then the rest draw lots for her, and she is
abandoned to their brutality until death relieves her sufferings. When
their parents are sufficiently rich to pay a ransom, a messenger is sent
to negotiate; the prisoner is hostage for the security of the messenger;
should the ransom be refused, the prisoner is irrevocably lost. The
young girl's lover was in Cucumetto's troop; his name was Carlini. When
she recognized her lover, the poor girl extended her arms to him, and
believed herself safe; but Carlini felt his heart sink, for he but too
well knew the fate that awaited her. However, as he was a favorite with
Cucumetto, as he had for three years faithfully served him, and as he
had saved his life by shooting a dragoon who was about to cut him down,
he hoped the chief would have pity on him. He took Cucumetto one side,
while the young girl, seated at the foot of a huge pine that stood in
the centre of the forest, made a veil of her picturesque head-dress to
hide her face from the lascivious gaze of the bandits. There he told
the chief all--his affection for the prisoner, their promises of mutual
fidelity, and how every night, since he had been near, they had met in
some neighboring ruins.

"It so happened that night that Cucumetto had sent Carlini to a village,
so that he had been unable to go to the place of meeting. Cucumetto had
been there, however, by accident, as he said, and had carried the maiden
off. Carlini besought his chief to make an exception in Rita's favor, as
her father was rich, and could pay a large ransom. Cucumetto seemed to
yield to his friend's entreaties, and bade him find a shepherd to send
to Rita's father at Frosinone. Carlini flew joyfully to Rita, telling
her she was saved, and bidding her write to her father, to inform
him what had occurred, and that her ransom was fixed at three hundred
piastres. Twelve hours' delay was all that was granted--that is, until
nine the next morning. The instant the letter was written, Carlini
seized it, and hastened to the plain to find a messenger. He found a
young shepherd watching his flock. The natural messengers of the bandits
are the shepherds who live between the city and the mountains, between
civilized and savage life. The boy undertook the commission, promising
to be in Frosinone in less than an hour. Carlini returned, anxious to
see his mistress, and announce the joyful intelligence. He found the
troop in the glade, supping off the provisions exacted as