zing the smoke escaping through an opening in the
roof above. From an iron bar which crossed this opening a strong chain
was suspended, and fastened to it was the crane, so that it hung at the
proper height over the fire--for this was the kitchen as well as the
reception room. The low ceiling was blackened with the smoke that filled
the upper part of the room and escaped slowly through the hole over the
fire, unless a puff of wind drove it back again. A row of bright copper
casseroles hanging against the wall--like the burnished shields along
the sides of the ancient triremes, if this comparison be not too noble
for such a lowly subject--gleamed vaguely in the flashing of the red
fire-light, and a large, half-empty wine-skin lying on the floor in
one corner looked like a beheaded body carelessly flung down there.
Certainly not a cheerful looking place, but, the fire being newly
replenished burned brightly, and our weary travellers were glad to bask
in its genial warmth.

At the end of one of the wooden benches a little girl was sitting,
apparently sound asleep. She was a poor, thin, little creature, with
a mass of long, tangled, black hair, which hung down over her face and
almost concealed it, as she sat with her head drooping forward on her
breast. Her scanty clothing was tattered and dirty, her feet and poor,
thin, little legs brown and bare, and covered with scratches--some still
bleeding which bore witness to much running through the thorny furze
thickets.

Isabelle, who chanced to sit down near her, cast many pitying glances
upon this forlorn little figure, but took care not to disturb the quiet
sleep she seemed to be enjoying in her uncomfortable resting-place.
After a little, when she had turned to speak to Serafina, who sat
beside her, the child woke with a start, and pushing back the mass of
dishevelled hair revealed a sad little face, so thin that the cheek
bones were painfully prominent, and pale to ghastliness. A pair of
magnificent, dark brown eyes, with heavy sweeping lashes, looked
preternaturally large in her woe-begone little countenance, and at
this moment were filled with wondering admiration, mingled with
fierce covetousness, as she stared at Serafina's mock jewels--and more
especially at Isabelle's row of pearl beads. She seemed fairly dazzled
by these latter, and gazed at them fixedly in a sort of ecstasy--having
evidently never seen anything like them before, and probably thinking
they must be