d
very gravely:

"Your gay rebuke may be a just one. I will think twice before I repeat
the folly."

"And now I have lost a friend by my jest. I am always losing friends by
jests," said Gentiliska, sadly.

"No, indeed you have not, poor child," exclaimed our magnanimous Sybil.
"I might think once, or twice, but I should never think long without
offering you a home in my heart and in my house. You are no saint, poor
girl; but that you are an honest woman, with your antecedents and your
surroundings, is as much to your credit, I think, as sanctity is to the
most holy."

And the lady arose and kissed the little gipsy.

"That was good," sighed Gentiliska; "that is the first time I have ever
been kissed since my poor mother died."

They were interrupted by the apparition of Proserpine, who glided into
the inner cavern.

"What do you want?" demanded Gentiliska.

"Nothing. Breakfast has been ready this half-hour. We thought you were
asleep, so we waited. But just now I heard you laughing. So I came in to
tell you everything would be spoiled, if you didn't made haste and get
ready."

"All right; we are ready. Put breakfast on the table directly," said
Gentiliska.

The girl disappeared, and the two temporary companions, Sybil and
Gentiliska, soon followed.

They found a comfortable breakfast laid out in the kitchen, and, as on
the preceding morning, Sybil did justice to the delicacies set before
her.

"Where are your companions?" she inquired of Gentiliska, not seeing any
sign of the robbers' presence.

"I don't know. Where are the men, Hecate?" inquired the hostess, turning
to the crone.

"Bless you, Missis, as soon as they got through with their supper, which
they kept up until midnight, they one and all put on their gowns and
masks, and started out on business."

"Business! Yes, that means stopping a stage-coach, or breaking into a
house!" sneered the girl. "And they have not got back yet?" she
inquired.

"Bless you, Missis, no! I sorter, kinder, think as they've gone a good
distance this time."

Sybil said nothing; but she felt relieved, and grateful to be rid of
those terrible men, even for a few hours.

When breakfast was over, Gentiliska said to Sybil:

"You must not suppose that I live entirely under ground, like a mole!
No, indeed; every day when it is fine, I go to the surface. I get out on
the roof. I walk on the mountain heights, 'where never foot fell,'
except my own! I went out yesterda