ct, but my love for you and fears for your
safety must be my excuse. You left the letter you received so strangely
this morning lying upon your secretary. I opened it and hurriedly made
myself acquainted with its contents, for I had a premonition that some
terrible danger threatened you. Oh! my lord, pardon, pardon!"

Monte-Cristo raised her to her feet, and imprinted a kiss upon her
pallid brow.

"So then, it is to you, Haydee, that I owe my timely rescue from the
hands of Benedetto and his band of cut-throats! Had you committed even a
much more serious fault than peeping into my correspondence, that would
be more than sufficient to secure my full forgiveness. But do you know
that Esperance shot and killed the miscreant who held his pistol to my
temple and was about to blow out my brains?"

"Esperance?" said Haydee in bewilderment. "Did he not remain behind with
Zuleika and myself?"

"No, mamma," said the boy, holding his head proudly erect. "I could not
remain behind. I knew papa was in danger, and, taking a pistol that I
had seen Ali load this morning from the cabinet of fire-arms, I followed
the servants, arriving at the almond grove just in time."

Haydee ran to her son, and, taking him in her arms, pressed him fondly
to her heart, kissing him again and again.

"Oh! Esperance," she cried, "had I known you were in the midst of those
bloodthirsty cut-throats I should have died of terror! But you have
saved your father's life, my son, and I bless you for it!"

"He is a little hero," said Monte-Cristo, impressively.

Zuleika had thrown herself upon the divan, and, utterly worn out by the
excitement through which she had passed, was already wrapped in a deep
slumber. The Count, Haydee and Esperance, however, could not resign
themselves to sleep, and when the gray light of dawn appeared in the
eastern sky, they were still in the library and still watching.

Benedetto had not been seen again, and a diligent search of the entire
island, made by Ali and the servants, failed to reveal even the
slightest trace of him. He had evidently succeeded in finding some
fisherman's skiff and in it had made his escape.

This view of the case was confirmed a few hours later, when old Alexis
came to the palace and informed Monte-Cristo that his smack had vanished
during the night, having, in all probability, been carried off by
thieves.

"I knew," said the fisherman, "that the Island of Kylo was infested by
bandits, but I had