attentive ear.

"What was that?" he asked, with a start.

"A moan that was no doubt uttered by your daughter!" answered the guide.

"My daughter!" cried the Count. "Then, thank God, she is alive!"

They reached another cell, the door of which, like that of Peppino's,
was fastened by a bar. Within the cell the low moaning continued.
Monte-Cristo seized the bar, whirled it aside and flung open the door;
then he sprang into the cell, calling wildly on his daughter.

Zuleika was lying in a corner upon a heap of straw and moaning
piteously. At the sound of her father's voice, however, she was on her
feet in an instant and cast herself rapturously into his arms.

"Are you safe, my darling child?" said the Count, covering her face with
kisses. "Did the bandits respect you?"

"I am safe, dear father," answered Zuleika, "safe and uninjured. The
bandits frightened me and the solitude and terrors of this dark, dismal
dungeon have been fearful to endure. But all my troubles are over now
that you are here!"

The Count then directed the guide to conduct them to the bandits'
stables and there his horses and barouche were found. The equipage was
taken to the open air, and after placing his daughter in the vehicle the
Count left her in charge of Peppino and several soldiers of the Swiss
Guard, returning to the cavern to bring the work of the expedition to a
close.

When Monte-Cristo reached the point where the Swiss Guard and their
prisoners were assembled, he found Captain Morrel superintending the
placing of an aged bandit upon an improvised stretcher.

"During your absence, Count," said he, his face radiant with joy, "we
made the most important capture of the night! This old man is Pasquale
Solara!"

"Where did you find him?" asked the Count.

"In a large cell used by the outlaws as an infirmary. He says he is
mortally wounded and slowly dying, that his wound was inflicted by a
Roman nobleman who met him upon the highway--a very likely story,
truly!"

"It is a fact," answered Monte-Cristo. "The Roman nobleman who wounded
him was Giovanni Massetti! But, thank God, he is still alive and will
probably last until Vampa's trial at which I may be able to force him to
speak out. Have him carefully attended to, Maximilian!"

The captives were formed in line and, none being too much disabled to
walk, save old Solara who was borne along on his stretcher, they were
marched to Rome surrounded by the triumphant Swiss Guard. Monte