d the young man, sharply. "The fact will
not benefit you or any member of your accursed and cowardly band!"

"Have a care how you talk, signor!" exclaimed the bandit, threateningly.
"Insolence to your captors may cost you more than you would be willing
to pay!"

"Indeed?"

"Yes; I mean exactly what I say. It may cost you your life!"

Giovanni glared at the brigand with unflinching eyes. He returned threat
for threat.

"Take my life, if you will," he said. "It would be the worst piece of
work you have ever done!"

"May I ask why, signor?"

"It would raise my family against you and the result could not fail to
be your extermination!"

The man laughed loudly, and caustically replied:

"You are joking! What can your family do against Luigi Vampa and his
comrades, who have long been countenanced by the highest authority!"

This was the climax of insult, and Giovanni, driven to the highest pitch
of fury, unable longer to control himself, tore his stiletto from its
sheath and, raising it aloft, made a frantic dash at the gigantic
brigand. Instantly the latter fired. Giovanni dropped his weapon; his
right arm fell useless at his side.

Esperance meanwhile had not been idle. His excitement was intense, and
with it was mingled terrible fear for the safety of his friend.
Nevertheless, he eventually succeeded in sufficiently calming and
collecting himself to form a plan of action and put it in execution. He
had provided himself with a pistol, which he had freshly charged prior
to his departure from the Palazzo Costi. He drew this weapon from its
place of concealment at the first intimation of danger, noiselessly
cocking it. The road was skirted with tall thick bushes from which
projected a fringe of heavy shadows. Along this dark fringe Esperance
stole with cautious tread towards the huge bandit, as soon as he
perceived him standing in the centre of the highway and noted his
threatening attitude. As he stealthily advanced, the moon suddenly rose,
flooding the scene with its silvery light. Its rays, however, did not
disturb the line of skirting shadows, and Esperance passed on unseen.
When the brigand fired he was very near him. Seeing Giovanni's arm fall
and realizing that he was wounded, the son of Monte-Cristo promptly
raised his weapon and, covering the gigantic ruffian, discharged it
directly at his heart. Blood gushed from the man's breast. He sank to
the ground, where he lay quivering convulsively; in another in