible hatred of this
/ passionate Latin nature, Hagar started
/ back The man was leaning across the
counter, and showed no disposition to
/ depart; nor did she want him to leave
/ her, for there had come upon her a de-
sire to learn the history of the Fiesole
crucifx. Bending forward. she touched
/ it lightly with the tips OF her fingers
How came this into your posses
sion?" she asked.
Il stole it from a painter in Flor
ence."
You stole IT." echoed Haear. con.
founded by the frankness of this ad.
mission.
Yes. was the model OF an artist
one Signor Ancillotti, who had a studio
in Piazza San Spirito, hard by the Ponte
Santa Trintta of the Arno. This cruel.
nx hung in his rooms, and once. when
/ I was posing as his model. he told me
the legend which gave it the name OF
the crucifx OF Fiesole. 1t was the story
which made me steal it,"
! But why? What is the story?"
| a commen one" said Bardi bitter
| ly-'man's love and a woman's faith.
lessness to her husband There was q
silversmith in Florence, what time the
Magnificent ruled, who was called
Guloo' he had one fair wife whom ht
| loved very dearly She did not care
for his love, however, and fed with {
young Count of good family, one Luie.
da Francia-from France, you under
stand, for from that country the race
had come to Florence in the days o.
the republic. Luigi was handsome anc
rich; Guido, ugly and rather poor, al
though clever craftsman, so you can.
not wonder that the wife-Bfanca wa,
her name-hed from the ones arms I,
the others palace. Guido determined
upon revenge and manufactured thii
crucihx."
But don't understand how
NO more did any one else" sait
Bardi, cutting her short When Guide
/
self as q priest and went up to Sc,
Count Luigi in his palace at Fiesole
Afterward the nobieman and Blanc;
were found dead with dagger thrust,
In their hearts, and Guido was missing
Between the corpses lay this silver cru
cihx, but no one ever knew how the,
died"
why not? Guido killed them witt
his dagger"
NO" said Bardi. shaking his head
Guido had no dagger with him at tn,
time. Count Luigi was always afrait
Of assassination. for he had many enc
mics, and every visitor was searche.
4 by his retainers 70 see that they carrie,
no concealed weapons. Guido, the sup
posed priest, was searched also an.
had nothing on him but the silve
crucifx. So the legend grew that who
soeyer had a faithless wife the pos
session of the cruciix of Fiesole svouI,
give him power to slay her and he
lover as Guido had slain his two de
ceivers. Therefore" added Bardi grim
ly, ''as had then married Gemnia an,
thought that some day she might b
faithless ] stole the crucifx from
Signor Ancillotti. It seems / was righ
to do So.
"A strange story" said Hagar medf
tatively. and stranger still that tn
means by which Guido slew Were no