used as an alpenstock, springing
lightly over the steep boulders, while the athletic Murat kept pace with
the easy swinging stride of a mountaineer. Suddenly Celio saw him catch
the Princess by the arm and both stood as though instantaneously frozen.
Then, as the secretary came panting up, Murat handed the Princess to
him, and taking a few steps forward and apparently addressing the
landscape, for Celio saw no one said in a voice of calm but inflexible
authority: "Lay down your gun, and come from behind that rock."

To Celio's astonishment a villainous appearing brigand advanced and
knelt at Murat's feet.

"Why did you not shoot me when I was at the lower turn of the road, my
friend?" Murat demanded; "you had the better opportunity then, for I had
not discovered you, and I was for several minutes within your range."

"True, your Majesty," replied the bandit, "but I said to myself, 'that
is too magnificent a figure of a man to kill, even though he is a
king.'"

Murat laughed. "I will return the compliment," he said, writing rapidly
on a card. "You have too much discrimination and obey orders too well to
be a brigand. I wonder now if you have heard of a secret organisation
called the Carbonari? I thought so" (replying by an almost imperceptible
gesture to a signal made by the bandit); "you see you have made a
mistake, for I also am a member of the order. All in time, my good
fellow, and you shall use your rifle against the Austrians. Take this to
the recruiting office of the Neapolitan army at Castel di Rocca. Never
fear, it is no trap. This young man will read it for you." And the
secretary read: "Give this brave fellow a place in the Corps of
Calabrian Sharpshooters, and assure Captain Castiglione that he can be
relied upon for expert guerilla service. Giacomo Re."

The man went away trembling with emotion but Murat called to him: "Come
back, you have forgotten your gun," and stood carelessly regarding the
view with his back turned while the would-be assassin regained
possession of his weapon.

The Princess clapped her hands. "I understand now," she said, "why you
bore a charmed life when you came dashing out of the smoke of the
battle-field, sweeping within a few feet of the muzzles of the enemy's
guns. It needed not the command of the Czar that you were not to be
fired upon,--the gunners could no more have done so than this poor
outlaw. I comprehend also how you have managed to augment the roll of
your army, w