Year: 1877

came again-but this time the penc


was broken, though a telegraphie con


munication was opened through tt


hands that inspired confidence an


hope


Then Montani made his customar


morning visit; she was sitting alway
. IN the same spot, her head leaning upo


her hand and her face turned ava
from the window. She asked him fo
pen end ink, and he, hoping that SD


was about to write her willingness t
accede to their plans, unwittingly con
sented to furnish her with writin,
materials. The moment he was gone
she commenced writing these words


Come by moonlight. 1 will be pre-
pared to descend to you" THROWN,
it into the lake and waiting to be as
sured that Julio had real it, she fel
on her knees and uttered fervan
prayer for freedom.


The door suddenly opened, anC
Montani's face looked in upon her
She started IN dismay, feeling for 9
moment that even Julio was not safe
against this mans vengeful wrath. But
this time his cunning was at fault, al
though he had certainly heard the
prayer she had uttered. Fortunately,
he did not go to the window, for al
ready Julio was holding the handker
chief in his hand, and she dreaded lest
he should have been watched as he
picked it up.


The poor, dear childI" said Julio
to himself "Dose she think it possible
to come down to me from that high
tower. But will rescue her from her
imprisonment, or I will die in the at
tempt!'


The next day, a tail brown gipsy
made her appearance among the serv-
ants of Count Carat, offering to tell
their fortune. Among those assembled
was a little waiting maid who had
often accompanied Armida on her eX
cursions in the neighborhood. The
child's eyes were red with weeping for
her MISTRESS confinement. The gipsy
very naturally deferred telling this
girls fortune until the last, on account
of her being younger than the others,
and the older ones had fastened away
to compare notes upon what she had
told them, leaving little Alice and the
gypsy entirely by themselves.


Now, do not start or show any asi,
tation at what say. You love your
mistress, do you notf Hush! You
will injure her if you do not obey me.
Do you wish to release her from her
conf1nementW


She eagerly expressed her assent, and
the gypsy went on.


"Are you admitted to her roomr


"No, but please God, 1 shall see hel
to night.


"Howf


81 have concealed the duplicate key
Of the tower. 1t was dropped by the
count this morning, and 10, what
have been sayingq"


"Hush, my child. I, too, will con
fide in you. Meet me in the wood at
noon, and 1 will tell you who am.
Not another word"


Punctually, the little maid kept her
appointment; but, to her surprise, no
gypsy was there. But one met her
there whom she was equally glad to
see-the Signor Adimari; and to him
she related her sorrows, her hopes and
her fears, that the gypsy had deceived
her.


Nay, Alice, the gypsy Is true. 1
will pledge life and honor that she is
SO. Have you got the keyr


"Yes, Signor, here it is"


"Give it to me then, my good girl,
and have no fears. Now go, for you
may be suspected"


She gathered the herbs which she
had promised the housekeeper, and
departed. How long were the hours
of the weary afternoon to the faithful
little maid. But night came at last,
and she was summoned to walt on
Montani, for he had assumed state.
She had been attendant, though re-
lucsant one, since Armida's eonfine
ment. She had told this to Julio, and
he had taken the advantage of the cir
cumstances to give her a powder for
Montani's vine, which he assured her
would do him no further harm than to
make him sleep profoundly until
morning. At ten the house was still.
Alice stole out of it, as Julio had d.
rected her, and awaited at distance.
Then as the echoes from the old tower
had died away Armida, who was hold
ing her nightly watch BY the little
window, saw Julio's boat draw up
close to the castle wall beneath her
window, and before she could plan
what to do or how to communiate with
him, the key was noiselessly turned In
the lock and he stood before her. Not
a whisper passed between them, ~ the
moon family lighted their pa4ase
down the winding stairs, and along
the narrow strip OF pathway to the
river. The boat was soon rocking on
the water, and then Armida threw on
the gipsy's hood, in which he had en-
veloped her head, and for the first
time saw that Alice, too, was beside
her.


Montani slept soundly until bis
strange non-appearanee set the house
hold wondering. When he awoke it
was broad noon, and his first thought
was of Arrnida- He went instantly to
the tower, and bis rage at not finding
her may not be described.


The old Count secretly rejoiced that
she had escaped. He believed her
safe, because Alice. too, vas missing,
and he felt assured that the little
maiden had possessed herself Of
bis kew to free her mistress He in
wardly e1ulted that Montani could no
longer touch him through the suffer
ings Of bis grandchild.


Now he resolved to do what he ought
long before to have done-to confess