, 1877-12-30

cause weariness. hunger, the pain Of our
wounds, and exhaustion compelled us, much
against our will, and even our reason to aban-
slope OF prccipitous valley silent, su1len, des-
pairing, aud worn to-lcath with our Wander
inEs.
'1By the Lord Harryt voices below, and
liehtsn
''Willy graspcd me sayagely by the arm
ment, and, looking down into the dark
ness, / could detect 4 fiicker1Eg flame as Ut q
half-shaded lamp, while l plainly heard one
man Speaking to another in good Italian. We
determined to creep down as we'll as VIC could.
follow the light, and then act as circumstances
might dictate.
Hope gave us unexpected strength and &C.
tivity; we moved towards the bottom OF the vale
in slanting direction, SO to partly cut oil
the wayfarcrs; and VIC had the good luck TO
ahead Of us, to knock with something hard
against what We concluded was the door Of Il
building, though we could sec nothing, SO
densely dark was it.
"'Gabrieila! Gabriclla!' cried the harsh voice
OF man; and almost Immediately tlood Of
light came right In our eyes, and We
could sec a female stauding in an
open doorway, holding flaming torch high
above her head.
$40, come, that's all right; lovely woman
for u>ercy!'
Aud before I could restrain him, Willy
Mountjoy was running towards the building,
trying to jabbcr ltalian-of which language be
was profoundly ignorant
'.1mmedtatey the two n,en,-pcasants, as
well as our hasty glimpse permitted US to judge
entered, and the heavy door WIS banged to.
But We were desperate in our suffering, and
summoned the garrison to admit us, with all
the piteous pleadings of which was master.
The reply was startling,-a window high up was
opened, TWO shots were snapped at US, and the
scrcech-owl voice we had heard before nade US
bcgonc for couple Of cut-throat brigands.
.ssNo. noi' cried 1: we arc Englishmcn-we
have plenty Of money, and will amply pay you
for lodging aud iood. Pray give us shelter and
help!'
II suppose my foreign accentuation of his
language, which otherwise could speak well.
must have convinced the owner Of the dlscor'l-
ant voice; for, after erecdily repeating to him
self plenty OF money! he almost Immediately
found ourselves III a large warm hall, and being
prcttily welcomed by as handsome glrl as cscr
but never mind that.
s.:Thc gentlemen will have food and wiHc:'-
her tones were soft and strangely winning as
she asked the question; but then she stepped
back with a little cry OF horror, as her eye
caught sight of the blood-staiued rags which We
had FORGOTTEN to conceal. Just Ut t!lat mo1ncnt
the two men who had snapped ut US from above
rc-entcrcd the hall-as ill-iooking pair as ever
l. 4&x
far superior to the rank Of mere peasants.
"tWhat, woundctl! Arc you, then, OF the
Kings troops!' asked the 1orcmost, IL dark
browcd, Notwithstanding fcllow< whom We
afterwards found out was the mast master, II, nat a
loukcd at us kccnly aud critically from under
his grizzly eyebrows. ... -..
=. Wounded, ycs,' replied; but We arc on
the dcIivcrcr's side; we are Englishmcn Light
ing with Garibaldi for your lrccdom.'
* no
began to curse our Central; 'silcncc; you
know not who is VICTOR
.tOur host restrained himself with an effort,
and was beginning to say that TIC could not re-
ceiye us, when Willy Mountjoy effected a diver
sion in our favor BY faintins dead away, doubt
less On account of the sudden change
from the bitter night air OF the mountain to tue
warmth OF tue house. The girl Gab1iclla, with
q pitying CRY, Instantly ran 10 fetch some vine.
and between us we revived the young !ello",
while the two men stood apart whispering to
one another.
stBut there was no more talk OF turning us
out :for In aidius Willy had removed his cash
belt, which fell clanking on the stone floor, anu
the uumfstakable jingle Of gold at once decided
Mattia Fiorellf In our favor. VIC were SHOWN
and putting ut the dying cmbers OF d fire, nlan-
aged to get us some 1ukewarm water, aud the
remains Of an old hut clean sheet. We rebound
one auother's wounds IN the best iashion We
could, and thus succeeded IN mak1ns ourselves n.s
at leust deccntly comfortable. Then we had
supper of ou1elct, dried fruits, and coarse black
bread. washed down with judlciously
small quantity OF rather superior VINE,
after which VIC retired to the couches tlat ia
briclla had prepared for us in tue room where
W. mad mutually acted Us surgeons, the one to
the Other
n.Joyei that's a slashiug fine craft!' said
Willy, lyiug down on his sound side to try and
get some sleep; and she seems lar above her
position. Wonder il she'd marry mes:
1.Don't be fool!' was rny testy reply, for
we'll knew Master Willy's amo:ous procliyitlcs
when he was the handsomest mate on the China
station. aud feared them. If you dare speak
word OF nonscnse to that girl we shall ooth be
probably kicked OUT # we're not k'lled 1or It,.
tstWell, won't, old Grunlbles1 SO your pre-
cious skin will be satc.'
ssHe soon fell asleep; while I, my
yound being really far more serious
than his, did not close an eye the
liyeong night, but lay tossing to anu iro II, as
restless and fevcrish state as well might be;
In the morning was unable to lift my head
from the pillow, and Willy Afountjoy looked ex-
cccdiugly grave when he unbound iny pandages
aud saw tile iu1amed edges of the ragged hole
which the Neapolitan bullet had made in pass
examined in the daylight, clearly OF little or nc
consequence ,o..,.;,,, =,
anrel radiant as Hebc-bearing q deliciously
which she freely wetted 1nY lips; and then sh:
sn1 down beside mc, attended to my hurt with
ali the delft dclicacy OF d trained nurse, and
sang to me in low cooling voice, till droWsncss
and a sensation Of relief unfclt throughout the
long previous night oycrcamc my restless wake
fulncss, and slumbcrcu of.
| II woke uD with start
~ was quite alone, tic room was alrcad
darkening into twilight, and there we're fierce
angry voices In contention Just outside tae door
One Of them was that OF willy MountIoy, one
the screccll-orl note of alattia tlorelll, and
third was Gabric1ia's, imploring hcr dear
cousin to calm himself, and forgive the signor,
who meant no harm. 1x,,,,
us(;ood heavens !! ] thought, can Willy
have heen mad enough to insult the girl!'
I'm my agitation l forgot all ABOUT ns
wound, Jumped from my couch,, pushed open
the door, and found all thrce,-Mattia's friend,
who rciofced in the name OF Tito was ALSO there
but standing grimly on one side, taxing nc
share in the hubbnb.
= Malta, tearing at his long black hair and
grinding mis- teeth furiously, was pouring out
torrent Of abuse at Willy,-calling him thief,
q robber, brieand, q plundering Garloaldlno,
who had come there to rob poor peasant OF
his little, his very little savings. MY 1rlend'
who quite comprchcnded the abuse OF tnc IAN
r1,agc though he knew nothing else OF 1t, was
retorting in very downright Saxon; wh'IG
Gabrielle, her rich chestnut hair all tumoled
abour hcr shoulders, her deep violet eyes
glistcnipc with emotion. had flung herself be-
| tween the pair, and with outstrctchcd arms vas
5-xtar n n HFr