his manners had become so domestic, that he seemed to think his chief
duty consisted in amusing the little Ludovico, and carrying him about
on his bread shaggy shoulders, where he looked like the infant Hercules
mounted on his lion. They were, indeed, a picturesque pair, and no
wonder that the young parents of the beautiful child smiled as they
watched him wreathing his little hands in the long curling mane of the
good-tempered animal, and laying his soft rosy cheek on his back.

Such was the group that occupied the small cultivated spot in front of
the chief, lodges of the village: and thus happy and tranquil might
they have remained, until the fading light had warned Oriana that it
was time to lay her child to rest in his mossy bed, and to prepare the
usual meal for her husband and her father. But they were interrupted by
the approach of Jyanough and Mailah, accompanied by the young Lincoya;
and also by a stranger, whose form seemed familiar to them, but whose
features the shadow of the over-hanging trees prevented them at first
from recognizing.

But, as the party approached, a chill struck into the heart of Oriana,
and she instinctively clung closer to her husband's arm, as if she felt
that some danger threatened him; while the open, manly brow of Henrich
contracted for an instant, and was crossed by a look of doubt and
suspicion that was seldom seen to darken it, and could not rest there
long. In a moment that cloud had passed away, and he rose to greet the
stranger with a frank and dignified courtesy, that showed he felt
suspicion and distrust to be unworthy of him. Rodolph, also, seemed to
be affected by the same kind of unpleasant sensations that were felt by
his more intellectual, but not more sagacious fellow-creatures. No
sooner did the stranger advance beyond the shadow of trees, and thus
afford the dog a full view of his very peculiar and striking
countenance, than he uttered a low deep growl of anger; and, slowly
rising from the ground, placed himself between his little charge and
the supposed enemy, on whom he kept his keen eye immovably fixed, while
his strong white teeth were displayed in a very formidable row.

Coubitant--for it could be no other than he--saw clearly the impression
that his appearance had excited on the assembled party of his old
acquaintances; but he was an adept in dissimulation, and he entirely
concealed his feelings under the garb of pleasure at this reunion after
so long a separ