The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-19
THE IRON CAGE.
(CoNCLUDED.)

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"the arrow hit me full and yet it has not
pierced my skin, nor, think, made any
wound. But what is this?" he added a
moment afterward. A line had fallen
across his arm, and as he drew one end of
it to him he found that it was attached to
the arrow which had struck him. 1.-The
arrow is blunted at the end, and there is a
silken line attached to it."
Quick in her woman's wit, quicker still
in her love instinct, Brigida saw in an
instant what had happened. "It is from
Lippo," she cried; lyon know what a
good marksman he is. I knew he would
help u.s."
"There is something fastened to the
line," said Luca, pulling it swiftly into the
cage. cit is heavy" he continued, "and
gets heavier as l draw it nearer. 1t is a
rope!"
An exclamation of relief burst from
brother and sister at once. 1t was follow
ed, as often happens, by reaction.
"But the cage" said Brigida. Chow
can we get out? ''
Easily" was the reply. "They have
was safeguard enough against any attempt
to escape, and have not considered it neces-
sary to place the bars very near together
A little squeezing, dear, and we shall get
that small body of yours through between
these two bars, which by some accident
got more forced apart than the Others
Brigida shuddered involuntarily, but her
brother allowed her no time for reflection.
Rapidly, but skillfully, he fastened one
end of the rope to the cage, and then
tenderly, but very securely, wound the
other end about his sisters body.
GLOW terrible it looks " said the girl,
gazing down into the darkness below.
" Luca,' she cried, as if sudden thought
had struck her, "you will let me down,
but who will let you DOWN."
81 shall descend the rope hand over
hand, as have down scores of times for
pastime at the gymnasium. 1t is nothing
to me-"
"Oh, Luca, are you sure? And the
bars. If can get through them, which
seems hardly possible, are you sure you
can, dear?''
81 am as slippery as an eel" he answer
ed with a forced laugh, land shall get
through as easily as possible. "Come,
DEAR" he added, hurriedly, "there is not
moment to lose. The rope is safely
round you, it cannot slip. Now, dear,
courage-a little pain in squeezing through
and you are SAFE"
He gave her, in his merciful considera-
ton, no time to think, and very firmly, but
with such care as a surgeon uses when SUBJ
jecting his patient to inevitable pain, he
forced her through the opening between
the bars, which at the particular part
might have been perhaps from seven to
seven and half inches asunder.
80 Luca, Luca," cried the girl, "take
me back; you will never, never be able to
follow me. You are Sc much bigger.
Take me back, and let me stay with you
to the end'
She struggled and chung to the cage, but
Luca would not listen to her. He detached
her hands from the bars, only too easily,
for she was half fainting, then he leaned
over and kissed her head, and then with
rapid but cautious action paid out the rope
through the bars.
When Brigida reached the termination
of her hazardous journey. she was insensi-
BILE, and it was in that state that Lippo
| raca;uaI bor info bic arms Pv ho tir,a
she was released from the rope which was
bound about her body, the poor girl had
regainsd possession Of her senses. Lippo's
first care, after almost suffocating his
recovered treasure with caresses, was to
provide for Brigida's immediate escape.
He had boat ready in the canal close by,
manned by couple of boatmen whom he
could implicitly trust, and he was for hur-
rying her away at once, lest any of the
officers of the night watch, in making their
rounds, should enter the piazza. But
Lippo's entreaties, usually SO powerful
with Brigida, were in this case of no avail.
| Till Luca was free of the cage, and stood
there beside her, nothing would induce her
to consult her own safety. She would fly
with him or not at all, and the utmost that
Lippo's persuasion could effect was to in
duce her to hide herself within recess in
the great building which thanked the south
side of the square, and came near to the
Campaniles base.
| The girl was, in truth, in an agony of
apprehension lest that escape from the cage
which, even in her case, had been effected
with SO much difficulty, should for her
brother be thing altogether impacticable.
With every moment that passed this terri
BILE apprehension gained increase of strength
As to what Luca himself was about, neither
she nor Lippo could do more than form the
vaguest conjectures. At that height, and
in the darkness, they could see nothing but
the general outline of the cage against the
sky. They could make out, too, that the
rope was violently agitated ard shaken,
evidently owing to the movement impaired
to the cage by the efforts of its occupant
to force himself through the bars. But
ton of that descending figure for which
they were looking with such absorbing
eagerness, and Brigida could no longer
resist sickening conviction that her worst
fears were realized.
{" Oh" she cried, "why did leave him?
1t was selfish, it was cruel. l knew he
could not get through. Those large, strong
shoulders of his and here, SO strangely
are we constituted, came out touch of
sisterly pride" would never pass through
that small opening" "Lippo," she cried,
almost angriy, "can you do nothing?
Why did you shoot that arrow? Why did
you take me away from him Poor, noble
brother, he only cared about me-" clip
po," she cried again, petulantly, "there
must be something more possible. Quick,
the night is passing away, and when day
light comes it will be too Late
Lippo cast one look up towards the cage,
aud mocha nically stretched out his hand