Dick stood with folded arms awaiting the result of all this.

"Luigi! dearest brother!" cried Pepita, with a shudder, "on my soul
--in the name of the Holy Mother--he is an honorable American
gentleman, and he came to protect me."

"Oh! we know, and we will reward him."

"Luigi! Luigi!" moaned Pepita, "if you hurt him I will die!"

"Ah! Has it come to that?" said Luigi, bitterly. "A half-hour's
acquaintance, and you talk of dying. Here, Pepita; go home with
Ricardo."

"I will not. I will not go a step unless you let him go."

"Oh, we will let him go!"

"Promise me you will not hurt him."

"Pepita, go home!" cried her brother, sternly.

"I will not unless you promise."

"Foolish girl! Do you suppose we are going to break the laws and
get into trouble? No, no. Come, go home with Ricardo. I'm going to
the city."

Ricardo came forward, and Pepita allowed herself to be led away.

When she was out of sight and hearing Luigi approached Dick. Amid
the gloom Dick did not see the wrath and hate that might have been on
his face, but the tone of his voice was passionate and menacing. He
prepared for the worst. "That is my sister.--Wretch! what did you
mean?"

"I swear--"

"Peace! We will give you cause to remember her."

Dick saw that words and excuses were useless. He thought his hour had
come. He resolved to die game. He hadn't a pistol. His manoeuvre of
putting his hand in his pocket was merely intended to deceive. The
Italians thought that if he had one he would have done more than
mention it. He would at least have shown it. He had stationed
himself under a tree. The men were before him. Luigi rushed at him
like a wild beast. Dick gave him a tremendous blow between his eyes
that knocked him headlong.

"You can kill me," he shouted, "but you'll find it hard work!"

Up jumped Luigi, full of fury; half a dozen others rushed
simultaneously at Dick. He struck out two vigorous blows, which
crashed against the faces of two of them. The next moment he was on
the ground. On the ground, but striking well-aimed blows and kicking
vigorously. He kicked one fellow completely over. The brutal Italians
struck and kicked him in return. At last a tremendous blow descended
on his head. He sank senseless.

When he revived it was intensely dark. He was covered with painful
bruises. His head ached violently. He could see nothing. He arose
and tried to walk, but soon fell exhausted. So he crawled closer to
the trunk of th