[Illustration: The Young Hussar.]
"His name," sighed the lady, "is Giulio Fanti."
"And the place?"
"Rio Janeiro."
"Rio Janeiro?"
"Yes," said the lady, slowly.
Dick was in despair. Not to know any thing of her brother would make her think him stupid. So he attempted to explain:
"America," he began, "is a very large country--larger, in fact, than the whole Kingdom of Naples. It is principally inhabited by savages, who are very hostile to the whites. The whites have a few cities, however. In the North the whites all speak English. In the South they all speak Spanish. The South Americans are good Catholics, and respect the Holy Father; but the English in the North are all heretics. Consequently there is scarcely any communication between the two districts."
The lady had heard somewhere that in the American wars they employed the savages to assist them. Dick acknowledged the truth of this with candor, but with pain. She would see by this why he was unable to tell her any thing about her brother. His not knowing that brother was now the chief sorrow of his life. The lady earnestly hoped that Rio Janeiro was well protected from the savages.