ard the robbers in a manner so calm, so dignified, so
imperious, and so totally undaunted by their presence, that they were
for a moment paralyzed and rooted to the spot as if they were confronted
by a specter.

But at the next instant Stephano uttered an exclamation of mingled
surprise and joy, adding, "By my patron saint! Lomellino, this is the
very lady of whom I spoke to you the other evening!"

"What, the one who did the business so well in----"

"Yes, yes," cried Stephano hastily; "you know what I mean--in Wagner's
garden! But----"

Nisida had in the meantime drawn from her bosom one of the slips of
paper before alluded to; and, handing it to the bandit-chief, she made a
hasty and imperious motion for him to read it.

He obeyed her with the mechanical submission produced by astonishment
and curiosity, mingled with admiration for that bold and daring woman,
whom he already loved and resolved to win: but his surprise was
increased a hundred-fold, when he perused these lines:--"I am the Lady
Nisida of Riverola. Your design is known to me; it matters not how.
Rumor has doubtless told you that I am deaf and dumb; hence this mode of
communicating with you. You have been deluded by an idle knave--for
there is no treasure in the closet yonder. Even if there had been, I
should have removed it the moment your intended predatory visit was made
known to me. But you can serve me; and I will reward you well for your
present disappointment."

"What does the paper say?" demanded Lomellino and Piero, the captain's
two companions, almost in the same breath.

"It says just this much," returned Stephano--and he read the writing
aloud.

"The Lady Nisida!" ejaculated Lomellino. "Then it is she who used her
dagger so well in Wagner's garden."

"Peace, silly fool!" cried Stephano. "You have now let out the secret to
Piero. True, 'tis no matter, as he is as stanch to me as you are; and
therefore he may as well know that this lady here was the murderess of
the young female in Wagner's garden: for I saw her do the deed when I
was concealed among the evergreens there. She is as much in our power as
we are in hers, and we will let her know it if she means any treachery."

"But how could she have discovered that we meant to come here to-night,
and what our object was?" asked Piero.

"Antonio must have peached, that's clear!" returned Stephano; "and
therefore he did not join us, as agreed, in the hall down-stairs. But no
matter. I