shed open. A furious-looking man came in, and, seeing Betty, cried
out,--

"Ah! there you are."

I did not give him time to turn round and see me, but leapt upon him and
seized him by the shoulders. If I had not done so he would have shot me
dead on the spot.

As I leapt upon him I had involuntarily closed the door, and as he cried,
"Let me go, traitor!" Betty fell on her knees before him, exclaiming,
"No, no! he is my preserver."

Sir B---- M---- was too mad with rage to pay any attention to her, and kept
on,---

"Let me go, traitors!"

As may be imagined, I did not pay much attention to this request so long
as the loaded pistol was in his hand.

In our struggles he at last fell to the ground and I on top of him. The
landlord and his people had heard the uproar, and were trying to get in;
but as we had fallen against the door they could not do so.

Betty had the presence of mind to snatch the pistol from his hand, and I
then let him go, calmly observing,

"Sir, you are labouring under a delusion."

Again Betty threw herself on her knees, begging him to calm himself, as I
was her preserver not her betrayer.

"What do you mean by 'preserver'?" said B---- M----

Betty gave him the letter, saying,--

"Read that."

The Englishman read the letter through without rising from the ground,
and as I was certain of its effect I opened the door and told the
landlord to send his people away, and to get dinner for three, as
everything had been settled.

EPISODE 28 -- RETURN TO ROME

CHAPTER XIII

Rome--The Actor's Punishment--Lord Baltimore--Naples--Sara
Goudar--Departure of Betty--Agatha--Medina--Albergoni--Miss
Chudleigh--The Prince of Francavilla--The Swimmers

As I fell over the Englishman I had struck my hand against a nail, and
the fourth finger of my left hand was bleeding as if a vein had been
opened. Betty helped me to tie a handkerchief around the wound, while Sir
B---- M---- read the letter with great attention. I was much pleased with
Betty's action, it shewed she was confident, and sure of her lover's
forgiveness.

I took up my coat and carpet-bag, and went into the next room to change
my linen, and dress for dinner. Any distress at the termination of my
intrigue with Betty was amply compensated for by my joy at the happy
ending of a troublesome affair which might have proved fatal for me.

I dressed myself, and then waited for half an hour, as I heard Betty and