, "that the marchesa asks
me?"

"You saved my life, Adamo, not long ago, from the fire." The eager
look is growing intenser. "I have never thanked you. Adamo--"

"Padrona"--he is more and more amazed at her--"she must be going to
die! Gesu mio! I wish she would swear at me," Adamo thought. "Padrona,
don't thank me--Domine Dio did it."

"Take these"--and the marchesa puts her hand into her pocket and draws
out some notes--"take these, these are better than thanks."

Adamo drew back much affronted. "Padrona, I don't want money."

"Yes, yes, take them--for Pipa and the boys"--and she thrusts the
notes into his big red hands.

"After all," thought Adamo to himself, "if the padrona is going to
die, I may as well have these notes as another."

"I would save your life any day, padrona," Adamo says aloud. "It is a
pleasure."

"Would you?" the marchesa fell into a muse.

Again the dogs howled. Adamo makes a motion to go to them.

"Were you going to feed the dogs when I called to you?" she asks.

"Padrona, yes. I was going to feed them."

"Are they very hungry?"

"Very--poverini! they have had nothing since this morning. Now it is
five o'clock."

"Don't feed them, Adamo, don't feed them." The marchesa is strangely
excited. She holds out her hand to detain him.

Adamo stares at her in mute consternation. "The padrona is certainly
going mad before she dies," he mutters, trying to get away.

"Adamo, come here!" He approaches her, secretly making horns against
the evil-eye with his fingers. "You saved my life, now you must save
my honor."

The words came hissing into his ear. Adamo drew back a step or two.
"Blessed mother, what ails her?" But he held his tongue.

The marchesa stands before him drawn up to her full height, every
nerve and muscle strained to the utmost.

"Adamo, do you hear?--My honor, the honor of my name. Quick, quick!"

She lays her hand on his rough jacket and grasps it.

Adamo, struck with superstitious awe, cannot speak. He nods.

"The dogs are hungry, you say. Let them loose without feeding. No one
must leave the house to-night. Do you understand? You must prevent it.
Let the dogs loose."

Again Adamo nods. He is utterly bewildered. He will obey her, of
course, but what can she mean?

"Is your gun loaded?" she asks, anxiously.

"Yes, padrona."

"That is well." A vindictive smile lights up her features. "No one
must leave the house to-night. You understand? The dogs will be
loos