ds you 'his best love.' Listen to what the prefect says. He
is a sensible man, and is turning out of his way, I believe, on your
account. He is going to lay a foundation-stone at Corte. I should fancy
the ceremony will be very imposing, and I am very sorry not to see it.
A gentleman in an embroidered coat and silk stockings and a white scarf,
wielding a trowel--and a speech! And at the end of the performance
manifold and reiterated shouts of 'God save the King.' I say again, sir,
it will make you very vain to think I have written you four whole pages,
and on that account I give you leave to write me a very long letter. By
the way, I think it very odd of you not to have let me hear of your safe
arrival at the Castle of Pietranera!

"LYDIA.

"P.S.--I beg you will listen to the prefect, and do as he bids you. We
have agreed that this is the course you should pursue, and I shall be
very glad if you do it."

Orso read the letter three or four times over, making endless mental
comments each time as he read. Then he wrote a long answer, which he
sent by Saveria's hand to a man in the village, who was to go down to
Ajaccio the very next day. Already he had almost dismissed the idea of
discussing his grievance, true or false, against the Barricini, with
his sister. Miss Lydia's letter had cast a rose-coloured tint over
everything about him. He felt neither hatred nor suspicion now. He
waited some time for his sister to come down, and finding she did not
reappear, he went to bed, with a lighter heart than he had carried
for many a day. Colomba, having dismissed Chilina with some secret
instructions, spent the greater part of the night in reading old
papers. A little before daybreak a few tiny pebbles rattled against the
window-pane. At the signal, she went down to the garden, opened a back
door, and conducted two very rough men into her house. Her first care
was to bring them into the kitchen and give them food. My readers will
shortly learn who these men were.

CHAPTER XV

Toward six o'clock next morning one of the prefect's servants came and
knocked at the door of Orso's house. He was received by Colomba, and
informed her the prefect was about to start, and was expecting her
brother. Without a moment's hesitation Colomba replied that her brother
had just had a fall on the stairs, and sprained his foot; and he was
unable to walk a single step, that he begged the prefect to excuse him,
and would be very grateful if he