The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-03-10

| for taXlcaD.
The others arose to follow. Harrison
gathered up the bQnknOtes and snap
ped rubber band around the bundle.
He grasped Giuseppe by the collar and
thrust the money into the messengers
| coat pocket. Take that home, kid
he said kindly and picked up the fallen
telegram.
Fuller and Beckett bent over the mes
sage for an instant. 1t was address
ed to Willard from his fathers country
home down on Long Island:
Mother is dying Come home at once.
Willard had entered his taXicab and
rolled away. Harrison was consulting
a time table in the lobby. Fuller had
disappeared within telephone booth.
Beckett gritted his teeth with impotent
despair. There might be time for the
rest of them to make restitution. For
him the suggestion came month too
late.
Timidly Giuseppe touched the harG
of the man standing there so still and
white. Beckett looked down at the boy
and saw him holding out the bunGls
Of money.
''Please-a, sigDor. it ees-a for mel"
he sighed incredulously.
'Ies-yes." muttered the man iTrr,s.
tiently, and then. with sudden interest,
what you going to do with it. eh?"
We go back to Italia-my de-arr
mother and da bambino-mebhe we
goa tomOrrer-ah.'
Becket's hand fell on the lads shOuI-
der. Wait d moment. son, and I'll
go with you
The bewiidered Giuseppe waited
while Beckett called for his hat and
overcoat. and when he was ready they
went down the bright avenue toward
the telegraph office.
The manager frowned as Giuseppe
fastened in and laid his book on the
desk. "Fifty-one, you're twenty min
utes late" he growled. That's bad
beginning for you. Try it a few times
more and you'll be fred"
''Pleesa fire me now" suffered Giu-
seppe exciteIiy.
Very WELCOME around in the
morning for your time. I'll take your
badge. Now git till tomorrow"
1t was long journey to the Italian
quarter where the Salettis lived in
one tiny room, and many turned to
look at the faultlessly attired clubman
with hint of evening clothes be-
meath his light overcoat and the grimy
little Italian in his badgeless uniform.
At last they alighted from the car
. and threaded the tunnel-like street.
where the Salettis lived. Up a greasy
walled staircase, up, up, to a giddy
height, where pretty little dark eyed
woman snatched Giuseppe to her breast.
Giuseppe breathed the wonderful
story in her ear So that the pretty
bambino might not be awakened and
no listening ear might learn of the
treasure in his bosom. Though the
hour was late. Giuseppe went forth
with Beckett to q ticket Office, where
the precious tickets were purchased
for the big steamer sailing the next
day. Then Beckett turned the remain
der of the money, and it was no small
sum, into a postal order that might be
cashed in the town nearest the Salettis'
destination.
The next morning just as the crowd
was thickest, on the dock where the
steamship was making ready for de
parture Beckett arrived with his happy
charges.
When the dark, cavernOus hold Of
the steerage entrance had swallowed
them up and their gayly colored bun
dies had disappeared from his sight
forever Beckett still fingered, watching
the shifting crowd. conscious of his
own great loneliness.
The last year had been a brief. mad
period of sowing most improbable
crop of wild oats, and it's bitterest mo-
ment had been when he had reached
! his mothers death bed too late to ask
forgiveness for his thoughtless neglect.
Somehow that night he realized the
folly of his ways, but it was too late
now. for there was nothing left but re-
morse and desire to do better. He
had lost mother. sweetheart-every-
thing.
He was struggling his shoulders be-
cause girls voice on the deck of the
steamer reminded him of Nell Felton, s
when there dropped gently on his tight
/ folded arms large red rose. Grasp
ing it. he looked up. and there, leaning
over the rail of the steamer and beck
oning him with her eyes. was Nell her.
self
i In a trice he was up the gangplank
and beside her. holding her little GLOW
ed hands. asking hundred questions
with his eyes and not daring to utter
more than a very conventional one
with his lips.
/ Are you going TO stay long," he
asked
/ She shook her head. Merely a few
months. Danny. | saw you plotting an
Italian family aboard. What was it
one of your foolish wagersY'
No." he said. And in a few words