inly experience rough treatment, but
at least his life was safe. He, therefore, submitted to be bound without
a murmur and even smiled as he was being led away.

The leader's commands regarding Zuleika and the equipage were promptly
obeyed, and soon Monte-Cristo's daughter was a close prisoner in a rocky
cell of the bandits' subterranean fastness.

Ali, as soon as set free, started for Rome to give the alarm.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE RAID ON THE BANDITS.

When Ali reached the Hotel de France and dragged himself to his master's
apartment, which was not until quite late in the afternoon, his
condition was truly deplorable. Footsore and ready to drop from extreme
fatigue, he staggered like a drunken man. He was thickly covered with
dust and profuse perspiration made his dark skin glisten. The faithful
mute at once threw himself at the Count's feet, embracing his knees and
in his marvellous pantomime eloquently entreating pardon.

Monte-Cristo, who was suffering torment because of his beloved
daughter's prolonged absence, instantly divined that some terrible
accident had befallen her and grew almost wild with grief and
apprehension. Raising Ali up, he said to him in a broken, anxious voice:

"Tell me what has occurred without circumlocution or delay, and tell me
all!"

The Nubian made a profound salaam in token of submission and obedience.
Then he proceeded, in his own peculiar mode of narrating events with
which Monte-Cristo was so thoroughly familiar and which in this instance
he translated only too readily and unerringly, to recount the
particulars of the fatal drive into the outskirts of the city and of
the capture of Zuleika, Peppino and the equipage by the brigands.

Monte-Cristo sat for an instant after he had concluded like one
stupefied, so utterly overwhelmed was he by the unexpected and
distracting intelligence. Then he sprang to his feet and began pacing
the room, muttering as he walked:

"So the wretches have seized my daughter and servant by way of reprisals
and intend to hold them as hostages for the safety of Luigi Vampa! What
is to be done? Let me think, let me think!"

He placed his hand to his forehead and accelerated his step, passing
back and forth with such feverish rapidity that even Ali, impassible as
he was by nature, showed alarm, dreading the effect of all this fearful
and exhausting excitement upon his adored master to save whom from the
slightest trouble or grief he would have