Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-12-21

I
the meeting aboye recorded, Arm
da's apprehensions could not be COZ
ceaied; Count Carat having ths
morning threatened to cOnfne he
until she was ready to submit to hi
decision. Montani had desired hin
TO do tins; and the poor old Conn
haunted down by his imDIacable en-
envy, had consented to emplov an,
means to bring Armida to terms
that MOntani's avance might sug
gest.
II was evening when Montan
himself led Armida to the towe
which he had threatened. Sh
looked around the room, to which
small lamp gave a feeble light. Z
table on which it stood held jar D
water and q basket of thin cakes.
A small couch was the only bee
provided for her, and this was hard
enough to suit the strictest an
cnorlte. There was a brazIer, in
which Goals were smouldering; but
the warmth was doubtful Armi
da looked out of the window. The
small crescent moon showed her q
lake beneath the tower.
A boat was upon the lake. and
her heart told her that the fisher
man who guided its oars was julio
himself.
Fortunately she had a pencil anG
piece of white cloth about her
She wrote few brief words, wrap.
ped it around a bit of light wood
that was likely to float, and dropped
it in the lake. The fisherman
looked up and caught it as it fell,
for the boat was Just beneath the
window. He pressed it to his lips
IN token that he knew the writer,
and again shot away behind the
cliff. The next day be came again
but this time the pencil was bro.
ken, though a telegraphic cOmmuni.
cation was opened through the
hands that inspired confidence and
hope.
Then Montani made bis customa.
ry morning visit; she was sitting al
ways in the same spot, her head
leaning upon her hand and her face
turned away from the window. She
asked him for pen and INK, and he
hoping that she was about to write
her willingness to accede to theil
plans. unwittingly consented to fur
nish her with writing materials. The
momenI he was gone, she commence
ed writing these words: "Come
by moonlight. l will be prepared
to descend to you" Throwing it in
to the lake and waiting to be as
sured that Julio had read it, she
fell on her knees and uttered a fer
vent prayer for freedom.
The door suddenly opened, and
Montani's face looked in upon her.
She started in dismay, feeling for
a moment that even Julio was n0c
safe against this mans veDgeful
wrath. But this time his cunning
was at fault, although ne had GER
tainly beard the prayer she had ut
tered. Fortunately he did not go
to the window, for already Julio
was holding the handkerchief in
his hand, and she dreaded lest he
should have been watched as he
picked it up.
''The poor, dear cbild!'' said Ju-
lio to himself. HDoes she think it
possible to come down to me from
that high tower. But | will rescue
her from her imprisonment, or | will
die in the attempt?"
The next day, tall brown giDsy
made her appearance among the
servants of Count Carif, offering to
tell their fortune. Among those as
was a little waiting maid
who had often accompanied Armi-
da Oh her excursions in the neigh
borhood. The child's eyes were red
with weeping for her mistress's con-
fnement. The gypsy very natural
~ deferred telling this girls fortune
until the last, on account of her be-
ing younger than the others, and
the older ones had hastened away to
notes upon what she had
told them, leaving little Alice and
the gipsy entirely by themselves.
''Now, do not start or show any
agitation at what 1 say. You love
your mistress, do you not2 Hushl
Yon will injure her if you do not
obey me. Do you wish to release
her from her confinement"
She eagerly expressed her assent,
and the gypsy went on.
care you admitted to her room?"
"No, but please God, shall see
her tonight.
"How?'
81 have concealed the duplicate
kew of the tower. 1t was dropped
by the Count this morning, and I
o, what have / ueen saying?"
''Hush, my child. l, too, will
confde in you. Meet me in the
wood at noon, and 1 will tell you
who | am. Not another word"
Principally, the little maid kept
her appointment; but to her sur
prise no gipsy was there. But one
met her there whom she was
enuaIlv glad to see-the Signor Ad-
m .ri; and to him she related her
:, ,rrows, her hopes and her fears,
II at the gypsy had deceived her.
MAY, Alice, the gypsy is true. l
vilr pledge my life and honor that
,he is so. Have you got the key?"
eyes, Sign OF, here 1t is.
"Give it to me- then, my good glr1,
md have no fears. Now go, for
you may be suspected;
She gathered the herCs Whion shs
rad promised the hOuseEeepsr' ana
departed. How long were the hours
IF the weary afternoon to the faith
'ul little maid. But night came st
asst. and she was summoned to walt
IN Montani, for he had assumed
tate. She had been attendant,
hough a reluctant Que since Armi-
las confinement. She had told
his to Julio, aud he had taken the
advantage of the circumstances to
,ive her a powder for MOntani's
vine, which he assured her wOnld
10 him no further harm chan GO
make him sleep profoundly un@l
At ten the house was