d
put as many miles between us and this place before morning as we can."

A brief search showed that the place was empty, save for the dead in the
taproom. An old doublet belonging to the landlord was found hanging up
in the loft where he slept. Taking off his outer garments, Paolo put
this on.

"It is lucky I kept my breeches on under the others," he said, "for I
certainly could not have gone into a town with these stained things on.
I suppose there is some money hidden somewhere, but we have not time to
look. You may be sure that many a traveller has been murdered here."

"I quite agree with you, but we have certainly no time to spare to hunt
for it. Let us be off at once."

Reloading their pistols and carefully wiping their axes they went out by
a door at the back of the house, for neither cared to re-enter the scene
of the slaughter. Before doing so, however, they took a long draught
from the landlord's beer barrel, to make up for the drink of which
they had deprived themselves. The storm had passed, and the stars were
shining brightly. They met nobody on their way until within two or three
miles of Gunzenhausen; it was found that the haft of Paolo's axe was
deeply stained with blood; and he threw it away on issuing from the
wood, as it did not accord well with his present attire, which was
rather that of a discharged soldier or a worker in cities than of a
countryman. Soon after eight o'clock they approached the town. They were
now greatly fatigued, for they had done two long days' marches without
any sleep between them, and turning off from the road they made their
way to a little clump of trees, and there threw themselves down in the
shade and slept until late in the afternoon.

"I think that after our experience of last night, Paolo," Hector said,
as they walked towards the town, "we had better wait until we can join
some party going to Hall before we leave this place. From what I hear,
the road is a great deal more infested with bands of lawless men than
that along which we have come."

"Then, master, I think we had certainly better wait, for I don't want
anything worse than we had yesterday."

They went to a small inn, had supper, and then lay down on some straw in
an outhouse and slept soundly until morning. Then they breakfasted,
and as there was no one else in the room Paolo was able to eat freely.
Presently the landlord came in, and Hector entered into conversation
with him.

"We want to go on to