with some difficulty extracted from a concealment about his person "Half-past five," he exclaimed, having suddenly stopped his rapid locomotion to ascertain the hour, "and no signal; they should have been here an hour since. By the holy cross," he added, in a muttering tone, "if the fellow has played me false, he shall sup one of these nights on six inches of Fra' Diavolo's cold iron, and that he might have known.” This was spoken rather by way of soliloquy than as if meant for the ear of any second party, and as such it was understood by his associates, none of whom made any remark in reply. The angry exclamation of their chief, however, had the effect of instantly putting an end to the coarse jests which they had just been bandying about from one to another. Ruthless and fierce as they themselves were, they yet quailed beneath the scowl of their still fiercer and more ruthless jeader. "Cozzo!" exclaimed the haughty bandit, with an air of authority and impatience, "run to the eastern end of the valley, and see that thy heavy-headed brother hasn't fallen asleep at his post. If he has," added Diavolo, grinding his teeth, and pronouncing the latter words with the slow deliberation of suppressed wrath, laying his hand at the same time on the hilt of his dagger or knife, as if to complete the sentence, in which he now abruptly stopped short. "There are heavier heads here than Castello's, and there are those amongst us that carry them higher without a better right," replied, in a sulky tone, the bandit whom Diavolo had named, and who now slowly and doggedly rose to his feet to execute the commands of his captain. "Dost rebel, hound, against my authority?”—exclaimed the furious chief, his swarthy countenance darkening with rage, and the whole ferocity of his nature flashing from his kindling eye"Dost rebel, hound, against the authority of thy chosen and appointed captain?" and the lock of Diavolo's carbine was heard to click as he spoke. "Chosen and appointed captain-hum," muttered Cozzo, repeating contemptuously, though in a low and suppressed tone, the words of his leader. Not another syllable passed. Diavolo made no reply. He raised his carbine to his eye for an instant--fired, and the unfortunate contemner of his authority tumbled lifeless amongst the bushes through which he had just begun to force his way, in order to perform the duty appointed to him.

Appalled, much as they were accustomed to murder and bloodshed, by this cruel and summary proceeding of their leader's, the whole band now started to their feet, and for a moment there was an evident disposition to revenge the death of their comrade; more than one scowling look was fixed upon Diavolo, and more than one threat muttered against him, whilst several carbines were seized with the fierce and hasty grasp which indicates that they are about to be used. Diavolo saw the predicament in which he stood, but he made no attempt to extricate himself by apology or explanation. Planting the butt of his carbine forcibly on the ground, he leant on the muzzle, and surveyed, for an instant, with a look at once of enquiry and defiance, the dark countenances around him, as if to ascertain what was the feeling towards him :-perceiving that it was hostile-" So, so"he said, with a contemptuous smile, but without changing his position," You mean to send me after Cozzo, do you? you think I have done wrong, and that you yourselves will do right in sending

VOL. I.

E

half-a-dozen bullets or so through my body. Be it so. Come, Marcaria," he said, addressing one, "I saved you from the gallows-you ought to fire first; or you, Bozzolo," looking at another; "I rescued you at the hazard of my own life from a party of Sberri, who were dragging you to the same fate; your right, therefore, is equally good to have the first shot at me; and so is yours, Reggio," he said, addressing a third. "I once struck down a musket which was levelled at your breast, and then the soldier to which it belonged."

At this moment the long expected whistle rung shrill through the valley, and was repeated by a thousand echoes from the tall solitary grey rocks and cliffs by which the ravine was enclosed. "Aha"exclaimed Diavolo, on the sound reaching his ear,-"here's other game for you, lads," and he proceeded to re-load his carbine with as much deliberation and indifference as if nothing of any moment was passing or had passed between himself and his associates. The latter, already more than half-diverted from their purpose of resenting the fall of their comrade, by the cool, contemptuous and ironical manner of their leader, were now wholly engrossed by the approaching adventure. Instantly forgetting in this new cause of excitement all previous grounds of hostility between themselves and their leader, they instinctively submitted to and obeyed all his injunctions. Under the guidance of Diavolo the band now drew near to the edge of the road. Here, after a careful scrutiny of the locks and flints of their muskets, they again concealed themselves by crouching behind some low brush wood which grew at a short distance from the high way. Scarcely permitting themselves to breathe, whilst every countenance was yet fearfully marked with an expression of the most intense interest and anxiety, the banditti remained without the slightest motion amongst them for about a quarter of an hour.

