, but
he was not the man to act so twice. Finding that the first knock was
useless, he hit the door a blow that caused the old house to resound.
In a few seconds it was opened slightly, and the face of a beautiful
girl in Jewish costume appeared.

If Mariano had been suddenly petrified he could not have stood more
rigidly motionless; amazement sat enthroned on his countenance.

"Angela!"

"Signor Mariano!"

The words in each case were followed by a deep flush, and Angela
retreated.

Of course Mariano advanced.

"Excuse--forgive me, signorina," he exclaimed, taking her hand
respectfully. "I did not know--of course I could not--how was it
possible that--the fact is, I came to see a Jew, and--and--"

"I've found a jewel," he _might_ have said, but that didn't seem to
occur to him!

"Bacri--that's his name!" continued Mariano. "Is Bacri within? I came
to see him, but--"

"Yes--Signor Bacri is at home," said Angela, much confused by the
youth's confusion, as well as by the sudden and unexpected nature of the
meeting. "But your father--and brother Lucien--Oh, I hope they are
well; that they have not been treated cruelly; that they are not in that
dreadful Bagnio, of which I have heard so much," said Angela, at last
finding the use of her tongue.

They were interrupted at this point by the appearance of Bacri himself,
who welcomed the youth to his house, said that he had been told by
Lucien to expect him, and introduced him to his wife and the other
members of his family.

Thereafter the Jew took his new shopman into his private apartment, and
made many strange revelations to him in regard to the affairs of the
piratical city, as well as about the details of his new appointment, in
regard to which we shall say nothing here; but it may be well to add
that Mariano finally retired for the night well satisfied with the
wisdom of his elder brother.

For some time after this, things went well with those actors in our tale
in whose welfare we are chiefly interested.

Francisco proved himself to be an able clerk--when assisted by his
superior!--and Mariano became a most willing and useful shopman--with
the prospect before him of returning each night to bask in the sunshine
of Angela's countenance!

At the consul's residence Paulina was as happy as was possible in her
sad circumstances, for she became very fond of Mrs Langley, and was a
perfect treasure in the house,--not only taking a large part of the
manage