unaccountable, he returned to the spot and stood for some minutes
contemplating Gerald. It might be that in the growing shades of the
evening the gloomy desolation spoke more touchingly to his heart; it
might be that a feeling of compassionate pity stirred him; as likely as
either was it a mere caprice, as, stooping down, he raised the wasted
form, and threw it loosely over one shoulder, and then strode out upon
his way once more.

The stranger was a man of great size and personal strength, and though
heavily framed, possessed considerable activity. His burden seemed
little to impede his movements, and almost as little to engage his
thoughts, and as he breasted the wild mountain, or waded the many
streams that crossed his path, he went along without appearing to think
more of him he was rescuing. It was a long road, too, and it was deep
into the night ere he reached a solitary house, in a little slip of
land between two lakes, and over whose door a withered bough denoted a
cabaret.

'What, in the name of all the saints, have you brought us here?' said an
old man who quickly responded to his knock at the door.

'I found him as you see beside the Lagoscuro,' said the other, laying
down his burden. 'How he came there I can't tell you, and I don't
suspect you'll ever get the report from himself.'

'He's not a contadino,' said the old man, as he examined the boy's
features, and then gazed upon the palms of his hands.

'No; nor is he a Roman, I take it: he's of German or English blood. That
fair skin and blonde hair came from the north.'

'One of the Cavalrista, belike!'

'Just as likely one of the circus people; but why they should leave
him there to die seems strange, except that strangers deem this Maremma
fever a sort of plague, and, perhaps, when he was struck down they only
thought of saving themselves from the contagion.'

'That wouldn't be human, Master Gabriel----'

'Wouldn't it, though!' cried Gerald's rescuer, with a bitter laugh.
'That's exactly the name for it, caro Pippo. It is the beasts of
prey--the tiger and lion--that defend their young; it is the mild rabbit
and the tender woman that destroy theirs.' The innkeeper shook his head,
as though the controversy were too subtle for him, and, bending down to
examine the boy more closely, 'What's this, Master Gabriel,' said he,
taking a peculiar medal that hung suspended round his neck.

'He was a colleger of some sort certainly,' cried Gabriel. 'It's cle