Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-12-04

'SeUeR years. Etts a Iona time to t0att
door. Seven years. It Is a long time
for one of my blood to wait"
Enough cried Hillard. but there
was a hardness 10 his throat at the
sight Of the old mans tears where
was the proud and stately man. the
black bearded shepherd In faded blue
linen. in picturesque carriers. with his
reedli6e pipe. that he. Hillard. had
known in his boyhood days? Il can
give you only my sympathy for your
loss" said billiard. but ! abhor the
spirit OF revenge which cannot find
satisfaction in anything save murder
Giovanni bowed gravely and made
or with his boots Hllard remained
staring thoughtfully at the many col
ored squares Ia the rug under his feet
IL would be lonesome with Giovanni
gone. The old man had evidently
made up bis mind. But the woman
with the voice. would she see the no
tice in the paper2 And n she did
would she reply TO it7 what a foun
dalton for romancel Bah! he pre-.
pared for bed.
To those who reckon earthly treas
ures as the only thing worth having
John Hilhrd was a fortunate young
man. That he was without kith or Ein
was considered by many as an add
tional PIECE Of good fortune. Born I'm
Sorrento. in one Of the charming villas
which sweep down 10 the very brow
OF the ellis. educated IN Rome up TO
his fifteenth year taken nj that age
from the dreamy. drifting land and
thrust into the noisy. bustllng nfe|
which was his Inheritance. fatberiess
and motherless az twenty. a college
youth who was forever mixing his
Italian with his English and '1rI
laughed at hating tumult and Il
quiet. warm hearted and lmpuisive.
yet meeting only habitual reserve from
his compajrlots whichever way he
turned. II Is not 20 be wondered al
that he preferred the land Of his birth
20 thar - his blood
The old house IN which be lived was
not In the fashionable quarter OF the
town. but that did not matter Nor
did Il vary externally from any OF It's
unpretentious neighbors cook.
butler and a valet were hts retlnue
Giovanni sought his own room az the
end Of the hall. squatted on a low
stool and solemnly began the business
OF backing his masters boots lie
was still as lean and tall as a LON
hardy poplar this handsome old Ro-
man. His hair was white: there was
now no black beard on his face. which
was as brown and creased as Spanish
levant and some OF the fullness was
gone from his chest and arms. but for
all that be carried his fifty odd years
lightly He worked swiftly tonight.
but his mind was far away from his
task
There was a pittful story. common
place enough-a daughter. n loose iIv-
Ing officer. knife dung from dark
alley. the sudden flghJ 10 the south
Hillard had found him wandering
through the streets OF Naples. hiding
from the carabinieri as best he could
billiard conTived 10 smuggle him on
the private yacht OF a friend. He
found a peasant who was reconsider
ing the advisabillty OF digging sewers
and laying railroad ties In the Edo
RADIO OF the west few pieces OF sill
yer and the passport changed hands
With this Giovanni blandly lied his
way into the ynited States After due
ume be applied for citizenship. and
through Hillard's influence IL was ac-
corded him. He solemnly voted when
elections came round and boarded his
wages, Ike the thrifty man be was
Some day he would return To Rome or
Naples or Venice or Florence. as the
case might be. and then.
When the boots shone fawlessly he
carried them to Hillard's door and
softly tiptoed back He put his face
against the cold window. He. too. had
heard the voice. How his heart hurt
him with its wild hope. But only for
a moment IL was not the voice he
hungered for. The words were Italian.
but be knew that the woman who
sang them was not