r! Take your choice, I say! What is
your decision?"

"I will not give up Annunziata!"

"Then you must fight!"

"I shall not hesitate!"

"So be it! My life against yours! I will defend this poor girl's honor
to the last drop of my blood!"

"When shall we fight?"

"To-morrow at dawn."

"Where?"

"In the clearing beyond the chestnut copse on the further side of the
brook. There is no need of witnesses; this matter is between us and us
alone!"

"So much the better, for it will be a duel to the death! I cannot as yet
hold my right arm aloft long enough to fight with it, but I will make my
left hand serve!" Then, as a sudden thought struck him, Massetti added:
"Do you propose to betray me, to carry your story to Annunziata and her
brother?"

Esperance surveyed his companion with intense scorn flashing from his
eyes.

"I am no traitor!" he said, coldly, and, turning, quitted the apartment.

CHAPTER IX.

THE ABDUCTION.

The remainder of that day Esperance and Giovanni did not meet again;
they purposely avoided each other, the former because he did not wish to
have a further quarrel with the Viscount, and the latter because he
dreaded a repetition of the accusations of dishonorable conduct, which
had stung him deeper than he would own even to himself.

Esperance disdained to play the spy upon Massetti, but, nevertheless, he
determined not to quit the immediate vicinity of the cabin and to be as
watchful as circumstances would permit. Nothing, however, occurred to
arouse his suspicions as long as daylight lasted. Once or twice Giovanni
quitted his chamber and walked back and forth excitedly on the sward in
front of the hut, but his promenades were of very short duration,
seeming to have no other object then to calm his seething brain.
Annunziata did not go near him, though whether coquetry or fear caused
her to pursue this course Esperance was unable to determine, but her
action gratified him because it gave Giovanni no opportunity to follow
up whatever advantage he might have gained with the flower-girl.

Lorenzo appeared to have no suspicion whatever that anything was amiss
either with the young men or his sister. He was as light-hearted and
cheerful as ever, going about his usual trifling occupations with gayety
that was absolutely contagious, and displaying even more than his
accustomed amiability. Esperance had grown to esteem this youthful
peasant highly; he had found him manliness and generosit