ntly."

They were, by this time, outside the grounds of the villa, and some of
the servants, who knew the country, now took the lead. In a few minutes
the merchant slackened his pace.

"We are out of danger now," he said. "They will not know in which
direction to search for us; and if they scatter in pursuit we could
make very short work of any that might come up with us."

"I do not know that you are out of danger," Francis said. "A hundred
men landed. Mocenigo, with twenty, took the line to your house, but the
rest have scattered over the country in smaller bands, bent on murder
and pillage. Therefore, we had best keep on as fast as we can, until
well beyond the circle they are likely to sweep--that is, unless the
ladies are tired."

"Tired!" Maria repeated. "Why, Giulia and I go for long walks every
day, and could run for an hour, if necessary."

"Then come on, my dears," the merchant said. "I am burning to know what
this all means; and I am sure you are equally curious; but nothing can
be said till you are in safety."

Accordingly, the party again broke into a run. A few minutes later one
of the servants, looking back, exclaimed:

"They have fired the house, signor. There are flames issuing from one
of the lower windows."

"I expected that," the merchant said, without looking back. "That
scoundrel would, in any case, light it in his fury at finding that we
have escaped; but he has probably done so, now, in hopes that the light
will enable him to discover us. It is well that we are so far ahead,
for the blaze will light up the country for a long way round."

"There is a wood a little way ahead, signor," the servant said. "Once
through that we shall be hidden from sight, however great the light."

Arrived at the wood, they again broke into a walk. A few hundred yards
beyond the wood was some rising ground, from which they could see far
over the country.

"Let us stop here," the merchant said. "We are safe now. We have placed
two miles between ourselves and those villains."

The villa was now a mass of flames. Exclamations of fury broke from the
men servants, while the women cried with anger at the sight of the
destruction.

"Do not concern yourselves," the merchant said. "The house can be
rebuilt, and I will see that none of you are the poorer for the loss of
your belongings.

"Now, girls, let us sit down here and hear from Francisco how it is
that he has once again been your saviour."

"Before I b