with Aphiz, for my deliverance from
bondage," she answered, taking Selim's hand and leading him to her
father. "And this," she continued, putting an arm about Zillah, "is
a dear sister whom I have learned to love for her kindness and sweet
disposition. Both come to make our mountain side their future home."

Nor was the poor half-witted boy forgotten, but he received a share
of the kindly welcome, and seemed in his peculiar way to understand
and appreciate it, keeping continually by Komel's side.

An hour around the social board seemed to acquaint them all with the
history of the past twelvemonth, and to reveal more than we might
specify in many pages. The cottage was full of grateful hearts and
happy souls that night; and Aphiz learned that since Krometz had
fallen in that fatal encounter, the deed of the abduction had been
fully proved upon him, and that so earnest were the feelings of the
mountaineers in relation to the justice of Aphiz's conduct in that
matter that he need fear no trouble concerning it. Thus assured, he
too joined the home circle of his parents.

Captain Selim, with his bride, made Komel's house their home, but
the young officer could not close his eyes to sleep. He rose with
fevered brow and paced the lawn before the cottage until morning.
Strange struggles seemed to be going on in his brain like a waking
dream; he was striving to recall something in the dark vista of the
past.

"You seem trouble this morning," said Komel's father, observing his
mood. "Are you not well?"

"No, not exactly well," replied Selim; "indeed a strange dream seems
to come over me while I look about me here--this mountain air, these
surrounding hills, the distant view of the sea, have I ever seen
these things before, or is it some troubled action of the brain that
oppresses me with undefined recollections?"

"Come in and partake of our morning meal; that will refresh you,"
said the mountaineer.

"Thanks; yes, I will join you at once," he replied, but turned away
thoughtfully.

With the earliest morning, Aphiz was again at the cottage and by
Komel's side. O, how beautiful did she look to him now, once more
attired in her simple dress of a mountaineer's daughter. No tongue
could describe the fondness of his heart, or the dear truthfulness
of her own expressive face when they met thus again. Their hearts
were too full, far too full for words, and they wandered away
together to old familiar scenes and spots in silen