lly suspected Orlanduccio; but he did not believe that the
young man, whom he himself had provoked and struck, had wiped out
his shame by slitting a horse's ear. On the contrary, this mean and
ridiculous piece of vengeance had increased Orso's scorn for his
opponents, and he now felt, with the prefect, that such people were not
worthy to try conclusions with himself. As soon as he was able to make
himself heard, he informed his astonished partisans that they would have
to relinquish all their bellicose intentions, and that the power of the
law, which would shortly be on the spot, would amply suffice to avenge
the hurt done to a horse's ear.

"I'm master here!" he added sternly; "and I insist on being obeyed. The
first man who dares to say anything more about killing or burning, will
quite possibly get a scorching at my hands! Be off! Saddle me the gray
horse!"

"What's this, Orso?" said Colomba, drawing him apart. "You allow these
people to insult us? No Barricini would have dared to mutilate any beast
of ours in my father's time."

"I promise you they shall have reason to repent it. But it is gendarme's
and jailer's work to punish wretches who only venture to raise their
hands against brute beasts. I've told you already, the law will punish
them; and if not, you will not need to remind me whose son I am."

"Patience!" answered Colomba, with a sigh.

"Remember this, sister," continued Orso; "if I find, when I come back,
that any demonstration whatever has been made against the Barricini
I shall never forgive you." Then, in a gentler tone, he added, "Very
possibly--very probably--I shall bring the colonel and his daughter back
with me. See that their rooms are well prepared, and that the breakfast
is good. In fact, let us make our guests as comfortable as we can. It's
a very good thing to be brave, Colomba, but a woman must know how to
manage her household, as well. Come, kiss me, and be good! Here's the
gray, ready saddled."

"Orso," said Colomba, "you mustn't go alone."

"I don't need anybody," replied Orso; "and I'll promise you nobody shall
slit my ear."

"Oh, I'll never consent to your going alone, while there is a feud.
Here! Polo Griffo! Gian' Franco! Memmo! Take your guns; you must go with
my brother."

After a somewhat lively argument, Orso had to give in, and accept an
escort. From the most excited of the herdsmen he chose out those who had
been loudest in their desire to commence hostilities; then,