at all in his
way. Whether the part of guide, philosopher, and friend to such a
pupil suited a man of four-and-twenty, he was yet to learn. No doubts
of this kind troubled him, however, as the _arriero_ led his mules
down the hill, and the party followed the music of their bells, all in
high spirits, except old Moodie, who, though a volunteer, continued to
be a grumbler.

Two hours' riding carried them beyond the point to which the botanical
excursions had led them in that direction. They were leaving the
valley, and entering on the high and broken uplands, when Lady Mabel
spied a low cross by the roadside. Though rudely formed, it was of
stone, and not of wood, like most of those in such places, and a short
inscription was carved upon it. Faintly cut, badly spelt, and with
many abbreviations, it was an enigma to her scholarship, and L'Isle
had to decipher it for her: "Andreo Savaro was murdered here. Pray for
his soul." "It is only one of those monumental crosses," said he, "of
which you see so many along the roads throughout the peninsula."

"Do they always add murder to robbery here?" she asked.

"Too often, but not always," answered L'Isle. "Nor is robbery the only
motive which leads to the taking of life. A solitary cross by the
roadside is usually in memory of the victim of robbers, or,
occasionally, of fatal accident; but when you see crosses, two or
three together, in villages or towns, or their immediate neighborhood,
they oftener mark the scene of some deed of bloodshed prompted by
revenge, not lucre."

"They are certainly very numerous," said she, "and form a shocking
feature on the face of the country, indicating a dreadful state of
society."

"I wonder these people persist in putting them up," said the
commissary, "for they are of no manner of use."

"Use!" said Lady Mabel, "what is the use of a tomb-stone?"

"If you mean real use, I am sure I don't know," said Shortridge.

"I see that you are a thorough utilitarian," she replied; "and since
these people will continue to commit murder on the high road, I
suppose you would have them do it at regular intervals, so that by aid
of these monumental crosses we might measure our journey by murders
instead of miles. Come, Mrs. Shortridge, road-side murder is rife
here, so the less we loiter on our way the better."

This remark had the effect mischievously intended. Mrs. Shortridge,
turning somewhat pale, and twitching her bridle convulsively, urged
her