and the soft pressure with which Charles's hand closed upon hers that he had still retained, deepened the crimson upon her cheek and forehead.

There are some passions which are lost in danger and sorrow; but there is one which, if true, yields not to circumstances; no, not for a moment.

It was a woman who entered the room, and, as Charles concluded, the sister of him who appeared the chief of the banditti. She had one time been very lovely, and indeed was so still; nor was it time that had at all impaired her beauty, for she looked to be scarcely more than two or three and twenty; but it seemed as if both sorrow and crime had cast a shadow over her countenance, and wrought those strong lines in it that the recurrence of years had not been frequent enough to effect. The frown which hung upon her brow had much of melancholy, and little, though somewhat, of sullenness; and the curl that raised her lip, had more of the

hopeless

hopeless sorrow than the proud bitterness of disappointment. Her beauty was of that dark cast that Italy often produces. The deep glossy hair, the bright eyes, the warm sunny brown of the complexion, seemed as if they had been bathed from infancy in rays of the summer sun; and even the expression spoke of feelings as ardent as the climate, and passions as scorching as the skies. While as she entered, and her eye fell upon the two young beings of a distant land, that fate seemed to have placed in her power, evidently dear to each other, and now cut off from all the world beside, the light of purer thoughts shone upon her once more, and her face softened into a look of gentleness and pity." My brother wishes to speak to you, young gentleman," said she, addressing Charles, and she did so with an elegance that spoke of better scenes and more polished society. "He bade me tell down to him, you, that if you would go he pledges his honour that you and your

wife should be equally safe, and that you shall return whenever you please; but that if you doubted him, he would come up to speak to you here."

Charles had hitherto always found confidence succeed with those amongst whom he was now placed; they seemed pleased with a generous treatment they did not expect, and would perhaps have been ashamed not to act in conformity with it— "I do not doubt him in the least,” replied Charles;" where shall I find him?-I will be back directly, Mary," he added, seeing the anxious look with which she regarded him; "there is no fear he is a man of honour;" and having learned that he waited for him at the foot of the stairs, he went down, without any appearance of hesitation.

CHAP.

CHAPTER IX.

"Mark it, for it is a tale that winds
Its subtile thread along the history's web
Of many that you love."

The Flight.

THE staircase, without any landing-place, passage, or preliminary separation of the kind, entered at once into the apartment of the ground floor, coming down, as it were, through the ceiling, at the far side of the room, much upon the plan of the steps that lead from an English coachhouse into the lofts above, generally appropriated to the coachman and his family. Underneath this staircase was a door, which led into a chamber on the other side of the house, and opposite was placed the window which lighted the apartment, and

the

the door at which Charles had entered the

dwelling.

The chief of the robbers was alone."You trust me," said he, as Charles descended," and I will shew you that I return it. For your own sake, tell me truly, are you sure that the bills you have given on Bologna will be paid immediately?" and he regarded the young Englishman with a look that seemed intended to pry into his inmost thoughts.

66

Certainly," replied Charles calmly; "without any doubt. May I ask what made you put that question now ?"

66

"The reason I did so," said the robber, was, that you gave your promise for so large a sum in so careless a manner, that it excited a suspicion in my mind, that you did it to gain time to escape; should this have proved the case, my companions would soon have forgot all their kindness for you, and would have murdered you the moment they found that the ransom was not paid."

"I can