Little Tony of Italy Part 15

It was all so simple. It had come to him quite suddenly. He must be a thief no longer! He must take Tina back to Anna. Tina was Anna's pet.

He bought some food for the dog. But Tony himself could not eat. His heart ached. He was going to lose his dear little friend.

But it was the only thing to do. He saw that now. He shuddered as he recalled his horrible dream. Why, perhaps if he had been a truthful boy the ancient people might have believed him!

If they had believed him, think how many lives could have been saved!

He suddenly laughed aloud.

"It was, after all, only a dream," he reminded himself. "But I shall always remember how terrible it is not to be believed!"

All morning he walked. Several times he would have liked to stop, for his head felt curiously light and his legs trembled. But he was going to bring Tina back to Anna. He could not be happy until he had done that!

He approached Anna's house. It looked so new and s.h.i.+ny. The flowers and trees made a pretty frame for it. How different from the ugly houses in the poor section of Naples where he lived.

It would be pleasant to wake up in the morning and smell the fields and the Bay. Not the horrible odors of narrow streets. Dust and dirt and cooking things!

[Ill.u.s.tration: TONY TRIED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING]

He must go bravely to the front door and ring the bell. He must confess to Anna's father all that he had done. He was ready to take his punishment like a brave soldier of Italy!

"Good-day."

The front door opened. Anna's mother stood there with Anna close beside her.

When Anna caught sight of her pet, she cried out, "Niki! Oh, I thought you were lost! I thought the naughty boy had stolen you! Come to me, Niki!"

She held out her arms. But Tony drew Tina away from her. Why did his throat feel so full and queer? Why did his nose tickle and his eyes blur with tears?

No! No! He could not give up his Tina! Anna had everything and he had only this little dog! It was not fair.

He planted his poor, wobbly legs as st.u.r.dily as he could. His dark eyes flashed at the little girl.

"Do not touch her!" he cried. "She bites!"

Anna shrank back, afraid.

"She is a bad dog!" continued Tony. "It is not safe for you to keep her. She has bitten me."

The mother went forward and gently touched Tony's sleeve.

"Where has the dog bitten you, my poor boy?" she inquired.

"Er--on my back!" lied Tony.

"Turn around and let me see," said the good woman.

But Tony did not turn around. Instead, he fell upon his knees and clutched the skirt of Anna's mother.

"I have lied again! Oh, forgive me!" he sobbed. "What I just said was not true. Tina does not bite. She is the gentlest little dog that ever lived. And I am the greatest liar!"

He was sobbing so that the woman could hardly understand him. He tried hard to explain everything that had happened to him. But he felt weak and could barely talk.

Anna's mother raised him to his feet and led him to a bedroom. Here she undressed him and prepared a bath.

At first this frightened Tony. There were no bathrooms in the house where he had lived! But somehow, he felt that this kind woman would not hurt him. He allowed her to bathe him and put him to bed.

He soon found himself tucked between clean, cool sheets. The woman was offering him something to drink. His eyes were closing. Then he was asleep.

When he awoke it was late afternoon. The window shades were drawn and the room was fairly dark.

Tony lay gazing up at the smooth, white ceiling. He felt well and strong now. He thought that he loved the mother of Anna better than anyone he had ever known. Yes, better even than Tina!

How could he have lied to Anna again? After promising himself that he would change. After that terrible dream! Oh, surely that would be his last lie! Surely!

As he lay with his thoughts, the door slowly opened. Anna peeped in.

She held Tina in her arms. When she saw Tony's eyes open, she came into the room.

"I thought you would like to have Niki," she said.

She approached his bed. Tony held out his arms for the dog.

"Her name is not Niki. It is Tina," he said.

The little girl smiled.

"It is Niki," she repeated.

"Tina!" said Tony.

"Niki!" said Anna.

She was laughing now. So was Tony.

"Very well," he said. "Let us call her 'Fido.'"

"Fido" is taken from an Italian word meaning "faithful."

So Anna put "Tina-Niki-Fido" into Tony's arms and sat down beside him.

"Papa says you are to stay here with us," she said.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TONY, ANNA, AND TINA-NIKI-FIDO]

Tony shot up in bed. A look of fear came over his face.

"But your papa will discipline me!" he exclaimed.