not speak.

"And _that_?" he cried, pointing to the signature of the witness.

The Italian opened his month to speak, but was evidently nonplused.

"You are in my power!" said Buttons, in a fine melodramatic tone, and
with a vivacity of gesture that was not without its effect on the
Italian. He folded the contract, replaced it in his breast-pocket, and
slapped it with fearful emphasis. Every slap seemed to go to the heart
of Il Piccolo.

[Illustration: Do You See That?]

"If you dare to try to back out of this agreement I'll have you up
before the police. I'll enforce the awful penalty that punishes the
non-performance of a solemn engagement. I'll have you arrested by
the Royal Guards in the name of His Majesty the King, and cause you
to be incarcerated in the lowest dungeons of St. Elmo. Besides, I
won't pay you for the ride thus far."

With this last remark Buttons walked to the door, and without another
word opened it, and motioned to Il Piccolo to leave. The vetturino
departed in silence.

On the following morning he made his appearance as pleasant as though
nothing had happened.

The carriage rolled away from Salerno. Broad fields stretched away on
every side. Troops of villagers marched forth to their labor. As they
went on they saw women working in the fields, and men lolling on the
fences.

"Do you call that the stuff for a free country?" cried the Senator,
whose whole soul rose up in arms against such a sight. "Air these
things men? or can such slaves as these women seem to be give birth
to any thing but slaves?"

"Bravo!" cried Buttons.

The Senator was too indignant to say more, and so fell into a fit of
musing.

"Dick," said Buttons, after a long pause, "you are as pale as a ghost.
I believe you must be beginning to feel the miasma from these plains."

"Oh no," said Dick, dolefully; "something worse."

"What's the matter?"

"Do you remember the eggs we had for dinner last evening?"

"Yes."

"That's what's the matter," said Dick, with a groan. "I can't explain;
but this, perhaps, will tell thee all I feel."

He took from his pocket a paper and handed it to Buttons. Around the
margin were drawn etchings of countless fantastic figures,
illustrating the following lines:

A NIGHTMARE.

"_Gorgons, and hydras, and chimeras dire_."

BY A VICTIM.

Eggs! Eggs!! Eggs!!!
Hard boiled eggs for tea!
And oh! the horrible nightmare dream
They brought to luckless me!