A. M. Williamson and C. N. Williamson

“ She had no other home than the ruinous palace; no companion, no servant save the old woman who had once been her nurse; as for money, barely enough for the meagre support of two, and the poor charities for which she was willing to sacrifice the few small luxuries that might have been hers. So she lived, a Princess among the peasants, sharing their life, scarcely better housed or fed than they, yet happy because she loved all and was loved by all.
“But many men must have wished to marry her, and take her away from a life so unsuitable,” Holstead began. ”

“ But, according to old Assunta, the girl’s nurse, he had frightened the poor child with veiled hints that she would regret her decision, and vengeance of some appalling, mysterious kind, should she ever dare think of marrying another man.
This he might or might not have been guilty of; but in any case a marriage of the Princess Immaculata was the most unlikely thing in the world. Men did not come to Ravello to look for a bride.
Holstead fancied he knew of one who, at least, after a face he had seen in Ravello, would be loth to look elsewhere, since no other could ever be as fair. ”

“ But instead of waving a wand to roll back the solid walls, or opening the ground to show the cellars crammed with jewels, the spirit seized the captive girl with a powerful arm, tore her from Don Paolo’s grasp, and ran with her to the stairs that led to the upper ground. The peasants still knelt, gaping helplessly; but the magician, stooping swiftly to pick up the knife, was instantly in pursuit. Half way up the steps, Holstead set down the Princess, and wheeled in a flash to face his adversary. ”

“ I never lie. Of this treasure I shall give you each a hundred lire; the rest is mine. But to-morrow I will discover for you in the Palazzo Stefano the much larger treasure the existence of which my familiar has revealed to me. In that we shall all share equally. You already know the conditions, and what you must do in order that I may win it for you.” As he spoke, Paolo had been hastily stuffing the gold pieces into a bag he had brought with him, having first handed their shares to his open-mouthed dupes. ”

“ A cry rose from the three peasants as a tall, black figure leaped lightly from the place where the pillar had stood, and dashed up to the altar. It was the answer to the incantation: a spirit had come. The sacrificial knife fell from a nerveless hand. The three men dropped upon their knees, jabbering with terror, and reverting in this moment of frenzy to their Christian faith, crossed themselves as fast as their fingers could move. ”

“ No Italians of rank will marry a penniless girl, be she beautiful as Venus. Yet there is one man here—who has dared, taking advantage of her loneliness and weakness—” Madame Piancastelli drew a little nearer and sank her voice. “There is a man here in Ravello, sir, who is an extraordinary person. He came suddenly one day about two years ago from no one knew where, and took up his quarters in part of the old d’Afflitto palace. Don Paolo he is called, though who knows whether he really has a right to be more than simple ‘Signore’?”
A sudden inspiration came to Holstead. ”

“ A stone rolled under his foot; the girl started; her glance dropped, and encountered the very honest, the very openly admiring brown eyes of a handsome young man.
The hand that had shaded her eyes fell, and rested, with a slight tremor running through it, on the ancient yellow marble of the balustrade. So, for a long moment, the two stood—silent, motionless. Then a deep flush burned suddenly in the girl’s cheek, and spread in a reddening tide to neck and temples. ”

“ Perhaps I should not say this to you; but I believe you have admired her very much; she has thought of you, too, sometimes, Signore, as a lady may, when she leads a sad and lonely life, with seldom a new interest. And he has seen all—the arch fiend! Holy Maria, I cannot forget his threats! And now—she has disappeared.”
“Trust me to find her, and bring her safely back to you,” Holstead said earnestly. “If I don’t come with the Princess in an hour, go to the carabineri for help.” Assunta seized his hand, kissed it, much to his embarrassment, and hurried away towards the Palazzo della Marra. ”

“ There was a pause, as the two men seemed to catch their breath in superstitious terror. “But it’ll be all right to-night,” the fellow went on; “and the treasure can scarcely be calculated, Don Paolo said. There'll be a quarter for each of us—s-s-h.”
In his excitement, Holstead leaned forward against the pillar which concealed him. To his surprise, it seemed to give way a little. He glanced swiftly up. A glint of moonlight showed him a strange thing: that this pillar, in the course of centuries, had become detached from its fellows by the disintegration of the mortar. ”