fond of Strollo, who was a dashing fellow, very merry and quite the beau of the colony, in his wonderful red socks and neckties of many colors.  Strollo could read and write, and, besides, he knew Antonio’s mother and Nicoletta, and when Toni found himself unable to express his thoughts Strollo helped him out.  When the answers came he read them to Toni and joined in the latter’s pleasure.  Toni himself soon became a favorite in Lambertville, for he was simple and gentle, and full of good-will for everybody.  He was very good-looking, too, with his handsome Roman profile, snapping black eyes and black curly locks.  Yet he was sad always, especially so as since his arrival in America he had made no progress toward finding Vito.  From time to time he met other Italians who had been working elsewhere, who thought they had seen him or some one that looked like him.  But inquiry always elicited the fact that their desire to give him encouragement was greater than the accuracy of their memories.  Of course Antonio Strollo, who had become Toni’s inseparable friend, shared all his eagerness to find Vito.  In fact, Toni had no thought that he did not confide to his friend, and it was really the latter who composed the love letters to Nicoletta and the affectionate epistles to the mother.

Every month Toni divided what he earned into three parts.  One of them he deposited in the savings-bank, another he invested in a money order which was sent by Strollo to Nicoletta for the mother, and the last he kept for himself.  It was astounding how fast one really could make money if one was industrious.  Forty dollars a month, sometimes!  That made nearly seventy lire to send to Nicoletta.  His bank account grew steadily, and he often saved something out of the money he allowed himself to live upon.

Antonio Strollo, on the other hand, was lazy and spent all his wages on chianti, neckties, waistcoats, and gambling.  Sometimes he would do nothing for a whole month but loiter around the streets smoking cigars and ogling the village girls.  These last were afraid of him and called him “The Dare Devil.”

Toni worked on the embankment for three years, sending his money with a letter to Nicoletta every month.  The mother still lived and Nicoletta was giving up her own life to take care of her, but the old woman was very feeble and no longer had any hope of seeing either of her sons again.  Moreover, she was now so bedridden that it was useless to think of trying to move her, even if Toni had plenty of money.  No, as soon as he was satisfied that Vito could not be found and had saved enough money he must return.  How she begged him to return!  As Strollo read him the girl’s letters Toni wept bitter tears and Strollo wept likewise in sympathy.  But no word came of Vito.

Toni, anxious about his mother, despairing of ever finding his brother, pining for Nicoletta and with three hundred dollars lying in the savings-bank, decided to return to Italy.  But if only he could find Vito first!  Then Antonio Strollo had an idea.  Why not advertise, he suggested.  He wondered that they had never thought of it before.  They would put a notice in Il Progresso, the Italian paper in New York, and see what would come of it.  Toni agreed that the idea was good, so Strollo wrote the notice offering a reward for news of Vito.