after laying
fresh injunctions on his sister and the men he was leaving behind, he
started, making a detour, this time, so as to avoid the Barricinis'
dwelling.

They were a long way from Pietranera, and were travelling along at a
great pace, when, as they crossed a streamlet that ran into a marsh,
Polo Griffo noticed several porkers wallowing comfortably in the mud, in
full enjoyment at once of the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the
water. Instantly he took aim at the biggest, fired at its head, and shot
it dead. The dead creature's comrades rose and fled with astonishing
swiftness, and though another herdsman fired at them they reached a
thicket and disappeared into it, safe and sound.

"Idiots!" cried Orso. "You've been taking pigs for wild boars!"

"Not a bit, Ors' Anton'," replied Polo Griffo. "But that herd belongs to
the lawyer, and I've taught him, now, to mutilate our horses."

"What! you rascal!" shouted Orso, in a perfect fury. "You ape the vile
behaviour of our enemies! Be off, villains! I don't want you! You're
only fit to fight with pigs. I swear to God that if you dare follow me
I'll blow your brains out!"

The herdsmen stared at each other, struck quite dumb. Orso spurred his
horse, galloped off, and was soon out of sight.

"Well, well!" said Polo Griffo. "Here's a pretty thing. You devote
yourself to people, and then this is how they treat you. His father, the
colonel, was angry with you long ago, because you levelled your gun at
the lawyer. Great idiot you were, not to shoot. And now here is his son.
You saw what I did for him. And he talks about cracking my skull, just
as he would crack a gourd that lets the wine leak out. That's what
people learn on the mainland, Memmo!"

"Yes, and if any one finds out it was you who killed that pig there'll
be a suit against you, and Ors' Anton' won't speak to the judges, nor
buy off the lawyer for you. Luckily nobody saw, and you have Saint Nega
to help you out."

After a hasty conclave, the two herdsmen concluded their wisest plan
was to throw the dead pig into a bog, and this project they carefully
executed, after each had duly carved himself several slices out of the
body of this innocent victim of the feud between the Barricini and the
della Rebbia.

CHAPTER XVII

Once rid of his unruly escort, Orso proceeded calmly on his way, far
more absorbed by the prospective pleasure of seeing Miss Nevil than
stirred by any fear of coming across hi