The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-11-17


irg !" me-"
'Oi, Inca, are YOU surel Aud the
bars. If can get through them, which
seems scarcely possible, are you sure
you can. dear 2"
II am as slippery rs an EEL" he an
8 wered with forced laugh, "snd shall
get through as easy as possible. Come,
DEAR" be added, hurriedly, "there is not
q moment to lose. The rope Is snfeIy
round you; it cannot slip. Now, dear,
little psin in squeezing
and you are safe
He ea'e her, 10 his merciful consid.
GRAFTON. no time TO think, and very firmly, |
but With such care ss q surgeon uses
when suhjectipg his patient to inevitable
pain, be forced her thfs6an the opening
between the bars, which at that psrtic-
lar part might have been perhaps from
seven TO seven and . half inches
asunder.
10 Luca, Luca!" cried the girl. stake
me back! You will never, never be
able to follow me; you are 80 much big
ger. Take me back. and let me stay
with you to the end"
She struggled and clung to the cage,
but Llca would not listen 10 her. He
detached her hands only too easily, for
she was half fainting-leaDed over and
kissed her band, and then with rapid bot
cautious action paid out the rope through
the bars.
When Brigida reached the termination
of her hazardous i'urney she Nas in.
sensible, and il was In that state that
Lppo received her into bis arms. By
the time she VAS released fom the rope
which was bound about her body, the
poor cir! had reeained possession OF ber
senses. Lippo's drst care, after kissing
Briaida ecstatically. Was to provide for
her immediate escape. He had boat
ready in The canal close by, manned BY
a couple Of boaimen whom be could i'm.
p!icltly trust, and he was for hurrying
her away at once, lest any Of the officers
OF the night watch, In making their
rounds, should enter the piazza. But
Eippo's entreaties. usually 80 powerful
with Bripids. we're 10 this case of no
avail. Till Luca was out of the cage,
and stood there teside ber, mot hing would
induce her 10 consult her own safety.
She would fly with him or not At all, and
the utmost that Lippo's persuasion coul'l
Effect was to induce her to hide herself
within a recess OF the great building
which fl,nked the south side OF the
square, aud came near TO the Campa-
niles base.
/ The girl WAS, in truth, In an agony #
apprehension lest that escape from the
cage, which. even in ber case, had been
made with so much difficulty, should for
her brother be a thing altogether i'm
practicable. With every moment that
passed this terrible apprehension gained
increase of strength. As TO what Luca
himself was about, neither sbe nor Lippo
could do more than form the vsguest
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 sgita'ed and
shaken, evidently owing to the move
ment impaired 10 the cage by the efforts
OF it's occupant to force himself through
the bars. But time passed, and there
was still no indication Of that descend.
ing figure for which they were looking
with such absorbing esgerness. and
Rrigida could no longer resist sicken.
ing conviction that aer worst fears we're
realized.
"Oh!" she cried, rwhy did ! leave
him2 I. was selfish, IL was cruel. ]
knew be could not get through. Those
large, strong shoulders OF bis"-and
here, so strangely are we constituted,
came out . touch OF sisterly pride
would never pass through that email
opening. Lippo," she cried, almost On.
Qrily, "can sou do nolhinR.a Why did
you shoot that srrowP Why did you
take me away from him? Poor, noble
brother, lie OF ly cared about me! Lip
po," she cried again, "there muet be
something more possible. Qaick! The
night is passing away, and when daylight
comes it will be too late"
L'ppo cast one look up toward the
cage, and mechanically stretched ont bis
hand TO the silken cord which hung down
still from The cage by the side of the
rope. Az be touched it be seemed 10
convince new idea. "Tbere is hope
yet," be said "Onlv stay here, keep
within the shadow If the wall, and wait.
with what patience you can, till return
He did not stop Tor her answer, bat dash.
ed of across the piazza at his utmost
speed.
What time was that which followed!
Brigida was alons--alone at the foot of
the column. at the top Of which her
well.ioved brother was still engaged.
She could not communicate with him.
She bad no one at ell 20 speak to or
take counsel with. 1t was one OF those
dreadful cases in which the severest part
Of the trial is the necessity of total in
action 1t was slmost unbearable. She
ionged to spesk She longed 10 call
alond to ber brother; to entreat him not
to despair. She felt that be had aban-
doned all iboughts OF escape. The rope
hung q1ietly now, showing that. no
movement was taking place in the cage.
o., that she could know what this qui-
etness meant! Was he visiting, patient,
resigned, fnr the end3 Dill he think
she had ahandoned bin, and that she
had consulted her o ~n sa'etv in fight
NJ, he could not believe that. Or bad
some dreadful thing hsppeneda Had be
got fixed between the bars 2-Ras be
strangled, sufiocstedf ?
The sospense was horrible. hu, II must
be borne. Brigida was blessed with the
priceless gift OF good sense; she was
wise as we'll as loving I; she must be quiet,
she must keep herself concealed, rs che
had been told to do. Everything-her
brothers fate especially-depended on
her not being found She must keep
within the shadow OF that piece OF ma
sopry behind which Lippo had hidden
her. ard wait.
Once she stole to the foot OF the Cam.
paniIe; the rope by which she bad de
scended hung out away from the pillar
and. il aEy one came by the place, would
a.Isc, attention. She got hold OF it and
tvietad and antvined IN ammo eome of