exchanged between them as they looked at the
fighting. But suddenly there came rapid flashes and rolling volleys
beyond the fires that lay before them, and the movement of the flashes
showed that a rush had been made toward the lake. Wild yells arose,
then fierce returning fires, and these showed that the brigands were
being driven back.

The guards could endure this no longer.

"They are beating us," cried one of the men, with a curse. "We must go
and fight."

"What shall we do with these prisoners?"

"Tie them and leave them."

"Have you a rope?"

"No. There is one by the grave."

"Let's take the prisoners there and bind them."

This proposition was accepted; and, seizing the priest and Ethel, the
four men hurried them back to the grave. The square hole lay there
just beside them, with the earth by its side. Ethel tried to see into
it, but was not near enough to do so. One of the men found the rope,
and began in great haste to bind the arms of the priest behind him.
Another began to bind Ethel in the same way.

But now there came loud cries, and the rush of men near them. A loud,
stern voice was encouraging the men.

"On! on!" he cried. "Follow me! We'll drive them back!"

Saying this, a man hurried on, followed by a score of brigands.

It was Girasole.

He had been guarding the woods at this side when he had seen the rush
that had been made farther up. He had seen his men driven in, and was
now hurrying up to the place to retrieve the battle. As he was running
on he came up to the party at the grave.

He stopped.

"What's this?" he cried.

"The prisoners--we were securing them."

It was now lighter than it had been, and dawn was not far off. The
features of Girasole were plainly distinguishable. They were convulsed
with the most furious passion, which was not caused so much by the
rage of conflict as by the sight of the prisoners. He had suspected
treachery on their part, and had spared them for a time only so as to
see whether his suspicions were true or not. But now this sudden
assault by night, conducted so skillfully, and by such a powerful
force, pointed clearly to treachery, as he saw it, and the ones who to
him seemed most prominent in guilt were the priest and Ethel.

His suspicions were quite reasonable under the circumstances. Here was
a priest whom he regarded as his natural enemy. These brigands
identified themselves with republicans and Garibaldians whenever it
suited their purp