willing to take some risk, and chance even a brush with the Duke's
forces?"

Ercole blew out his mottled cheeks until Gonzaga feared that he would
burst them.

"It's outlawry!" he roared, when he had found his voice. "Outlawry, or
I'm a fool."

"Why, yes," confessed Gonzaga. "It is outlaw matter of a kind. But the
risk is slender."

"Can you tell me no more?"

"I dare not."

Ercole emptied his wine-cup at a draught and splashed the dregs on
to the floor. Then, setting down the empty vessel, he sat steeped in
thought awhile. Growing impatient:

"Well," cried Gonzaga at last, "can you help me? Can you find the men?"

"If you were to tell me more of the nature of this service you require,
I might find a hundred with ease."

"As I have said--I need but a score."

Ercole looked mighty grave, and thoughtfully rubbed his long nose.

"It might be done," said he, after a pause. "But we shall have to look
for desperate knaves; men who are already under a ban, and to whom it
will matter little to have another item added to their indebtedness to
the law should they fall into its talons. How soon shall you require
this forlorn company?"

"By to-morrow night."

"I wonder----" mused Ercole. He was counting on his fingers, and
appeared to have lapsed into mental calculations. "I could get
half-a-score or a dozen within a couple of hours. But a score----" Again
he paused, and again he fell to thinking. At last, more briskly: "Let us
hear what pay you offer me, to thrust myself thus blindfolded into
this business of yours as leader of the company you require?" he asked
suddenly.

Gonzaga's face fell at that. Then he suddenly stiffened, and put on an
expression of haughtiness.

"It is my intent to lead this company myself," he loftily informed the
ruffler.

"Body of God!" gasped Ercole, upon whose mind intruded a grotesque
picture of such a company as he would assemble, being led by this
mincing carpet-knight. Then recollecting himself: "If that be so," said
he, "you had best, yourself, enrol it. Felicissima notte!" And he waved
him a farewell across the table.

Here was a poser for Gonzaga. How was he to go about such a business as
that? It was beyond his powers. Thus much he protested frankly.

"Now attend to me, young sir," was the other's answer. "The matter
stands thus: If I can repair to certain friends of mine with the
information that an affair is afoot, the particulars of which I may not
give them, but i