ditch, which would have been
considered a fair jump in the hunting-field: both brigands took it in
splendid style. The hindmost was not ten yards ahead of the leading
trooper, who came a cropper, on which the brigand reined up, fired a
pistol-shot into the prostrate horse and man, and was off: but the delay
cost him dear. The other trooper, who was a little ahead of me, got
safely over. I followed suit. In another moment he had fired his
carbine into the brigand's horse, and down they both came by the run. We
instantly reined up, for I saw there was no chance of overtaking the
remaining brigand, and the trooper was in the act of cutting down the man
as he struggled to his feet, when to my horror I recognised the lovely
features of--Valeria.

"Stay, man!" I shouted, throwing myself from my horse; "it's a woman!
touch her if you dare!" and then seeing the man's eye gleam with
indignation, I added, "Brave soldiers, such as you have proved yourself
to be, do not kill women; though your traducers say you do, do not give
them cause to speak truth. I will be responsible for this woman's
safety. Here, to make it sure, you had better strap us together." I
piqued myself exceedingly on this happy inspiration, whereby I secured an
arm-in-arm walk, of a peculiar kind it is true, with Valeria, and indeed
my readiness to sacrifice myself seemed rather to astonish the soldier,
who hesitated. However, his comrade, whose horse had been shot in the
ditch, now came up, and seconded my proposal, as I offered him a mount on
mine.

"How on earth am I to let you escape, dear Valeria?" I whispered, giving
her a sort of affectionate nudge: the position of our arms prevented my
squeezing hers, as I could have wished, and the two troopers kept behind
us, watching us, I thought, suspiciously.

"It is quite impossible now--don't attempt it," she answered; "perhaps
there may be an opportunity later."

"Was that Croppo who got away?" I asked. "Yes. He could not get his
cowardly men to stand on that hill."

"What a bother those men are behind, dearest! Let me pretend to scratch
my nose with this hand that is tied to yours, which I can thus bring to
my lips."

I accomplished this manoeuvre rather neatly, but parties now came
straggling in from other directions, and I was obliged to give up
whispering and become circumspect. They all seemed rather astonished at
our group, and the captain laughed heartily as he rode up and called out,