The woods now began to grow thinner.  The trees were larger and farther apart, and rose all around in columnar array, so that it was possible to see between them to a greater distance.  At length there appeared before them, through the trunks of the trees, the gleam of water.  Mrs. Willoughby noticed this, and wondered what it might be.  At first she thought it was a harbor on the coast; then she thought it was some river; but finally, on coming nearer, she saw that it was a lake.  In a few minutes after they first caught sight of it they had reached its banks.

It was a most beautiful and sequestered spot.  All around were high wooded eminences, beyond whose undulating summits arose the towering forms of the Apennine heights.  Among these hills lay a little lake about a mile in length and breadth, whose surface was as smooth as glass, and reflected the surrounding shores.  On their right, as they descended, they saw some figures moving, and knew them to be the brigands, while on their left they saw a ruined house.  Toward this Girasole led them.

The house stood on the shore of the lake.  It was of stone, and was two stories in height.  The roof was still good, but the windows were gone.  There was no door, but half a dozen or so of the brigands stood there, and formed a sufficient guard to prevent the escape of any prisoner.  These men had dark, wicked eyes and sullen faces, which afforded fresh terror to Mrs. Willoughby.  She had thought, in her desperation, of making some effort to escape by bribing the men, but the thorough-bred rascality which was evinced in the faces of these ruffians showed her that they were the very fellows who would take her money and cheat her afterward.  If she had been able to speak Italian, she might have secured their services by the prospect of some future reward after escaping; but, as it was, she could not speak a word of the language, and thus could not enter upon even the preliminaries of an escape.

On reaching the house the ruffians stood aside, staring hard at them.  Mrs. Willoughby shrank in terror from the baleful glances of their eyes; but Minnie looked at them calmly and innocently, and not without some of that curiosity which a child shows when he first sees a Chinaman or an Arab in the streets.  Girasole then led the way up stairs to a room on the second story.

It was an apartment of large size, extending across the house, with a window at each end, and two on the side.  On the floor there was a heap of straw, over which some skins were thrown.  There were no chairs, nor was there any table.

“Scusa me,” said Girasole, “miladi, for dis accommodazion.  It gifs me pain, but I promise it sall not be long.  Only dis day an’ dis night here.  I haf to detain you dat time.  Den we sall go to where I haf a home fitter for de bride.  I haf a home wharra you sall be a happy bride, mees—­”

“But I don’t want to stay here at all in such a horrid place,” said Minnie, looking around in disgust.