Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-04-22
STAR.
LA RAB BIATA;
OR, LOVE AND RIDE.
I CONCLUDED. |

| flash OF light seemed to dazzle my brain /;
was mad, and did not know what 1 was saying
or doing, do not ask you to forgive me,
Laurella only wish to save your life, by en-
treating you to get in again.
She swan on as though she had heard no
| thing
You can never reach the land it is at
least two miles of. Think of your mother; if
anything were to happen to you, she would
die of grief"
Laurella measured the distance to the shore
with her eye, then, without replying, she swan
towards the boat, ani grasped the side with
her hands. he stood up to help her; his
| jacket, which had lain on the bench, slipped
into the water as the boat was drawn on one
side by the girls weight. She swung herself
up, and took possession of her former seat.
| When he saw her safe, he resumed bis oars
whilst she tried to wiring out her dripping
| garments, and to shake the water from her
hair.
| Whilst thus engaged her eyes fell on the
bottom Of the boat, and she now first perceived
the blood. She cast rapid glance towards
the hand with which, as though unwounded,
he was using the oar. ...l
| Here !" she said, and extended her hand
| kerehief to him.
He shook his head and rowed on
AT length she stood up, went to him, and
bound the handkerchief tightly round the
| deep wound. She then, notwithstanding his
| opposition, took one of the oars herself, sat
down opposite, but without looking at him
| and fixed her eyes on the oar, Redeemed with
blood, at the same impelling forward the boat
| with powerful strokes They were both pale
and silent. As they approached the land they
were met by the fishermen going out to lay
| their night-nets. They shouted to Antonino,
| and jeered at Laurella; but neither looked up
nor replied with a word The sun still stood
tOlerably high over Procida when they reach
ed the shore. Laurella again shook out her
| dress, which was by this time almost dry, and
| sprang to land
| The old spinner who had seen them start in
| the morning was again on the beach.
"W hat is the matter with your hand, To
nino ~ she cried. ''Holy Mary. the boat is
| swimming in blood ?''
| " 1t Is nothing, good mother" replied the
| young man. 60 have raised the skin little,
but it will be we'll by tomorrow. That un-
flow forth, and make things look worse than
| they are"
| 81 will come and lay herbs on it, comrade.
| Wait-I shall be with you in a minute
do not trouble yourself, Goody. 1t is all
right now, and by tomorrow it will be we'll,
and forgotten. have a healthy skin, which
| heals up directly"
"Addio,' said Laurella, as she turned in
| to the path up the ascent
"Good evening"" cried the young man, but
without looking at her.
Ho then removed his tackle and the baskets
| from the boat, and climbed up the little stone
| steps to his hut No one but himself inhab-
| tied the two rooms, through which he now be-
gan to pace up and down. There was more
air than there had been in the morning, and
it came in refreshingly through the open win
dows; the solitude, too. was delightful to him.
He stood some time before the little picture of
the Virgin, and gazed thoughtfully on the
|, glory which surrounded it; but he did not
pray, for he knew not what petition to make,
now that all hope was gone Time had seemed
to stand still to-day; he longed for night, for
he was weary, and the loss of blood affected
him more than he imagined. He felt a sharp
pain in his hand, and, seating himself on a
chair, loosened the bandage. The blood,
which had been repressed, burst out again,
and the hand all around the wound was much
swollen. He washed it carefully, and strove
to cool it, On examining it again. he could
clearly trace the marks Of Laurella s teeth.
"She was right" he said 81 was brute,
and deserved no better. L will send back her
handkerchief tomorrow by Giuseppe"
When he had again bound up his hand as
we'll as he could with the aid Of his teeth, he
threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes.
The bright moon awoke him from doze, and
the hand seemed even more painful than be-
fore. He had just raised himself to soothe the
beating pulses with water, when he heard a
noise at the door
"Who is there ?'' cried he; and lifting the
latch, Laurella stood before him. Without a
word she walked in, threw off the covering
she worc on her head, and placed little
basket on the table. Then she drew long
breath.
"You came to fetch your handkerchief"
said Antonino, GO but you might have been
spared the trouble, as tomorrow morning
early should have requested Giuseppe to
take it to you"
1T is nothing about the handkerchief, she
replied quickly ~ have been on the hill
side to gather herbs for you to stop the bleed
ing. There" and she raised the cover of the
basket.
why did you give yourself 80 much trou
ble?" said he without any bitterness " am
better already-much better; and if were
worse, 1t would be nothing but what de-
serve. Why have you come at this hour
Suppose any one were to find you here! You
know how they chatter, even when they have
no foundation"
"I care for none 10 she said hastily. "
will see your hand, and apply these herbs, for
you can never manage it by yourself" !"
al tell you there is no necessity"
"Then let me see it myself, that l may be-
lieve you"
hand and removed the bandage She started
claimed:
"Holy Virgin !"
cit has bled little,' said he, " but day
or two will set it all right"
She shook her head
"It will be week at least before you can
60 out to sea again"
Z" Nonsense 1t will be well by The day
after tomorrow at latest. Besides, what does
it signify?'
Meanwhile, she had re-washed the wound,
to which he submitted like child. She then
placed upon it the healing herbs, which al
most instantly relieved the fever, and bound
up the hand with strips of linen which she had
brought in her little basket. When she had
finished
81 thank YOU, Laurella," said he, and
now listen! If you will favor me still further,
forgive me for the madness which took pos
session of me to-day, and forget all said or
did. do not myself know how it happened.
You were not the cause, can assure you; and
-, uavor gain hear aDythipO from,