tie your
hands."

The Baron stood up. The Reverend Saul stood up too. The Reverend Saul
began to step down very carefully. The brigands gathered around, most
of them being on the side on which the two were about to descend. The
Reverend Saul had just stepped to the ground. The Baron was just
preparing to follow. The brigands were impatient to secure them, when
suddenly, with a quick movement, the Baron gave a spring out of the
opposite side of the carriage, and leaped to the ground. The brigands
were taken completely by surprise, and before they could prepare to
follow him, he had sprung into the forest, and, with long bounds, was
rushing up the steep hill and out of sight.

One shot was fired after him, and that was the shot that Hawbury and
Dacres heard. Two men sprang after him with the hope of catching him.

In a few moments a loud cry was heard from the woods.

"MIN!"

Minnie heard it; a gleam of light flashed from her eyes, a smile of
triumph came over her lips.

"Wha-a-a-a-t?" she called in reply.

"Wa-a-a-a-a-a-it!" was the cry that came back--and this was the cry
that Hawbury and Dacres had heard.

"Sacr-r-r-r-r-r-remento!" growled Girasole.

"I'm sure _I_ don't know what he means by telling me that," said
Minnie. "How can _I_ wait if this horrid Italian won't let me? I'm
sure he might be more considerate."

Poor Mrs. Willoughby, who had for a moment been roused to hope by the
escape of the Baron, now fell again into despair, and wept and moaned
and clung to Minnie. Lady Dalrymple still lay senseless, in spite of
the efforts of Ethel and the maids. The occurrence had been more to
her than a mere encounter with brigands. It was the thought of her own
carelessness that overwhelmed her. In an instant the thought of the
Baron's warning and his solemn entreaties flashed across her memory.
She recollected how Hawbury had commended his friend, and how she had
turned from these to put her trust in the driver and Girasole, the
very men who had betrayed her. These were the thoughts that
overwhelmed her.

But now there arose once more the noise of rolling wheels, advancing
more swiftly than the last, accompanied by the lash of a whip and
shouts of a human voice. Girasole spoke to his men, and they moved up
nearer to the bend, and stood in readiness there.

What Hawbury's motive was it is not difficult to tell. He was not
armed, and therefore could not hope to do much; but he had in an
instant resolved to