s
interpreter. We must overtake one or both of those carriages!"

CHAPTER XXI

THE FIGHT

Not often have the good people of Palermo seen three cabs pass through
the Corso Vittorio Emmanuele in such fashion. The sight made loiterers
curious, drove policemen frantic, and caused the drivers of other
vehicles to pull to one side and piously bless themselves.

Dubois had evidently offered his _cocchiere_ a lavish bribe for a quick
transit through the city, and the Italian was determined to earn it.
Although he had a good start, and his horse was accustomed to
negotiating the main thoroughfare at a rapid pace, nevertheless the
half-starved animal was not able to maintain a high rate of speed for
more than a few minutes.

By the time they reached the Corso Catafini, which carries the chief
artery of Palermo out into the country--crossing the railway and passing
the magnificent convent of San Francisco de Sale--the horse was
labouring heavily notwithstanding the frantic efforts of the cabman.

It was at this point, when mounting the bridge, that Dubois knew for
certain he was followed. Three hundred yards behind, he saw Talbot
whipping an equally unwilling, but better-conditioned steed than that
which carried his own fortunes. At the distance he could not recognize
the Englishman, but instinct told him that this impassioned driver was
an enemy.

Brett, of course, was not visible, being far in the rear.

"My friend," said Dubois, standing up in the small carriage and leaning
against the driver's seat, "I offered you twenty francs if you crossed
the city quickly. I will make it forty for another mile at the same
pace. See, I place the money in your pocket."

"It will kill my horse, signorina."

"Possibly. I will buy you another."

The _cocchiere_ thought that this was a lady of strange manner. There
was an odd timbre in her voice, a note of domination not often
associated with the fair sex. But she had given earnest of her words by
a couple of gold pieces, so he murmured a prayer to his favourite saint
that the horse might not die until the right moment.

Thus they swirled on, pursued and pursuers, until the villa residences
on the outskirts of the town were less in evidence, and fields devoted
to the pepper-wort, alternated with groves of olives and limes, formed
the prevalent features of the landscape.

Now it became evident that the leading horse could barely stagger
another fifty yards, notwithstandin