obedient slave to both, for his sake, whom she still dearly loves."

Surely she cannot be a willing accomplice to their designs upon unwary travellers who seek the shelter of her roof?"

"Oh! far from it," replied the girl; "it is her detestation of their crimes, and at the same time fear of discovery on account of her husband, that makes her the miserable being you behold. I dare not stay longer, or I shall excite the suspicion of our terrible madre; but when you come to your room after supper I will contrive to join you, and tell you all I can find out of their plans for the night."

I thanked her heartily, and we returned to the kitchen, where Lord and Lady Henry were taking their supper, in preference to returning to the cold and dismal-looking parlour. Our servants were seated at another table, rather ostentatiously examining their fire-arms; Laura was quietly nursing her baby, and the madre and her son were like cats, watching, without appearing to do so, every movement of our party.

Jeronymo was not gone, and had seated himself by the courier, whom he seemed to be endeavouring to draw into conversation; but the man appeared disinclined, or too sleepy, to attend to him. A rough-looking man and a coarse-mannered woman, whom I supposed to be servants of the house, were changing the dishes and bringing in more fuel.

The female was soon dismissed, at my request, to make good fires in the disconsolate looking bed-rooms.

Lady Henry kindly made Carlos and myself sit down by her and partake of the supper; after which Laura and Madelina conducted us up to our rooms. They had assumed a less dreary appearance now the fires were blazing in the dark capacious chimneys; but still I could not shake off my fears, and I asked my lady (in English) whether she would allow me to insist that the men servants should occupy the gallery.

66

Certainly, my dear Theresa," she said, "order what you think best, and I shall be

satisfied. Stay with me till Lord Henry comes

up,

for I feel afraid to be alone in this hauntedlooking apartment."

I had dismissed Laura, and desired her to allow her daughter to sit with little Carlos till I could leave my mistress. To this she consented; but, before she left the room, begged that I would not keep Madelina longer than I could possibly help.

Lord Henry soon joined us, and saying that he intended starting before breakfast, I left the room and retired to my own, where I found Madelina waiting for me, and Carlos in bed and fast asleep.

Fastening the door and looking cautiously round the room, and also into two murderouslooking caverns called closets, Madelina, drawing a chair close to mine, whispered the following into my anxious and attentive ear.

"This house is a receptacle for every brigand in the neighbourhood; and I firmly be lieve that more than one murder has been committed within its walls. My poor mother is not privy to half that goes on, but she sees enough to make her completely miserable.

The fearless and unprincipled madre is always urging her son to fresh deeds of violence and plunder. The man Jeronymo, who conducted you here to-night, is one of the gang, who is placed purposely in that hut by the road-side to entrap unwary passengers. Just as you arrived my step-father and three of the gang were preparing for an expedition; and firearms for a party that was to join them at a deserted house had been got ready to take with them. I find from my mother that your party is considered too large to be dealt with ; particularly as your lord said, at supper, that some friends were expecting him to-morrow at Savona. But still you had better be upon your guard, as the old madre is the most treacherous creature upon earth."

When Madelina ceased speaking, she was about to leave me, fearful of the anger of this bad woman; when, thanking her for her kindness, I begged she would tell me why she chose to remain among such abandoned people.

"Choose to remain," sobbed the poor girl; "I would give the world to leave this horrid

place to-night: but where am I to go? I have been for the last two years in the adjoining convent of Santa Maria as assistant to the portress; and the good sisters taught me needle-work and reading and writing for my trouble, and would have still kept me; but, I confess, the dreariness of a convent life is insupportable, and I wished to return home to my mother. But what a home have I come to, and how have I found my only parent! The first, a den of thieves and murderers-the latter, broken-hearted, and so wrapped up in her husband and baby, that she almost forgets I am also her child."

"Have you no friends or relations," I asked, "to whom you could go for it seems terrible to have no alternative but an abode among brigands, or to be immured for life in a cloister."

"The only relation I have in the world," replied Madelina, "is an aunt, who lives at Florence, and who, if I could but get to her, would, I make no doubt, be kind to me, or get me into some respectable situation, for I am