, well-to-do man,
past the prime of life, but still hale and vigorous; and, if not very
active in body, with considerable acuteness and a ready wit. He stood
well in the estimation of the peasantry, who were always ready to render
him little services, and to whom in return he would show his gratitude
by little presents at the fete-days or scenes of family rejoicing. 'And
as for the Cure,' said the miller, 'only ask him who sent the handsomest
chaplet for the head of the Madonna, or who gave the silver lamp that
burns at the shrine of St. Nicomede?'

This strange blending of devotional observance with utter
lawlessness--this singular union of _bon homme_ with open violence,
were features that in all his intercourse with life Gerald had never
met with; and he was not a little curious to see one who could combine
qualities so incompatible.

'I should certainly like to see him,' said he, after a pause.

'Only ride that black mare through the pass of the "Capri," to-morrow;
let him see how she brushes her way through the tall fern and never
slips a foot over the rocky ledges, and I'll lay my life on't you 'll
see him, and hear him too.'

'You mean to say that he 'd soon replace me in the saddle,' said Gerald
half angrily.

'I mean to say that the horse would change owners, and you be never the
richer of the compact.'

'A bullet will overtake a man, let him ride ever so fast,' said Gerald
calmly; 'and your Pastore has only to lie in ambush till he has covered
me, to make me a very harmless foe; but I was thinking of a fair
meeting--man to man----'

A gesture of scornful meaning by the miller here arrested Gerald's
words, and the young man grew crimson with shame and anger together.

'It is easy enough to say these things, and hard to disprove them; but
if I were certain to meet this fellow alone and without his followers, I
'd take the road you speak of to-morrow without so much as asking where
it leads to.'

An insolent laugh from the miller, as he arose from his seat, almost
made the young man's passion boil over.

'You asked about the "Capri" pass--that's a picture of it,' said he,
as he pointed to a rude representation of a deep mountain gorge, along
which a foaming torrent was wildly dashing. Stunted pine-trees lined the
crags, and fantastically-shaped rocks broke the leafy outline, on one of
which the artist had drawn the figure of a brigand, as with gun in hand
he peered down into the dark glen.

'That i