muttered Monte-Cristo, between his
teeth.

"That night there was no moon," continued Peppino, "and, after all the
inmates of the cabin had retired to rest, old Pasquale waited outside
with a torch while Vampa made his way to Annunziata's chamber, tore her
from her couch and carried her to the forest, preventing her from giving
the alarm by placing his hand over her mouth. He was masked and the
shepherd kept at such a distance that it was utterly impossible for his
daughter to recognize him. As Vampa ran through the forest with his
burden, he struck his arm against a tree and the pain caused him to take
his hand for a second from Annunziata's mouth. The poor girl profited by
this opportunity to scream and her cry brought first her brother, then
the Viscount and then Esperance to her aid.

"The brother on reaching Vampa attacked him fiercely. Dropping the
girl, who stood rooted to the spot, the chief drew a pistol and fired at
his assailant. The latter was hit and staggered back, the blood gushing
from his wound. Somehow during the struggle Vampa became unmasked and,
in the prevailing obscurity, Annunziata naturally imagined that the face
suddenly uncovered and as quickly masked again was that of her suitor,
the so-called Tonio. Having disposed of the brother, who afterwards ran
back towards the cabin, met Esperance, rushed into his arms and then
fell to the ground where he died, the brigand chief seized Annunziata,
who meanwhile had swooned, and resumed his flight through the forest.
Hearing the sound of further pursuit, Vampa paused in dismay and
listened. Three persons seemed to be rapidly approaching. The chief
thereupon concealed the unconscious girl behind a huge fragment of rock
and threw himself flat upon the ground, hoping thus to escape
observation. As he did so he saw the glare of old Solara's torch. It
flashed full in the face of a peasant, a perfect stranger, who had heard
Annunziata's cry and come to the rescue. The shepherd had a knife in one
hand; he instantly cast away his torch and closed in desperate conflict
with the new comer. At that moment the Viscount came upon the scene,
moving as if to take the part of the stranger. Vampa leaped up, grasped
him by the throat and, under the threat of instant death if he refused,
forced him to take an oath of silence in regard to the events of the
night. Massetti was so bewildered that he scarcely knew what he was
doing. No sooner had he taken the oath than Vampa