ntruder, sternly. "If you advance
another step, the consequences be upon your own head!"

"Stand aside and let me pass!" thundered the young man, presenting his
pistol at his opponent's head. The other gave a low laugh, made a quick
movement and Esperance's weapon went whirling swiftly through the air.
Meanwhile the sounds of strife had ceased, and the almost impenetrable
darkness of the forest effectually prevented the young man from
distinguishing anything a yard distant. As his pistol was hurled from
his grasp he closed his fists tightly, set his teeth firmly together and
made a frantic dash at the peasant. The latter leaped aside with
surprising agility, vanishing instantaneously among the clustering
trees. So sudden was his leap that Esperance, carried on by the strong
impetus he had given himself, plunged wildly into a clump of bushes and
fell headlong upon a thick growth of moss, the softness of which
prevented him from sustaining even the slightest bruise. As he came in
contact with the moss, his hand touched something cold that sent an icy
shiver through him from head to foot. Instinctively he recognized the
object as a human face, and passing his hand along he felt the body and
limbs. Great heavens! who was this? Had another murder been done? Would
there ever be an end to the horrors and mysteries of this dreadful
night? The body was that of a man. Esperance arose to his knees and
drawing a match-safe from his pocket struck a light. As the flame
flashed upon the countenance of the unconscious man, the features of
Giovanni Massetti appeared! Esperance was stunned. How was this? The
Viscount there, beneath his hand, cold and motionless! Who then could
have been the individual with whom old Pasquale Solara had been
struggling but a moment since? Truly the mysteries of this night were
becoming too complicated for solution! And where was the unfortunate
Annunziata? Had she escaped from her captor or captors, had she been
rescued, had she perished like her ill-fated brother, or had the
abduction been successfully accomplished? None of these questions could
Esperance answer. One thing, however, was plain--there was no trace of
her now; no clue that he could follow; therefore, further pursuit for
the present was useless. Sadly he determined to wait for day and then
resolve upon some plan to put into immediate execution to retrieve, as
far as possible the great wrong that had been done.

But Giovanni must be attended