Virginia had just dressed in dead black for her visit to the palace of
the Governor-General on the Heights. Waldron insisted on sending a state
automobile. The machine was at the door with liveried flunkies standing
in stiff servant attitudes.
A slender Italian woman passed them with a listless stare and rang the
bell of the Holland house.
Virginia answered. She had seen the somber figure from the window.
“Angela!” she cried in surprise.
“Si. Signorina, I may see--you?”
“Yes”--was the quick, sympathetic answer.
The drooping figure shambled to a seat and dropped.
“Tell me--what has happened?” Virginia urged.
“You see the papers?”
“About the riots on the East Side--yes--the people were very foolish--”
The woman leaned close--her breath coming in deep quivering draughts.
“They kill my bambino--signorina! The shell tore his little heart all
out--see! I bring the flag he wore--all red with blood. And now I come
to you--you speak so grand, I want my revenge--”
She paused, strangled with emotion.
“I keep this flag and I love it too! I will kill and kill and kill! You
will tell me how? They kill your father--they kill your brother--you
tell me, Signorina! We fight now--you and me--we fight for this flag--is
it not so?”
She held in her hand the blood-stained emblem.
Virginia took the stricken mother in her arms and sobbed with her.
“Come with me,” she said in low tones, leading the way to the
sitting-room in the rear. She closed the doors, and pressed Angela to
her knees.
Into the ears of the kneeling woman she whispered an oath.
“You swear?”
“By the mother of God and all the Saints!” came the quick answer.
For ten minutes Virginia gave instructions in tones so low that they
could not be heard even by the keenest ear at her door.
There was a light of wild joy in the swarthy face as she rose.
“Now--I live--I breathe--Signorina! Si--si. I understand! I take the
little organ and monkey. I go. I see all the people. I whisper to those
I trust. We meet. I go again to West Side and do the same. I go
everywhere and I tell you. Si--si. I _live_ again!”
She threw her arms about Virginia, held her in silence and left with
quick, eager step--the light of purpose flashing in her dark eyes.