At the expiry of that period the crack of a whip was heardDiavolo gently put his piece on full cock, making signs at the same time to the others to follow his example. In a minute or so more, the voice of the unfortunate postillion, who had so unconsciously given the signal for preparation to the banditti, was also heard urging on his horses, and in the next instant the noise of the wheels of the vehicle became audible. On hearing the latter sound, Diavolo cautiously stole towards a small opening in the brushwood by which the party were concealed, and from which he commanded a view of that part of the road which was directly opposite their position. At length the carriage came in sight-it rolled on-the mendicant brigand throw himself before it-arrested its progress, and in the next moment it was surrounded by Diavolo and his gang. The first act of the former was to bring down the postillion. Without saying a syllable, he levelled his fatal carbine at the unfortunate man when within about ten yards of the carriage, fired, and tumbled him lifeless amongst his horses' feet. The whole gang was now fully and actively employed-some holding the horses by their heads-some cutting away the trunks and boxes which were fastened behind -others scrambling upon the vehicle to seize those packages which were deposited upon the roof-all of which preceedings were conducted on the part of the plunderers with much mirth and laughter, and many a witty jest.

In the meantime, Diavolo himself, having approached the carriage, seized the handle of the door with a furious grasp, and endeavoured to wrench it open. His violence and impatience, however, counteracted his efforts, and the door remained immoveable. Enraged by the failure of his attempts, the fierce irascible bandit instantly had recourse to the butt end of his carbine, with which he began to smash in the highly varnished and elegantly painted pannel of the carriage, accompanying each blow with the most dreadful oaths. Diavolo was proceeding vigorously in this work of destruction when the door of the carriage was opened from within by one of its occupants, who had for some time, in vain, besought the bandit to desist from his violence until the door should be opened for him. Diavolo now thrust his head into the vehicle, and discovered that it was occupied by two persons- an elderly gentleman and a young lady of about twenty-four years of age. Terror had deprived the latter of all sensation, and at the moment the bandit intruded himself into the carriage, she was lying in the arms of her companion wholly unconscious of all that was passing around her. "Come, old boy," said Diavolo, unmoved by this scene of misery, "I expect you will come down handsomely: you have kept us long waiting, and my fellows insist upon it that they have a right to double wages, so you had better turn out all the precious about you at once, and without further trouble, or any attempt to conceal; otherwise both you and this fair squeamish damsel of yours may chance to fare the worse for it." "You shall have, Sir, all that I am possessed of, if you will only protect this poor girl, my daughter, from receiving any improper treatment at the hands of your companions," replied the gentleman in the carriage. "Bah"-exclaimed the bandit, with a grin of contempt, and an emphatic toss of the head" out with your stuff in the meantime, and we shall talk of that when we have more leisure. Come, quick," he added; “mind ye I am no cringing lacquey to be kept here dallying at your carriage doors awaiting your pleasure. No, no, prompt, prompt's the word with Fra' Diavolo another minute's delay, and, by St. Joseph, you perish by my hand." Here Diavolo drew a pistol from his belt, and after putting it on cock, held it down by his side in readiness, on the slightest grounds, to carry his threat into execution. Hastening to conciliate the ferocious bandit by prompt obedience, the unfortunate traveller, after placing his daughter, who seemed still unconscious of the dreadful scene which was enacting around her, gently and care fully in one corner of the carriage, proceeded to deliver up to Diavolo all the money and valuables which he had about his person. "The devil”—exclaimed the latter, in a voice of thunder, as he emptied the contents of a purse into his hat "is this all? come, come, friend, this wont do. Fra' Diavolo takes no partial payments; he must have full and fair settlements without deduction or abatement, otherwise he instantly closes accounts after his own particular fashion." Saying this, the brigand illustrated his meaning by raising his pistol and bringing it within view of his victim. "As I shall answer to God" replied the latter in a voice of earnest supplication, and placing himself as it were instinctively between his daughter and Diavolo-"I have given you every article of value which I had about me." "We shall soon ascertain that point"-said the bandit" Please to step

out, Sir, and bring that lady with you; but I suppose you can't"— he added" she seems rather done up, methinks;" then turning round to some of his gang who were on their knees busy rifling a large box or trunk which they had just forced open-" Mercaria, Bozzolo," he exclaimed-" come hither a bit; here's a touch of knight-errantry for you; bring that lady out of the carriage, and do it after your own gentle and gallant manner." The order was instantly obeyed. In the next moment the unfortunate lady, followed by her father, was laid upon a small plot of green sward close by the highway.

