, signorina, what a picture you would
make! Now that the ass is loaded, let me draw you before we part, that I
may carry away the recollection of the loveliest woman I have seen."

"First draw the donkey," she replied, "that I may carry away a
recollection of the _galantuomo_ who first upset him over the bank, and
then helped me to load him."

Smiling at this ambiguous compliment, I gave her the sketch she desired,
and was about to claim my reward, when she abruptly remarked--

"There is not time now; it is getting late, and I must not linger, as I
have still an hour to go before reaching home. How is it that you are
not afraid to be wandering in this solitary glen by yourself? Do you not
know the risks?"

"I have heard of them, but I do not believe in them," I said; "besides, I
should be poor plunder for robbers."

"But you have friends, who would pay to ransom you, I suppose, if you
were captured?"

"My life is not worth a hundred _scudi_ to any of them," I replied,
laughing; "but I am willing to forego the pleasure of drawing you now,
_bellissima_, if you will tell me where you live, and let me come and
paint you there at my leisure."

"You're a brave one," she said, with a little laugh; "there is not
another man in all Ascoli who would dare to pay me a visit without an
escort of twenty soldiers. But I am too grateful for your amiability to
let you run such a risk. _Addio_, Signer Inglese. There are many
reasons why I can't let you draw my picture, but I am not ungrateful,
see!"--and she offered me her cheek, on which I instantly imprinted a
chaste and fraternal salute.

"Don't think that you've seen the last of me, _carissima_," I called out,
as she turned away. "I shall live on the memory of that kiss till I have
an opportunity of repeating it."

And as I watched her retreating figure with an artist's eye, I was struck
with its grace and suppleness, combined, as I had observed while she was
helping me to load the donkey, with an unusual degree of muscular
strength for a woman.

The spot at which this episode had taken place was so romantic, that I
determined to make a sketch of it, and the shades of evening were closing
in so fast that they warned me to hurry if I would reach the town before
dark. I had just finished it, and was stooping to pick up my air-gun,
when I heard a sudden rush, and before I had time to look up, I was
thrown violently forward on my face, and found myself struggling in t