, ascending the stairs, until at last he saw that they were
entering his room. Two of the brigands came first, carrying something
carefully. In a few moments the burden which they bore was revealed.

It was a rude litter, hastily made from bushes fastened together. Upon
this lay the dead body of a man, his white face upturned, and his
limbs stiffened in the rigidity of death. Hawbury did not remember
very distinctly any of the particular events of his confused struggle
with the brigands; but he was not at all surprised to see that there
had been one of the ruffians sent to his account. The brigands who
carried in their dead companion looked at the captive with a sullen
ferocity and a scowling vengefulness, which showed plainly that they
would demand of him a reckoning for their comrade's blood if it were
only in their power. But they did not delay, nor did they make any
actual demonstrations to Hawbury. They placed the corpse of their
comrade upon the floor in the middle of the room, and then went out.

The presence of the corpse only added to the gloom of Hawbury's
situation, and he once more turned his face to the wall, so as to shut
out the sight. Once more he gave himself up to his own thoughts, and
so the time passed slowly on. He heard no sounds now from the room
where Miss Fay was confined. He heard no noise from the men below, and
could not tell whether they were still guarding the door, or had gone
away. Various projects came to him, foremost among which was the idea
of escaping. Bribery seemed the only possible way. There was about
this, however, the same difficulty which Mrs. Willoughby had
found--his ignorance of the language. He thought that this would be an
effectual bar to any communication, and saw no other alternative than
to wait Girasole's pleasure. It seemed to him that a ransom would be
asked, and he felt sure, from Girasole's offensive manner, that the
ransom would be large. But there was no help for it. He felt more
troubled about Miss Fay; for Girasole's remarks about her seemed to
point to views of his own which were incompatible with her liberation.

In the midst of these reflections another noise arose below. It was a
steady tramp of two or three men walking. The noise ascended the
stairway, and drew nearer and nearer. Hawbury turned once more, and
saw two men entering the room, carrying between them a box about six
feet long and eighteen inches or two feet wide. It was coarsely but
strongly