The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-08-30


Asabri, head of the great banking house of Asabri
Brothers in Rome, had been great sportsman in
his youth. But by middle-age he had grown little
tired, you may say; he looked now with favor up
on automobiles moter-boats and saddle-horses.
Almost every afternoon he rode alone in the Cam
pagna, covering great distances his stanch Irish
mare, Biddy. She the handsomest horse in
Rome; her master the handsomest man. He
looked like some old Roman consul going out to gov
ern and civilize.
One day as he rode out of Rome he saw that fog
was gathering; and he resolved, for there en-
exhaustibe well Of boyishness within him. to get lost
in it. He had engagement for that night; his
family had already left Rome for their villa Lake
Como Nobody would worry about him except Lui-
gi, his valet
"Biddy'' he said after time in English, 'sthis is
no common Roman mist; it's genuine fog that has
been sucked up from the salt sea. You smell
salt and fish. We shall be lost possibly for long
time. There will be no hot mash for you tonight.
You will eat what goats eat and be very grateful
He had not counted on two things. AT dinner time
he was hungry; at supper time he ravenous.
And he no longer thought of losing himself on pur-
pose, but made all the efforts in his power to get
back to Rome.
There was a glimmerng point of light off to the
left, and he urged Bddy toward it, He saw pres
emily that it was fire built against ruined and
familiar tomb.
The fire was cooking something in kettle There
smell of garlic. Three young men sat cross
legged, watching the fire and the kettle. Against
the tomb leaned three long guns very old and dan
gerous
"Brigands!' smiled Asabri and he hailed them:
"Ho therel Wake up! squadron of police
attacking you from the rear
He rode unarmed into their midst and slid un-
concernedly from his saddle to the ground.
Put up your weapons, brothers, he said 81
was joking. Itseems that am in danger not you -
The young men, upon whom brigand' was writ
ten In no uncertain signs were very much embar-
raised.
MAY sit with you9" Asabri asked. sThanks y
HI ~, ,.1o E1,no
young men examined with great respect the man s
splendid round head and his face of Roman en-
peror.
Whose tomb is this" he asked them.
1t is ours, said the who had first smiled cit
used to hallow the remains of Attulius Climber
"Oho! said Asabri "Attulus Climber direct
ancestor of my friend and associate Sulandenti.
And tell me how far is it to Rome90
"a long way You could not find the half of it to-
night"
Brothers, said Asabri, has business been
goodY ask for a reason
The reason, SIRE
"Why,' said he II thought, if should not be
considered grasping, to ask you for mouthfu of
soup.''
Confusion seized the brigands They called upon
God to smite them down for inhosptable ne 'er-do-
they roasted strips of goats flesh for him; and from
the hollow of the tomb they fetched bottles of red
wine in straw jackets
Presently Asabri sighed and offered them cigar
cites from gold case.
For what have received" said he, "may a
courteous and thoughtful God make me truly thank
full. / wish that / could offer you, in re-
turn for your hospitality, something more substan
tial than cigarettes The caseq If it were any case
but that one! A present from my wife,,
He drew from his pocket gold repeater upon
which his initials were traced in brilliants
Midnight. Listen
= He pressed spring and the exquisite chimes Of
the watch spoke in the stiffness like the bells of a
fairy church.
And this he said, was present from my
mother, who is dead. !"
THE three brigands crossed themselves, and ex-
pressed the regrets which good-breeding required
of them. The one that had been the last to help him