1828.] Mine Host’s Second Story. 237 
had nearly all sung their praises of the bride, a quick, hurried step was 
suddenly heard along the pavement. It stopped, and aloud knocking at 
the door abruptly started us in our hymeneal festivities. The door was 
opened, and there stood the figure of an English soldier, whitened with 
the snow, which was then, and had been for two days, falling. No pause 
occurred—no interval of suspense, or ceremonious greeting. He rapidly 
saluted the assembly, and inquired earnestly for my brother. I should 
have told you that Salvo was generally known to the troops as the 
readiest and handiest tradesman, if any of their little luxuries—vegetables, 
or fruit, or tobacco—were required. When not on duty, the soldiers 
were fond of lounging for a minute or two into his trattoria, to sip a glass 
of rosolio, and talk unintelligible Sicilian to his little brunette of a daugh- 
ter; and from him a piece of intelligence was now sought, which this 
familiarity might have put him in possession of, but which neither he nor 
any man on earth could ever adequately supply. 
« « Salvo,’ said the soldier, ‘ I am sent here by my commanding-officer 
to inquire whether you saw any thing of our detachment from the guard- 
house of Antenna Mare, which was sent down yesterday morning for 
provisions ?’ 
« © Aye,—I think they must have been the men who called for tobacco. 
Four, were they not?’ 
«<< Yes,’ answered the soldier ; ‘ four of our people. You know the 
3lst? Well, a fatigue-party was ordered here yesterday, as I said 
before, and we have heard nothing of them since.’ 
« « Not heard of them!’ replied Salvo; ‘ why, they left me all well 
about two o’clock, and talked in high spirits of having found a short cut 
up the mountain. It would have been daylight till past five.’ 
«< And the white snow, father,’ interposed little Rosalia— that 
would have lighted them on their road.’ 
«<The snow, child? Heaven forbid! It could not be that they 
would. Did you attempt to trace their footsteps, friend, down the 
descent, as you came just now ?’ 
«« « Why, that would have been impossible, you know ?’ answered the 
soldier ; ‘ for the snow has covered over the tracks of yesterday long 
since.” 
« « Now the saints have mercy upon them, poor fellows! If they have 
gone out of the beaten road, ’tis hard to say what mischief may not have 
befallen them.’ 
« « Was Mackenzie of the number, father?’ again asked Rosalia, with 
an interest which startled her young husband. But the feeling that 
prompted the question was only a natural desire to know the fate of an 
old acquaintance, who had visited them more often than the rest ; and. it 
was not subdued by the look of half-reproach cast upon her by her 
liege lord. 
« « Yes,’ replied the soldier, ‘ as fine a fellow as ever bore a musket ; 
he and his comrades gone, God knows where !—But I can’t stay ;—if 
there is one amongst you who would like to bear a hand in searching 
for them, we are going out with torches, and it would be a charity to 
assist us.’ 
“ The proposal was not made in vain. Several of the men instantly 
jumped up, and throwing aside the gaudy ribbons and gewgaws that had 
decked them in honour of the ceremony, seized their caps, and binding 
their sashes more firmly round their loins, stood prepared to accompany 
