ot answer me? Where are you? Is this the way you watch?"

Still there was no answer. Ethel heard, and by this time knew what his
suspicion was; but she could neither do nor say any thing.

"Come down here at once, you hag!"

But the "hag" did not come down, nor did she give any answer. The
"hag" was trembling violently, and saw that all was lost. If the
priest were only here! If she could only have gone and returned with
him! What kept him?

Girasole now came to the top of the stairs, and spoke to Minnie.

"Charming mees, are you awake?"

"Yes," said Minnie.

"Ees your sistaire wit you?"

"No. How can _she_ be with me, I should like to know, when you've gone
and put her in some horrid old room?"

"Ah! not wit you? Who are you whisperin' to, den?"

Minnie hesitated.

"To my maid," said she.

[Illustration: "WHAT DIT YOU COME FOR?"--"FOR HER."]

"Does de maid spik Inglis?" asked Girasole.

"Yes," said Minnie.

"Ah! I did not know eet. I mus have a look at de contadina who spiks
Inglis. Come here, Italiana. You don't spik Italiano, I tink. Come
here."

Ethel rose to her feet.

Girasole ran down, and came back after a few minutes with a lamp.
Concealment was useless, and so Ethel did not cover her face with the
hood. It had fallen off when she was sitting by Minnie, and hung
loosely down her shoulders from the strings which were around her
neck. Girasole recognized her at one glance.

"Ah!" said he; and then he stood thinking. As for Ethel, now that the
suspense was over and the worst realized, her agitation ceased. She
stood looking at him with perfect calm.

"What dit you come for?" he asked.

"For _her_," said Ethel, making a gesture toward Minnie.

"What could you do wit her?"

"I could see her and comfort her."

"Ah! an' you hope to make her escape. Ha, ha! ver well. You mus not
complain eef you haf to soffair de consequence. Aha! an' so de priest
bring you here--ha?"

Ethel was silent.

"Ah! you fear to say--you fear you harma de priest--ha?"

Minnie had thus far said nothing, but now she rose and looked at
Girasole, and then at Ethel. Then she twined one arm around Ethel's
waist, and turned her large, soft, childish eyes upon Girasole.

"What do you mean," she said, "by _always_ coming here and teasing,
and worrying, and firing off pistols, and frightening people? I'm sure
it was horrid enough for you to make me come to this wretched place,
when you _know_ I don't like it, without