Her appearance, now that she was brought into the full light of day, was exceedingly affecting and interesting. Her pale, emaciated and languid countenance, in which the soft traces of extreme beauty, nevertheless, yet lingered, shewed that she was suffering from some cause yet more serious, more deeply rooted, than the terror which the present occurrence had inspired. She seemed, in short, to be in the last stage of a wasting illness. Large drops of perspiration stood upon her pale but finely formed forehead, and her lips, which once vied with the fairest and brightest tint of the rose, were now thin, and parched and withered. Her slight and elegant form too, unlike the ruder materials of ordinary mortality, seemed as if about to melt into air, and to pass away from earth like some fair vision of the night. After having submitted to a rigid search by the banditti, who left no part of his dress unexplored, and in which, luckily for him, they found nothing concealed, the father of the unfortunate lady hastened towards his daughter, when, seating himself on the grass beside her, he raised her head, and supporting it on his bosom, in this interesting attitude awaited the next scene of the tragedy. Diavolo, who had been the most active in the scrutiny which had just taken place, on completing it, and finding nothing to reward his trouble, thrust his victim rudely from him, and turning round on his heel, with a tremendous oath expressive of his disappointment, went off to superintend the operations of his followers. These, in parties of three and four, with each an opened trunk or box placed in the midst of them, were still busily employed in examining their contents, merrily passing jokes on each article as it was drawn from its repository. With his arms folded on his breast, and an air of unimpeachable authority, Diavolo stalked from party to party, glanced at the contents of the packages which they were rifling, but without deigning to put his hand to the work in which they were employed, made some slight remarks to each: then coolly and deliberately seating himself on a large stone which lay close by, awaited the completion of the work of plunder. In a short time all the various articles found in the carriage and in the different boxes and packages were turned out, and collected in one heap before Daviolo, for his inspection. A sort of diet was then held amongst the banditti, to consider of the manner in which their captives should be disposed of, and to make arrangements regarding the booty which was now in their possession. "As to the first" said one-and he drew his finger across his throat-" that”he said, alluding to the ominous sign which he had just made-" that is my opinion." A general laugh followed this piece of waggish pantomime. 66 With all my heart, lads"-said Diavolo, seeing that the

ruthless proposition was perfectly agreeable to all-" but we must see first"-he added-" whether we cannot make something more out of the old rogue. Here's all the money the poverty-stricken rascal has had upon him"-and he held up the purse already spoken of, and into which he had again returned the coin he had originally found in it. A shout of disappointment and deep wrath burst from the whole gang on seeing the smallness of the quantity it seemed to contain, and the instant destruction of the travellers seemed inevitable. Softly, softly, my lads"-said Diavolo, addressing the most forward of the banditti, and who ere about to cross the road to the spot where the gentleman and his daughter were seated, in order to put them instantly to death, in revenge for their ill-timed poverty-" Do you, Mercaria" added Diavolo, rising to his feet-" do you see these things properly bundled up"-pointing to the plunder which lay before him" and I shall, in the meantime, step over to our old friend, and see if I cannot squeeze something more out of him before we give him the coup de grace.

go

Having said this, Diavolo stalked across the road. "Well, friend" -he said, addressing his captive-"I have just been shewing my gentlemen the purse which you were so obliging as to give me a short while since, and they all declare that it is an excessively shabby one; they are mainly displeased, I warrant you, and I must tell you, if you cannot think of any way of making the thing better, I fear it will hard with both you and your daughter; they are already talking of some such uncivil things as throat cutting." "God's will be done"replied the unfortunate traveller, and he pressed his equally unfortunate daughter to his bosom in an agony of despair.-"If you are resolved to murder us”—he added—“I see not how it can be averted. I have nothing more to offer." "Hum"-muttered Diavolo-"let me see now"--and he paused for a moment" Have you no credit with any banker in Verona?" "Yes-yes"-exclaimed the stranger joyfully and eagerly-" and it is all at your service, and ten times more I promise you, on the honour of a gentleman, so soon as I reach Venice, if you will but spare the life of my poor child. My own I will cheerfully yield up to appease the irritation of your followers, if blood is necessary to allay it." "Humph"-again ejaculated Diavolo "When we propose cutting a gentleman's throat, or tickling him under the ribs with a stiletto, we're not in the habit of asking his liberty previously; we generally do it whether he will or no without any such ceremony. You have credit you say"-continued Diavolo, returning to the subject of his enquiry-" and it is at your peril if you have spoken falsely-with a banker at Verona. To what extent, pray?" "Five hundred florins"-replied the traveller-" Ah, well"said Diavolo-" you shall give me a written order upon him, upon your banker for that sum. I will go myself to demand the money, and you and your daughter shall remain in the custody of my people until I return. If you have deceived me in this matter, you will of course expect instant death on my arrival from Verona, and a death that shall be none of the easiest, take the word of Fra' Diavolo for it. If we get the money, we shall see what can be done for you. It is possible in the event, that your lives may be spared; but I make no promises. In the meantime, however, you are safe, and shall be so