LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2253, 22 June 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

PIPO’3 REWARD. ( Concluded.} Netta’s sen es, though drugged by d-ink and sleep, were jet quick, enough to her of the (Unger in store for her sbe.nlii I’lppo sr.oce. (1 in hia attempt ; bnfc she was no match for him in speed, and when she reached the landing-stage aha found there waa i o sign of him, and that the last boat had left an hour before. ‘ He will have to walk all the way,’ she thought to herself ; ‘ ho cannot be in time. Bac Pippo hid no intention of walking. Ho bad noticed tho position of tho railway S.nes, and he know they mast lead to a station, and as soon aa ho was ont of Netta s sight he made his way to the little town, and some curious chance or blind instinct gnldcd him direct to tho spot he sought. Vet here a fresh difficulty awaited him. He had no money wherewith to buy a ticket. The clothes on his back and the violin In his hand were hla only poaseasions. Iho engine was screaming and puffing, the passengers were already taking their places. The child dared not hesitate. He sprang into a carriage where the people were humbly dressed, and which he thought would be cheapest to travel in, and sat trembling in a corner at hia own temerity until the train was fairly started. Then be rose np and stretched out his little hands in an agony of appeal to the wondering passengers. * Oh, good people,’ he cried; ‘lam a poor little lad, and I have no money, and some one I know la in great danger to night, and I must get to him and warn him. It will kill me if 1 cannot. I thought the Iron way would carry me quickest, and so I came In here, but they may tarn me out, for I have no money to pay them. You know how mnch it Is, and I will play to yon all the way for just so many copper pieces as it may bo ; oh, good people, it is for more than charity, It is for a ife I pray ; do hear and help me for love of the God yon serve.’ The passionate appeal, the sight of the little eager face and tear-blinded eyes, stirred many hearts there to sympathy. Before the child had touched a string or played a note, eager hands thrust the money into his own, and kindly voices were uttering assurances of sympathy In his ear. He thanked them with the roptursus ecstaoy of southern grace that for once overcame his natural shyness, and then, true to his word, he played to them with all his heart in the music ho poured forth, The noise of the train bewildered him ; the sparks of fire and colored lights of signals flashing by dazzled bis eyes ; tho darkness and clamor, aa tho carriages rushed through the black tunnels, frightened him, as all things weird and strange frighten a child ; bat his heart was filled with a brave and steadfast purpose, and nothing bat death would have stayed him now. When they told him ha could get no nearer to the place he wanted that night, he bade them all farewell and got ont, and as he stood on the platform, his brown curls glistening in the lamplight, bis violin clasped la his arms, hla eyes gazing bewildered and frightened around him. Many a woman’s eyes grow dim with pity as the train whirled off, and his fellow passengers lost sight of him at last.

There was a long walk still before him, and tho way was strange, and there were but people of whom to ask it, and those few either ignored or misdirected him. Tho sultry heat of the day which had portended a storm now began to fulfil its promise, and the roll of thunder overhead, and tho heavy plash of raindrops on his face warned him of its approach. Still he battled on mechanically, though a vogue terror shook in his little soul, for ho hold all storms and warfare of the elements in superstitious dread. A clock was striking midnight when ho at last discovered the street ho wanted, and had searched for so long. He was drenched to the skin with the heavy rain, and hla brain seemed dizzy and bewildered by the shook of tho thunder’s roar and the fiaah of the vivid lightning. Still, that one purpose was in hia mind, and to that his patient fidelity pointed as steadily as tho needle to the pole. When he reached the house It was all in darkness. He had formed no plan, had no distinct idea of what he was to do, only he learnt that a plot was on foot to rob, perhaps to murder, his generous young benefactor, and he must warn him of it.

He crept round the house. All was quiet. It was a semi-detached villa, and a small garden ran ronod it, leading to a large square at the back of the house. Pappo knew that from the back an entrance would be effected j he had overheard the men say 00. Silent aa a shadow he flitted up the steps, and mounted the balcony, on which two long French windows opened. They were closely shat and shuttered, but as he placed hia eye to the pane he caught a faint ?;leam of light. With beating heart and aoo white as death be looked in.

The shatters had evidently been unfastened, and through the crack the ray shone at intervals. Even as he looked it went out, and all was dark again. The child passed bis hand over the wl-daw, and found that a whole pane of glass had been removed. He then timidly pressed the shatter, and found it gave way at once. The men were here, then, and their dastardly work had begun. Without an instant’s hesitation, the little lad throw back the shatter and dashed into the room. In that second of time the whole scene was photographed on hia brain. Two black-masked figures were bending over a heap of plate that they had taken from the sideboard ; and aa the boy’s entrance startled them, the light of a bull’seye lantern hashed full on his face.

An oath and a blow followed In quick succession, but tho lad slipped like an eel through the fingers that sought to detain him, and, throwing open the door, raised a about of alarm that roused every inmate of the house. Then with equal rapidity he -sprang on the heap of plunder that the two men had been fastening in a leathern case, and with his feeble arms flung round it, and Ins little frail body interposed between them and their booty, he strove to defend it for hla-benefactor’s sake.

* Come, Luigi,’ cried one of the men in alarm ; ‘ the whole house is up. We shall bo caught Fly.’ 4 I won’t go without this,’ muttered the other with an oath ; 4 you young devil, will you let go V Tho little lad did not answer; his strength was nearly gone, hla breath only came in pitiful gasps. He had but tho mute dumb persistence of on inflexible purpose to keep bis senses from failing he could not waste them now in idle words. There was a struggle, but the man could not shake off that tenacious hold, and the sound of footsteps warned him to desist. With one last curse, hissed through bis close-set teeth, he loosed his hold.

1 Little devil, at least yon shall have your reward,’ he cried, and drew a long sharp dagger from hia belt, and stabbed him to tho heart.

The red blood gushed in a torrent over Pippo’a arm aa still they clasped what ho bad given his life to defend. A sickness and darkness stole over him ; he felt hia arms relax their clasp, and he fell face downwards on tho blood-stained floor as a flash of lights, tho sound of voices, filled the room. The scene told its own tale, but the sound of the voioo ho loved, tho presence of the friend for whom his loyal little life had been sacrificed, recalled t’ippo’s scattered senses, and through the dim haze of death he stretched out his bands to Ned Kordyce. ‘lt is all safe, Signor,’ ho said ; ‘ I kept it. I meant to—to warn you, but I came too late for that—only—l said they should not rob you, and they—have not!’ Ned Fordyce threw himself down besides little lad, and tore open tho ragged shirt, and strove to staunch the fast-flowing blood, while his bravo young face grew pale as that of a martyred child. * Why did you do this ?’ ho asked sorrowfully ; 1 1 wonld a thousand times sooner have lost all this worthless trash than had a human life sacrificed to save It. ’

The heavy lida opeuad, and the glazed eyes seemed to smile.

* Yon were so good,’ said the child softly ; *1 bad always been unhappy till I—law you; perhaps you will remember mo a little—sometimes—and held some other child like myself—just for Plppo’s sake ; the the violin Is out there—on the balcony I should like to take it with me, because—you gave it—for, though doubtless the Madonna will give me one in heaven, it will not be quite the same—as yours ’ Then his head fell back like a tired child’s, and his eyes saw the face he loved no more. So Plppo found his reward.