The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-12-24

should save girl, release captive and give JOY 10
the hearts of aged parents-or should die.
"No. no NOT die on an errand of mercy-no,
not die-or ifI did, 'twere well so to find my
grave"
dow in a moment was by the side of my conduc-
tress from the peaked hood of thick brown fishers
Jacket looked out her resOlte eyes, and her white
teeth shonc smiling out, when she saw how lightly
and actively made the dropping leap from the high
window.
"Follow me-" said she, "as softly and silently as
YOU eau: do exactly as do tell you they will not
ransom this girl 1t is black Sebastian who carried
her off know him; but she is safe yet my cum
ming and your courage will match them. i know
black Sebastian.
/ followed her step by step, up mountain path.
Now the wet earth slipped beneath our tread-now
we had to catch at fragment OF rock, now at
shrub for support 1t was an hours toll; we did
not speak -
| The peril and pride of the enterprise were alike
new and delightful My mind was busy imagining
out the figures of the banditti pictured their start
of surprizc their fierce assault, the clash OF steel
and the sound Of shot, and screwed my courage
! firmly up and felt the fine throb of desperate re-
solve
"We are very near" whispered the little maid
| Of the inn " stay for minute here, will go and
see if they upon the watch"
She disappeared, and left me alone on the sum-
nit of that bold height which rises above the Ter
racina. | could see the wide moon-ilt ocean and
the dark curying shores, the promontories and the
bays afar off. The rain drops every thing aronnd
looked soft and pearly, and the air was perfume.
How poets would have loved the place and hour and
the calm peacefuness how lovers would have
fingered in the still, enchanting scene My guide
returned and whispered fast and exultngy, "Ihey
sleep, they sleep, the black Sebastian sleeps; the
Spalatro and PietrO; and the poor young lady !!
Your pistols, Senior; you must not spare them y
and she caught my girdle and led me on eagerly.
We came to black ruined wall, (the Roman built
| it y she led me round beneath its sheer-they lay
plowed on stones. Again she whispered, lie
with the long hair is Sebastian, and the short red
man is Spalatro-Ah the blessed virgin they were
both brave-pstol them, Senior; Pletro will fly
tread softly-close, cosc-make sure"
/ stood above them, pistol pointed in each hand
and the pale moon looked down upon us with her
holy light and they were sleeping IN 1t. L had
come prepared for blows and blood, and brave en-
counter but not for this They were brigands,
spoilers, murderers but the red hand had
confidently relaxed its graspthe violent eyes closed.
How awful was that moment the light pressure of
IA finger, would send two souls unshrivcd to the
bar of heaven. could soon have dared to pierce
whiterobed spirit of heaven, us these dark crime
stained men who slept.
"Awake!'
Upon their feet they sprung and the drawn
sword and glittering dagger, and pointed carbIne
menaccd me with death but they paused as they
saw my armed attitude and resolute bearing. L
heard womans curse upon the wind as the little
maiden of the inn fled from us; and the lady star
ted from her rest, casped her upiltcd hands, and
knelt in terror l called parey. Z" You slept on
your watch my pistols did almost touch your barred
temples have not shed your blood" Here the
called Pictro fired on mos lao foil doad +" my
'h, hl,nL Snh,S hi
sword upon me it was met by the guard of mine,
and my left hand still held pistol pointing to the
red Spalatro. " Hear me l come from the father
of this lady give her up to me and name your ran
som it shall be paid" The large black eye of
the brigand chief rolled wonderngly me he
shook off the long black hair from his olive cheek,
and asked me, Who are you = a mana
"And you have volunteered this dam
gerous services For what ~ Because it was
my duty" 4" Take hcr-you have spared my life.
had not raised my sword you, but for the death
of the fool Pietro. Twelve homeless years of muir
der, toll, and peril, for gold and women For
gold Remember, I'll have her rransom-to-morrow
pledge me your crossed hand-two thousand du-
cats"
1t is not fear or doubt, which moves me to con-
sent i could win her with this true sword, but
WILL and rather for the lady's sake, stand 10y my
first offer of ransomng her." | crossed my hand,
and he grasped it. He man OF mountain
beauty; a bclted form with the full clean limbs of
active strength have seldom seen finer promise
of strong, enduring life. A sound-a shot-and he
sprung up with lofty convulsive leap, and fell fat
and stirred again, and heard not the reproach
full rawlings of the little dark-eycd damsel as she
came and stood over him, and asked for her young
Antonio-and spoke of her sad wedding and ours
ed him for tearing her from her bridal chamber
from her Antonia--and taking her to his rocky den
md hiS oil nd he hpd pflc lcaypS-the
withercd lcaves-where he blighted her maiden
pride"
The red fierce Spalatro stood for while, notion
less, asonished the startled bull, when he doubts
whether to fly from, rush upon his object ;--hen
turning suddenly with swift speed he rushed down