The record-union., 1891-08-15

lh u - L los loSI LIS1I
esting. handsome and self-sacrifcial
gentleman.
Yes, you do well, Marie, to reproach
me-" observed the Countess, with little
shrug OF her shoulders; but am used to
having my own way, Mr.. Faulkner, and
l generally say what | think. However,
perhaps | do seem little unciVil. espe-
cially as you ean'treally have cared much
for all this cribbage with an old woman
like me. I'll ask you, therefore, to be so
good as to escort me to Castellamare."
With the greatest pleasure" replied
Mr.. Faulkner, somewhat too eagerly.
But you viii not think of starting be-
fore Saturday or Monday?"
"A2t c0atrdire, shall start tomorrow
morning as early as possible"
But your ladyship is not of iron. Be
sides, remember the road is not one of
the safest"
"Brigands, eh? Well, I'd like above
all things to have brush with them, if it
weren't for the delay of it. AS it is, how
ever, Pm in hurry, and / fancy we are
the more likely to get through safely just
because we start at once before any eXag-
gerated ideas and intelligence about
Squirm's wealth and mine drift up to-
wards the mountains. / have ordered
horses for O'Clock, Mr.. Faulknerr'
Il think you are acting very impru-
IDENTIFY, Countess. viii you not say Sat
urday morning?"
Il am sorry l cannot oblige you even
so far, MIR. Faulkner. Cards, Marie"
That evening the Countess won every
game. 1t was most surprising. They
played for three hours and hall, and
Mr.. Faulkner lost ten pounds.
ut is case Of Providence backing the
big battalions after all, l fancy" her la
dyship remarked when she rose to go to
bed. Until tomorrow at 6, then, Mr..
Faulkner"
deuce take it," exclaimed our friend
when he was alone. lie looked at his
watch IN state OF agitation. II was half
past loan hour when all Sicily is asleep
There may just be time" he muttered.
Thereupon he put on his hat, and went to
the house of man who was notorious
Malta. The two greeted each other with
sort OF unholy iervor. They stayed in
cOntabulation for half an hour. Then Mr.
Faulkner returned To the Golden Lion,
and the Malta man. having saddled his
lean-ribbed little white pony, rode away
I! towards the mountains at fretful pace.
1t was ineXpressibly CALLING to Mr.
Faulkner that nothing happened to alter
her ladyShips plans for the morrow
| The inn-keeper himself aroused the gen.
tleman with the words that the horses
were ready at the door and that the
Countess was breakfasting.
They started punctually at 6 O'Clock,
which is early for March. 1t was nip
ping cold, too; so cold that it gave Marie
a blue nose, though it seemed only the
more to brace her Iadyship's energies.
eve shall have an enchanting excur-
sion, Mr. Faulkner. | feel sure of it,"
she said while cycling him rather subtly.
Il trust we may" was his reply. For
the life of him he could not refrain from
satire at the Countess expense. Il sup
| pose your ladyship," he added, will
not attempt to play cribbage on the Way?"
Pm afraid it's impossible" she re-
! piled, with sweet smile. Besides, Pm
quite content with my laurels Of last
| night. You are sure, Marie, you have
seen the baggage properly registered to
/ Palermo?'
quite, your ladyship."
''Then there's nothing 10 90 but bow to
our friend the landlord and be off,
The Countess OF Squirm accordingly
| bowed to the proprietor Of the Golden
/ Lion and switched her horse.
II don't think L was ever made such a
fool Of in all my days, muttered Mr..
! Faulkner to himself. well, it win be a
lesson, I'll be hanged if it won'tr'
Poor gentleman! If only he had known
| to what last extremity his unhallowed
cupidity was to bring HIM, he would
have been even more at discord with
| himself.
Two hours passed, and the party were
all in the mountains. Marie had dis
! played a certain amount Of respectful pet
tishness toward her mistress. She was
unused TO riding, and her animal was
/ none of the most urbane III disposition.
But the Countess took the maids ill-hu-
NOR in admirable part, and wherever she
looked she smiled. Towards IL o'clock,
when they We're nearing a place which
the guide said would make a capital
bivouac, it began to rain. This was bad
But hardly ten minutes later worse fol-
| lowed. Three pictureSqUe-looGi rogues,
with guns on their shoulders, stepped
from wood called the Bosco di Sparagio
and, having saluted the Countess, brought
the party to halt The guide uttered the
heels. No one needed him
Mr.. Faulkner at once entered into
heated conversation with the three men.
| There seemed to be something wrong
They were not the men he expected; and
at length he, had to turn to the Countess
with CONSERVATION written on his face.
This is pretty condition of affairs, .
he saiu.
And how long will they keep u.s.
asked the Countess, with look of elation
| which said as plainly as an expression
may speak: ''At last I have reached the
highest summit Of my ambition. l have
lived sixty years and never, until to-
day have l come across a real live bri.
gand."
'How should l know! 1t is unfortu-
nate that your ladyship is the Countess
Squirm-unfortunate for me, that is.''
"Oh, come now, don't say that We
are in the same box anyhow, and / shall
take care that you do not suffer on my
account"
| CVonr ladxcbiy, ;c VOW GOOD ;, ~,
served Mr.. Faulkner.
They had no time to say more just then
for the brigands urged them to ascend the
| mountain TO the right by track that LEFT
a good deal to be desired. The helpless
| Marie, in particular, was soon at her wits
end. she slipped off her horse twice, anC
at length, after an indignant protest, haC
to submit to be held up by one of the
three rogues, their captors. He was the
ugliest of them, which did not tend tC
soothe her.
Thus they came at length to q glen
high up and looking towards the Medi
terranean. There was dismal rain.
cloud low upon them at the time, anC
even the Countess of SQuirm's spirits hac
somewhat abated. 1t was fully two
hours past her luncheon hour, and the
guides pony had carried off the provision
| basket as well as its master.
1t was the usual thing this haunt of the
bandits. There was nice, smooth little
plateau with precipitous rocks on three
sides of it, accessible by one track only
and that sufficiently perilous one. The
| bandits home was cave with very
dirty black face. A good deal of brush
wood piled near told of the fires which
! were responsible for this discoloration.
The troop consisted Of but five men
including the Capo. There was one
woman in the esta blishment, the Captains
wife. All the five, and the woman, too
seemed rarely pleased with their luck il