g through a village, or meet a party likely to
question us. As to your cheek, it will be days before that fiery mark
disappears."

They talked until nearly midnight, and then lay down and slept till
four, by which time day had broken, for it was now the first week in
July. After walking for half an hour along the edge of the wood, they
came to a track issuing out of it. This they followed, and in about two
hours saw a village in front of them.

"I will go in and buy the things that we want, Paolo, and do you make a
circuit round it. If the news has reached them of our escape they will
have been told to look for two men; and the entry of a single countryman
will excite no suspicion, for of course no one will know what disguise
we have chosen.

"Do not be anxious if I do not come along for half an hour. It will be
more natural that I should call for bread and cheese and beer and eat
them there; then I can say carelessly that I may as well take some with
me to eat later on."

"You are early!" the owner of the cabaret said as Hector entered.

"I ought to have been earlier," he replied in a grumbling voice; "but it
was so late before I reached the other side of the forest, that instead
of passing through it I thought it best to wait till daybreak, for
it would be desperately dark under the trees, and sometimes there are
pretty rough fellows to be met with there; so I slept in a shed until
an hour before daybreak and then started, and I lost no time in getting
through it, I can tell you. What can you give me now?"

"The usual thing," the man said, shrugging his shoulders. "Bread and
beer and black sausage."

"It might be worse," Hector said as he seated himself. The food was soon
placed before him. He ate a hearty meal.

"I have a long way to go," he said when he had finished, "and as I am
blessed with a good appetite it will not be long before I am hungry
again. I suppose there is no one in the village that sells bread and
sausage, so if you will let me I will buy a whole one from you and a
couple of loaves."

"I will sell them to you willingly enough; but you will come to another
village three miles on."

"I sha'n't be hungry enough by that time," Hector laughed. "Besides, I
like to choose my own place and time and sit down by the wayside and eat
my meal. One need never go very far without coming upon a stream; and
though I like beer better than water, I can put up with it when there is
nothing stronger to be h