t. I had no
future--and now I am an outlaw. What a moment in which to tell you that
I love you, Miss Lydia! But no doubt this is my only chance of saying
it. And I think I feel less wretched now I have unburdened my heart to
you."

Miss Lydia turned away her head, as if the darkness were not dark enough
to hide her blushes.

"Signor della Rebbia," she said, and her voice shook, "should I have
come here at all if----" and as she spoke she laid the Egyptian
talisman in Orso's hand. Then, with a mighty effort to recover her
usual bantering tone--"It's very wrong of you, Signor Orso, to say such
things! You know very well that here, in the middle of the _maquis_,
and with your bandits all about me, I should never dare to be angry with
you."

Orso made an attempt to kiss the hand that held out the talisman. Miss
Lydia drew it quickly back; he lost his balance, and fell on his wounded
arm. He could not stifle a moan of pain.

"Oh, dear, you've hurt yourself, and it was my fault!" she cried, as she
raised him up. "Forgive me!" They talked for some time longer, very low,
and very close together.

Colomba, running hastily up, found them in the very same position in
which she had left them.

"The soldiers!" she cried. "Orso! try to get up and walk! I'll help
you!"

"Leave me!" said Orso. "Tell the bandits to escape. What do I care if
I am taken? But take away Miss Lydia. For God's sake, don't let anybody
see her here!"

"I won't leave you," said Brandolaccio, who had come up on Colomba's
heels.

"The sergeant in charge is the lawyer's godson. He'll shoot you instead
of arresting you, and then he'll say he didn't do it on purpose."

Orso tried to rise; he even took a few steps. But he soon halted. "I
can't walk," he said. "Fly, all of you! Good-bye, Miss Nevil! Give me
your hand! Farewell!"

"We won't leave you!" cried the two girls.

"If you can't walk," said Brandolaccio, "I must carry you. Come, sir,
a little courage! We shall have time to slip away by the ravine. The
Signor Padre will keep them busy."

"No, leave me!" said Orso, lying down on the ground. "Colomba, take Miss
Nevil away!--for God's sake!"

"You're strong, Signorina Colomba," said Brandolaccio. "Catch hold of
his shoulders; I'll take his feet. That's it! Now, then march!"

In spite of his protests, they began to carry him rapidly along. Miss
Lydia was following them, in a terrible fright, when a gun was fired,
and five or six other reports i