Year: 1876

entrance of the Corsican beauty, but he found


it very difficult to confine his mind to his SUBJ
ject, and at last closed the book in disgust.


"Such faces as that of Vannina Pinelli


would soon deprive me of my admiration of


landscape beauties :" he muttered. "How


passionate and impulsive these Corsicans are {!


If read her countenance Alright she is in


love with me now. 1t would not be such an


unpleasant fate to be the husband of this fair


Vannina, and-but must see more of her


before l indulge in schoolboy love-dreams." P"


He seized his sketch-book, donned his hat,


and descended from the tower and made his


way to Benito. where at that time he made


his stopping place.


The following day found him at the ruined


tower, which he had converted into an en-


bryo studio. To his surprise he found Van


nina Pinelli already present. her mandile
thrown back. her round, white arms bare,


and her face brilliant in its rich beauty.


"You were not so impatient as l, store"
she said


"The later begin my work the later it


will be before can complete it. You see
am in no haste to end the pleasure of your
society,"" he responded.


| The girls face grew bright with impulsve
| happiness.


''He Will love me" was what she kept re-
peating in her mind, while he displayed the
canvas which he had prepared expressly for
her portrait.


He instucted her as to the position she was
| to assume, and arranged her meanwhile with
his own hands. His back was towards the
entrance of the apartment, and he did not see
the dark meancing face which peered in up
on the scene. The face was that of Vittorio
PaOli, the Corsican lover of Vannina. For
minute he glared upon the unconscious OBJ
.ects of his rage, and then with an oath, he
sprang forward and dealt the young Ameri-
can a blow upon the head with his clenched fist,
telling him to the floor insensible. With a
scream of terror, Vannina attempted to es-
cape from the apartment, but before she could
do SO the Corscan seized her light form in
his giant grasp, and bore her down from the
tower and towards the wave washed beach,
lie placed his hand upon her mouth to pre-
vent her uttering any cry, and bore her along
the beach until he reached a point hidden
from the land by high precipitious bluffs.
Here he placed hel upon her feet and reIeas-
ed his hold upon her mou,h.


"You did not he'd the warning which I
gave you yesterday and now you shall suffer
the consequences. he hissed, fixing his
snaky orbs upon those of his captive.


"YOu are a spy-a contemplate coward"
Vannina reiterated, meeting his gaze unhinch-
ingly.


''Be sparing Of yeur epithets, fair one!
have borne you hithsr to force you to promise
nay, you have prmised alread y-swear to
we'd me, and no Other! You have confessed
that you love that young American, and I
know by his every action that he loves you
in return. Marry him you never shall! Now
swear, by all your hopes of salvation, to be-
come my bride, or you shall suffer the most
horrible of deaths''


Vanninas dark face blanched, but the re-
solute look did not leave her eyes.


Il hate you, Vittorio Paoli; and will dies
thousand deaths rather than wed you.' she
cried, her clear tones rising above the swash
of the waves at their feet.


He saw that naught that he could say or do
would alter her determination.


''Then you have chosen your fate, and
when it is too late you will regret your de-
cision!'


AS she spoke, the Corsican once more rails
ed the girl IN his arms and bore her along the
beach for considerable distance, at last
reaching the mouth of cavern which extend
ed beneaththe cliff, and which was near y con-
cealed by huge bowlder poised upon end
Once more releasing his captive, the. .Corsican
said:


"a few days ago asl was passing over this
spot, espied the opening of this cavern, and
prompted by curiosity, l resolved to explore
it. AS you see the bOwlder which partially |
conceals its mouth IS delicately poised and
can be easily moved from without, though !
from the inside to move it is an i'm
possibility. Accordingly, | moved the rock
aside and entered the cavern, first having |
provided myself with light l explored it
but short distance before became aware |
of the presence of legion of Shiny, venom
Gus serpents that inhabited every crevice in
the walls of the cavern. made my escape
as quick as possible, and swung the bowlder
back into place. l said that you should die
the most horrible of deaths, and now am
about to execute my threat!'


The COrsican while speaking, had moved
the bowlder aside, and now be grasped the arm
of Vannina and thrust her forcibly into the
black. loathsome cave. With an exultant
laugh he pushed the bowlder back into its
place, thus imprisoning the girl IN the vile
serpants' den. Without waiting to hear the
wild cries for help uttered by Vannina, the
Corsican strobe away from the spot, leaving
her to her fate.


The cavern in which our heroine found
herself was sufficiently lofty to permit OF her
standing erect, but it was so very narrow that
she could touch both walls with her out
stretched hands. Her horrible situation
forced her to give vent to several wild cries
for help: but as the sepulchral ring of her own
voice added to the terror of her position, she
soon ceased. All was intense darkness within
he cavern, save for narrow stream of light
which came in betwixt the bowlder and the
side of the cave


Desperately the girl pushed against the
)owlder in her attempt to remove it, but her
struggles were in vain, for the rock was as
from the inner side, as the cliff
tSelf. In despair she sank uDOn the rocky