Evening star., 1935-12-08

dIlu l. Tie Is even liking up my loot br1dgeP
The following morning Tomasso again came
with plank which he nailed to the bridge
before going across to his mine He continued
to do this every morning till the top of the
bridge was smooth and strong. Then he drove
In stakes to strengthen the piling.
But why are you doing that?" Pedro called
out. strumming his guitar against his warm
wall, bit scandalized by all this labor THE
old piling is strong"
This will make it still more strong" said
Tomasso, hammering away
But you are driving in the stakes so
close" Pedro protested. Il speak for your
own good, amigo. 1t is so much workr'
Things drift down this little river, Pedro.
These close stakes will protect the bridge"
But Tomasso. you are driving those little
stakes so tight they make almost netp'
IomassO. big mallet in hand, looked up and
smiled. Nov you have said it, Pedro mio.
These stakes, so tight together, they will
catch things. And for whom2 For my amigo,
Pedro! You can sit here. amigo Pedro, and
play your guitar, and watch the river Many
things will float down river, Pedro. Maybe
bright shawl, eh Pedro, some day2 Dropped
by some rich lady. Maybe a big salmon only
stunned by the fisherman. Maybe your For
tune, Pedro, some day, at last"
At length the bridge was finished. Pedro
brought out his goat-skin of red wine, and
Tomasso drank with Pedro in celebration.
Two days later it was Sunday On Saturday
nights Pedro played at b0ileS and on Sundays
he loafed about his adobe. For on Sundays
Tomasso forsook his mine, and with Felices
went to the mass at Santa Fe, and for the rest
of the day stayed at home.
1T is as Tomasso says" Pedro was think
ing that Sunday as he watched the place where
the water, coming out of the deep, slowly
circling pool, streamed eddying under the foot
bridge. Many little things come down with
the water, and are caught by those little
stakes of Tomasso's."
But it was with touch of wonder that he
saw large object come ballooning into the
pool, slowly circle it thrice and then with a
little rush settle against the bridge piling He
walked down and drew it out 1t was shawl,
fine shawl. That Tomasso!' he murmured
admiringly. He said there might be shawlr'
And on the following Sunday his wonder
grew. Against the close piling big salmon
came floating. belly up, and when he pulled
it out by the gills, it was still alive merely
stunned. That Tomassor' he said again. He
knows everything, that Tomasso!"
What was it Tomasso had said? A shawl -
a fish - then what? Pedro's fortune. 1T
will be my fortune next time, maybe Pedro
thought.
At the trysts, during the week, FeliCes had
changed. Every now and then, suddenly, she
would begin to tremble. Pedro! am afraid!
she would say.
Nonsense, little heart. Tomasso - he is a
trdbGjddOr! Ever he tolls, ever he digs; he sees
nothing he hears nothing .."
And on Sunday, again he was tinkling his
guitar, sitting up against his wall, watching
the river flow. An object entered the pool,
crcled around slowly thrice. What was it2
1t looked like big doll And it looked like
Felices. 1t was big doll, and it was dressed
like Felices - her red skirt with the founces,
her white silk camiSa. 1t gave little squirt and
lodged against the piling. Pedro went to look.
Standing on the bridge, he found himself
looking down on a small replica of Felices -
her skirt, her CGmiSa, her hair A film of clear
water was passing over her face; through the
Continued on nest page