“My Free Sword,” exclaimed his wife, fondly and proudly, “it is the life of my heart’s choosing. I am happy—oh, believe me—I am _always_ happy by your side! only miserable when absent from you. And you never wish me absent, do you, Vittorio?” “God knows, never!” exclaimed the Free Sword, fervently. “I am such an egotist as to want you always with me, cost you what it may.” “‘Such an egotist’ are you, in making me so happy? Listen, my chief—oh, my dearest, listen: I am orthodox and I believe in Heaven and in hell. But I will have no Heaven that you do not share, my own! And death and hell are less terrible to me than the thought of parting from you,” she murmured, still fondly and proudly, as she had spoken before. “Then by the splendor of Heaven we will never part again—no, not for a day!” Their hands met in a clasp as fervent as the pledge of a first betrothal, and then they rode on again in silence for some moments, until the clatter of a horse’s feet was heard behind them, and Goldsborough galloped up, with Elfie still bound behind him. He lifted his hat gallantly as he passed Madam Corsoni. “Oh, Vittorio!” exclaimed Alberta, as the horseman and his captive sped out of sight. “What is it, love?” inquired Colonel Corsoni. “Elfie! nothing can be done for her until we reach our destination, I suppose. But, oh, when we do, pray try to effect the deliverance of Elfie. It is shameful in Albert Goldsborough to carry her off against her will.” “My dearest, do you suppose for a moment that it is really against her will? I do not,” laughed the Free Sword. “It is bitterly against her will! I do not understand how it can be so; since I know that she loved him once! but I see that it is!” said his wife, earnestly. Colonel Corsoni gayly shook his head. “It is, indeed, as I say! Strange as it may sound, she seems really to hate the lover she once loved so fondly!” “And for no personal offence against her? For a mere difference of opinion in regard to this war? Impossible! Dearest, you should know that no woman who truly loved, ever discarded her lover for a mere difference of opinion in religion or politics! And that Elfie truly loved Albert, and even sought to win his love, I had an opportunity of proving! Oh, I watched them with too much interest in the play to be mistaken! I was too anxious that the little black-eyed witch should win him, and so remove a troublesome suitor to yourself and a hateful rival from my path; not to have discovered the truth!” “Oh yes, I know that she did once love him, and seek to win and succeed in winning his heart! But all that is over now!” “And has a woman the right, do you think, to win a man’s heart and then throw it away?” “No, certainly!”