The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-06
A Dealer In
Foreign Fruits
BY LUIGI ooNTA

working on MS DOCKS, Sdlu 10 ulm III
the Italian language:
"Signor. have just come from Ma.
Piles to America to better my condition.
] wish position"
81 cannot afford a clerk. / wish
could. | am poor at accounts. They
bother me-"
IL kept books for one of the largest
exporters of oil in Naples. / know all
about bookkeeping"
THAT may be, but i have told you
my business does not admit of an as
sistant."
LET me work for you without pay.
/ have brought over with me little
money on which can live while am
getting knowledge of America. I will
serve you for, say, year. By that
time my money will be all gone, but 1
can then find position with a salary"
Martelli was much captivated with
the proposition. He told the man, who
gave his name as Giovanni Micele, to
take hold OF his books and straighten
them out II he showed that he knew
how to do so he would teach him his
business. He told Micele that his face
was familiar to him. but he could not
tell where he had seen him, to which
Micele replied that nothing was more
likely, since they had both lived In the
same city.
Micele did not know anything about
bookkeeping, but he talked very learn
eddy about Martelli's accounts and sue
ceeded in confusing the merchant and
showing him that his affairs were In
much better condition than he had
supposed. Micele became a great ia
vorite with his employer, and. with
the formers assistance, the business
seemed to improve 1t did not appear
that the sales were larger, but some
how or other when Micele took OFF q
statement from the books he always
showed an increased profit Indeed.
so pleased was Martelli that he told
his clerk he might draw SIS week for
salary. But Micele said that he pre-
ferred to stick to his contract and
would not accept any pay for his work.
Martelli lived in room in one of the
narrow streets of lower New York.
When he left his shop after business
hours be invariably went to this sleep
ing apartment alone. But one day. |
after drinking bottle or two of wine
with his clerk, he invited Micele to go /
home with him and have game OF
cards. Micele accepted the invitation
Martelli bought some more wine on
the way, and during the evening the
two finished it The wine came from /
California and Is much stronger than
the wines one gets In Italy. Martelli
showed its effects. When he got up
from his seat to get some tobacco MI
cele slipped little pellet into his
glass. When Martelli returned he was
too drunk to notice 1t lying in the bot
tom of his glass, and 1t was soon dis
solved. Soon after he had finished his
glass his eyes began to look heavy, his
head sank down on the table, and he
was Unconscious.
MiceIe arose and began to search the
room. Producing skeleton keys, he I'M
locked everything that was locked and
searched under the bed and In every
nook and Granny. Unlocking the closet,
he found an old pair of shoes. Thrust
Ing his hand down into the toe of one.
he withdrew a channels bag. from
which he poured number of valuable
into the palm Of his hand.
From the toe of the other shoe he Sc
cured several papers, which he hastily
glanced over and put them In his pock-
ct. Then he turned and contemplated
for few moments the senseless fg-
ure Of his victim.
Taking up the glass from which Mar.
.elli had drunk. he rinsed and wiped II,
hen partly filed it with wine. His
lext act was to carry Martelli to the
BED, take off his outer garments and
put the bedclothes over him. Then,
putting out the lights, he left him.
In the morning Martelli awoke and
ooked about him. Empty bottles and
his own half filed glass stood on the I
able. He got Off the bed. staggered to
he table, took up his glass. smelled of
t, slipped it and, discovering no taste,
seemed relieved. Going to the closet,
lie felt in the toe Of one of bis shoes. b
lie started Thrusting his hand into +
he other shoe, he gave a cry of an.
rush. Rushing to the door, he tried !.
o open 1t, but found It licked. He =
vas looking for some other avenue Of !
kit when he heard footsteps without, G
he door was opened, and Micele.
,acked by two policemen. stood in the
'pening. j
Good morning, Signor Fabroni." he 7
aid. II shall have to trouble you to -
make sea voyage with me to our be- I
owed Naples. Signora Martelli missed 4
ONE valuable diamonds and at the T
anne time her butler disappeared. He \
vas traced TO New York, and I was \
eputed to come over and bring him T
aclS. The government. being interest ,
d in murder case Of which he is
Inspected. chose me, member of the
ational police. to do the work"
II have been a fool. I knew 1 had =,
cen you before. Now ! remember you
s you appeared In uniform" said Mar
ELI.
at has been worth my while to come p
D far. since have recovered the treas r'
re you possessed yourself of when you 8
murdered the traveller you waylaid on :,
ne road to Sorrento" \
A pair of bracelets were slipped on cl