can suppose is that he missed
his footing,--being lame,--in trying to mount. But even then, he could
have fired."

"No, it wasn't that," Marcone interposed. "He didn't attempt to mount.
I was the last one to go, because my mare shied at the firing; and I
looked round to see whether he was safe. He would have got off clear if
it hadn't been for the Cardinal."

"Ah!" Gemma exclaimed softly; and Martini repeated in amazement: "The
Cardinal?"

"Yes; he threw himself in front of the pistol--confound him! I suppose
Rivarez must have been startled, for he dropped his pistol-hand and put
the other one up like this"--laying the back of his left wrist across
his eyes--"and of course they all rushed on him."

"I can't make that out," said Michele. "It's not like Rivarez to lose
his head at a crisis."

"Probably he lowered his pistol for fear of killing an unarmed man,"
Martini put in. Michele shrugged his shoulders.

"Unarmed men shouldn't poke their noses into the middle of a fight.
War is war. If Rivarez had put a bullet into His Eminence, instead of
letting himself be caught like a tame rabbit, there'd be one honest man
the more and one priest the less."

He turned away, biting his moustache. His anger was very near to
breaking down in tears.

"Anyway," said Martini, "the thing's done, and there's no use wasting
time in discussing how it happened. The question now is how we're to
arrange an escape for him. I suppose you're all willing to risk it?"

Michele did not even condescend to answer the superfluous question,
and the smuggler only remarked with a little laugh: "I'd shoot my own
brother, if he weren't willing."

"Very well, then---- First thing; have you got a plan of the fortress?"

Gemma unlocked a drawer and took out several sheets of paper.

"I have made out all the plans. Here is the ground floor of the
fortress; here are the upper and lower stories of the towers, and here
the plan of the ramparts. These are the roads leading to the valley,
and here are the paths and hiding-places in the mountains, and the
underground passages."

"Do you know which of the towers he is in?"

"The east one, in the round room with the grated window. I have marked
it on the plan."

"How did you get your information?"

"From a man nicknamed 'The Cricket,' a soldier of the guard. He is
cousin to one of our men--Gino."

"You have been quick about it."

"There's no time to lose. Gino went into Brisighella at once; and