The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 95 for ever, Cavolti. to the dust !” Thrusting the dagger between the folds of his garments, and casting a look of anguish and love on Agnese as he bore the maid away, he rushed from the spot. With the wounded girl in his arms Frank rushed from the spot. His passions were now wrought up to a state of madness. He bent his steps towards the cave and entered, The first person he saw was Basil himself, “Halt!” said the bandit chief, as he observed Frank approaching his own apartment, ‘* What brings thee here ?” ‘Urgent business.” “Of what nature?” “Your daughter has been cruelly stabbed.” “* Agnese stabbed ?” said Basil. “ Where is she ?” *‘[ have placed her in one of your cavern rooms hard by. If you would but see her, follow me.” “Who has done this to my only daughter?’ said Basil, for the first time realizing the feelings of a father, - Who, has done this? Let me see her, and learn the name of the base villain,” Basil followed Frank to the room indicated. Frank had well bound up the wound while in the garden with Agnese, but the blood still flowed. Basil knelt beside the body of his unconscious daughter, and cold sweat oozed from his brow. His bosom heaved, and he clenched his fists, “Whose cirsed blade did this?” he gasped. * Cavolti’s.” “Ha! say you so? What! he, my second in command, to thus outrage my daughter? No, no, he could not ; I cannot believe it.” “You will believe your own eyes ?”’ ‘““What mean you?” “Why, this !” said Frank. ‘I found this dagger beside the spot where she lay bleeding and faint.” “Tis Cavolti’s!” Basil gasped, “It is one I my- self gave him a year ago.’’ “T know not that,” said Frank, “Qh! the treacherous villain! that I might meet him face to face. To attempt toslay an in- nocent girl who begged his life from me !” While Basil listened to the whole of Frank’s story regarding his encounter with Cayolti—which, it must be confessed, greatly surprised the bandit chief—two of the mountain band came to the room door and knocked, “What want ye?” said Basil, as they were ad- mitted, ‘See you this horrid sicht ” “We do, Captain Basil, and have heard all about it is concerning this affair that we now come.” “ And from whom ?”’ ‘From Cayolti.”’ “ Why, he it was that did it !” Basil said. ' Oh that I might grasp the villain once more by the throat and strangle him!” Cavolti, Captain Basil, did not do this,” the two men replied, calmly, “ Did not?” “No, he did not ; he is too brave for that.” “Then who did?” ‘‘The youth who now stands beside you.” “I?” said Frank, with the hot blood rushing to his face in anger. ‘6T do such a dastardly deed ? Who says so must answer for it with his life.” “Who says so ?” Basil asked. “‘Cavolti himself,” eh But we have Cavolti’s dagger, found near the gir ”» “True, Basil; it was stolen from him while asleep, and by the youth who now looks so pale.” I will search for and cleave thee it; “‘ Before heaven, I am innocent of this foul deed,” gaid Frank, with upraised hand. “This must be inquired into,” said Basil. «We have come to take away this youth, Captain Basil, ” said the messengers. ‘“Cavolti waits for “Where?” ‘Tn the little dell between the mountains. The band for the most part haye been summoned to witness the execution.” ‘The what ?” gasped Frank, “ The execution,” said the messengers. **T am innocent,” © Who's to prove it ?” « T can,” said a faint voice, All turned and were greatly surprised to see the eyes of Agnese gently open and close again, as she sighed, G Father, believe me, he is innocent.” ‘You hear that?” said Basil. “ The maid is raving,” the messengers said ; ‘she wishes to screen the young villain.” “T am not raving,’ Agnese replied, in a very faint voice. ‘ Cayolti is the one who tried to assas- sinate me, and would haye done so but for the timely interference of the brave youth now before ae Frank, kneelt beside Agnese, and, affectionately kissing her hand, said, “Thank Heaven for this denial, sweet girl. And now,” he said, rising proudly, ‘“ now that this foul suspicion is lifted from my soul, I am strong enough to confront Cavolti and defy his base accusation, or those of any one in the wide world.” ‘“You hear what my daughter says,” said Basil ; “the youth is innocent.” “ Cavolti denies it,” was the calm reply of the two messengers. ‘“ Our orders are imperative; we came to take this youth away.” “And murder me in cold blood,” with a mocking smile, The messengers answered not, “ He must not go. Father, protect him from the fangs of the serpent Cavolti,” said Agnese, faintly and imploringly, ‘‘ Hear not for me, Agnese,” said Frank, boldly, “T dread him not. T will go, and alone.” “Nay,” said Basil, “for a moment, stay. If you are innocent, as I firmly believe, on the words of my daughter here, J will protect you with the last drop of my blood ; but there are rules and laws among us Over which I have no controul, and one of them is that an accusation brought against any one of the band may be tried in two ways—either by judge and jury-or by the ordeal of battle.”’ “Thank Heaven for that!’ said Frank, aloud. «Then give me trial by battle! If I only meet my base accuser face to facein mortal combat, I have nothing to fear, for my cause is just,” “ But, in this case, it cannot be,” said Basil ; “you are not one of our band; you, must be tried.” “And sure to be condemned. But this shall not be,” he said, approaching the door. The two messengers opposed him. Snatching up’ Basil’s sword, which lay on the table, Frank, swift as lightning, struck one of the villains to the earth ; in another moment the other’s sword was flying through the air, and Frank’s sword passed through his body, then, ' striding over their prostrate forms, disappeared before Basil could.re- cover from his astonishment. *K * said Frank, “ Now for ee said Frank, as he issued from the caye, breathless with excitement, and * Ne olee.comn SoCOnM