k them out and show you that they too
are but mortal men.' Those were his last words to them; they scattered
again, to the right and left, and I heard their departing footsteps over
my head. But believe me, sir, Fatia Negra will try to do what he said."

"What! come and attack us?--alone, against so many?"

"You do not believe what I say, sir, but so it will be."

"Nay, my good fellow, but are you quite certain you did not dream it
all?"

"Domnule, in the first moment of my amazement that is what I fancied
myself. How can a blind man know whether he is awake or dreaming. I
therefore drew forth my pocket-knife and with the point of it I cut a
cross in my left arm. Look, sir, there it is!"

Juon tucked up the wide shirt sleeve from his herculean arm and Szilard
was astonished to see the half healed and cross-like scar--it had been
a deep gash.

"So now, sir," pursued Juon, "you can see that I am not dreaming. Watch
well, for Fatia Negra will come. Not to-night for he awaits you on the
road by which you came. But to-morrow he will know that you have dodged
him by going through the 'Roman Gate' and to-morrow night you can safely
reckon upon him."

Szilard charged Juon not to say a word to anybody about what he had told
him and promised him a reward if what he had said really came to pass.

That night nothing happened, and till the afternoon of the next day he
lingered idly at the mill. Towards midday they heard in the forest a
loud barking of dogs; the miller said it was no doubt the lord of the
manor hunting bears.

"He chooses a very inopportune time," growled Vamhidy, "he will scare
_my_ game away."

The hunters were not long in issuing from the forest, they seemed to
have lost the track of the bear.

Vamhidy sent word to the gentlemen that he would be much obliged to them
if they would postpone their amusement to some more convenient season as
business of a graver sort was going on here. Word was at once brought
back that the company was quite ready to do as he said. The dogs were
quickly leashed again, the beaters recalled by signals and the whole
hunt came straight towards the mill. A few moments later Vamhidy
recognized in the leader of the hunt--Leonard Hatszegi.

It was an unwelcome surprise on both sides, but Hatszegi was the first
to recover himself, and he greeted him with as radiant a countenance as
if he had never had any cause of quarrel with him.

"We both of us seem to be on a hunting expedi