say that there is no doubt of the little
boat being overtaken; and that even were he to meet the larger boats
which made the attack on the island, the mistico will, without doubt,
sink them all, and destroy everybody in them."

Paolo translated to Ada what Mila said, and the account again renewed
her fears for Fleetwood's safety, though still she did not allow hope to
abandon her.

It may seem that the Italian would have acted a more judicious part, had
he not given the latter information; but he was unhappily himself
influenced by two motives; the one right, and good, and generous--the
spontaneous result of his better nature; the other arising from his
yielding to temptation, which was selfish, mad, and wicked. The first
prompted him to run every personal risk to save his rival from the
pirate's anger; the other made him wish for his death, and eager to
deprive him of the love of the fair English girl, whom, he still fancied
he might save from Zappa's power, and win her for himself.

For the present, Paolo had a holy and absorbing employment for his mind,
in tending his unhappy sister, who, under his judicious care, recovered,
sooner than Ada had expected, from the effect of her wound, though she
saw, too truly, that her words were verified, and that the weapon had
struck deeper than the eye could reach.

Ada was now confined completely to the upper room of the tower, both
because she would not quit her friend, and that she might avoid any risk
of encountering Zappa, who had taken up his abode in the lower part of
it. Paolo was her only means of knowing what was going forward in the
world without, and she felt an unwillingness to hold more communication
with him than was absolutely necessary; indeed, nothing he said could
dispel her fears.

The _Zoe_, it appeared, had been out all day; but an ominous silence had
been kept as to the result of her expedition. Some said she had
overtaken the boat, and brought back the prisoners; others, that the
pirate had, in his rage, ordered the guns to be pointed down on her, and
sunk her, with them on board; while, again, some asserted that the
prisoners had not escaped from the island at all, and that they were
concealed somewhere in it.

This conflicting evidence was little calculated to alleviate her
anxiety; but her heart was fresh and young--her health and spirits were
unbroken, and the air which was wafted through her casement was bright
and pure, and she still hoped