, 1877-12-30

feet 1T some stacnant pooll and she applied
them around my wound at intervals until the
Inflammation nearly subsided. Then she would
make me delicious drinks, cooling applications
tor the head and arm, dish up daintys little
messes to tempt ny want Of APP appetite; would
lovingly even, while she worked with her
needle; aud often-but never now unless
I asked, nay, pressed her-.shc would
sing to ME iii her rare contralto VOICE
such glorious songs, make for me such floods
Of rich vocal music, as l huve never before
imagined possible Of accomplishment BY human
being, though the angels, thought, might
have so sung in the Garden OF Eden before the
Fail. ,,
loyc-and T. who Of old had laughed to scorn
the tender passion, as some idiot has called 1t,
now felt its full force, and that forcc was any
thing but Stcndc: one. ....
prescntly-it must hare been towards the
end vi November, for l. kept no reckoning Of
how the happy, dreamy, loving days went by-I
grew much better, was able to sit uD Tor long
hours together, then to ruttcr about the ram
shackic building witlffhc aid OF stick, aud was
at last delighted to find that my wound was
quite healed, and the arm nearly as strong
Us ever. And then Gabriclla, quietly and
by almost imperyentbc degrees, began
to leave nc more and more to my own devices,
until finally It was with great difficulty that
could 1ind opportunities enough to partly gsatl-
presence, for glance from her violet eyes, for a
touch OF that soft, warm hand.
"It was not to be supposed that oil this bill
ing and c0onE went on quite unohServed oy
Muster Willy Mountjoy. On the contrary, he
chafrcd me numerically, telling me to make
hay while the sun shonc, for t'othcr fellow was
the man In possession that was his delicate
phrase; aud ilc would bet me fire to one, us Of
ten as I chose to ta1c it, that would never be
married to the girl, if, indeed, ! had the impu-
ala, H. ~
"This was pleasant However, let him
have Ills joke, warning him that he who won
might laugh But I confess that I was
considerably nonplusscd when l found that
Malta Fiorclli had resumed all his old i'll treat
ulcut Of the girl. even going so far Us to trc-
o,cntly personally clsastise her as though she
were his slayc So that she frequently came fly
I'M, into my room bathcd in tears to seek shelter
from his violence.
"tMy poor darlng,' / would say to her,
.wouid to Heaven that could free you from
him! ,ciN; will attack him HOW
stBut she would interrupt me with the ut
most air OF alarm, saving: -,
st.No, 10, no! Alas, he always goes armed,
and he would kill you. How could bear
fhat?'
~ am determined will save you from
froul-this horriI fate threatening you. l
must, and shall. You would not hesitate, were
the roai cleared, to lly with lnc-and with
Willy. for We could not leave him bchndt anu
VIC call trust him!'
.t.Trust h:ms 0, yes she replied; Signor
Willcc is Of those one can trust to the lastn
II Immediately set to work to soothc the
natural sayagcry Of the brute Mattta, and sue
cecdcsl-by frequently cooling his anger. With
lrlntcts Of gold from my store--far hctter than
| ind expected. In fact, after while, he gave
I'D beating her altogether, rarely even iie abused
her and in time bcr.a.uc SO softcncd under the
treatment exhibited las the doctors say) that
hc even avoided speaking to her In his usual
cross manner, aud he was good enough to say
that the change was entirely owing to my inter-
ceSsiOn.
4 More than that, he became sort OF friend
of mine; took me out for air and exercise oc-
casionally; but never could get him to give
me the slightest intimation Of what was going III
III the political world, or whether Garibaldi
| had been successful. or had been driven
back. Whichever, ii either, had happened,
Mattia Fiorelii would not let us go from The
| bail-door except when closely guarded; and
Willy and began to feel certain that nc was
keeping us prisoners in hopes of extortlng q
heavy ransom for us from our friends in En-
gland.
ct. What Is it, nv own preeious!' asked one
dark afternoon, when Gabriel1a appeared with o
face swollen from weeping.
'sShe checked herself, and replied with an
other question: sDo vou not know that in ten
| mead to foot, and he< voice stopped under tho
| influence Of horror-swill be the new year
when-when-'
1;Gabriclla! That crime shall never be COM
| mittcd and I live to see it. lou shall
not marry this man. You shall fly from
here her with with me. will risk all sooner
| than that he shall have you for slave"
atO, pray save, mer she Historically i'm
plored; I would sooner die Thousand times
| will die. By my own hand-sooner than be dc
| filed BY his embyace!'
!. I calmed her as we'll as con1d-1 soothcd
| her, probably as Adam soothed Eve, and as the
| Last Man will soothc and calm the Last Wonl-
an-and with the burning kiss l printed on her
| forehead printed determination on my own
heart to save her even ii died br torture for it.
| "That very night laid plot, to which Willy
| {who contributed not an iota to it) cordially
| assentcd, aud the next day commenced to
| work it. / began to ccaseless1y jingle gold
under Matthias very nose on every opportunity
| ing wedding, but never failed to DC,
| nlorc the vast expenses he would
! be put to in consequence; and [ instnuatcd that
| Wiily and would make him handsome pres
cnt in addition to that which our peculiar lnsu'
! lar customs compelled US to give him on Christ
| mns day.
! HThat caught him. I never ceased harpine
on the Joint theme Of presents, and o11r pec1l-
| liar Christmas customs;' and when his curiosity
BECAME excited, and he asked what the latter
| we're, gave MIN such an outrageous list OF
things we wanted, and must have, to duly oh
! serve the Pagan Festival Of Christmas accord
iug to the Rites of the Ancient Britons-Rill es-
sential ceremonies, said, In England-as
| Anriouarics. At all events, it astonishcd Mat
tin Fiorclli to an extraordinary degrer,-thougll
| it was told to him only p:eccmca1, aud day
by day,-aud he flung Up his hands
| in a,,,azcnent that he could pc so
| mad us to spend SO much money on heathen Or
| gics of eating and drinking -.....:.
| "What l was driving at, and SO far SUCCESS
| fully, You shall now sec.