g severe pain. In spite of himself a cry burst from him. The
cry was instantly repressed, and David, raising himself, prepared
to continue his retreat. But first he looked fearfully around to
see whether his cry had discovered him.

As he did so his heart sunk within him.

The brigand chief had heard him!

He was walking straight towards him!

CHAPTER XIII.

_David Captured.--The big, bluff, burly, brusque, bearded,
broad-shouldered, beetle-browed Bully of a Brigand.--A terrific
Inquisition.--David's Plea for Mercy.--The hard-hearted Captor and
the trembling Captive.--A direful Threat.--David carried off helpless
and despairing.--The Robber's Hold._

So this great, big, bluff, burly, brusque, bearded, broad-shouldered,
beetle-browed brigand came straight towards the place where poor
David was; walking with great strides; and David, seeing all hope
lost, stood still, and awaited the arrival of his formidable enemy.
The consciousness of his utter helplessness filled him with despair,
and his ignorance of Italian put it out of his power to disarm the
fury or deprecate the wrath of his fierce pursuer. In the few
moments that intervened between the first discovery that he was
seen and the arrival of his enemy, his brain was filled with
confusion, and his bewildered thoughts turned helplessly to his
friends whom he had left behind. He thought of their grief. He
thought, too, of his home. He thought, of his mother. That home,
those friends, that loving, mother, he now might never see again.
Farewell, all dear ones! Farewell, bright past! Farewell, sweet
life, and glad light of day! Such were the thoughts, gloomy and
despairing, that filled his mind, and tormented his heart; and at
the moment that his pursuer entered the grove and stood before him,
David looked up with pale face and frightened eyes, and something
like a sob escaped him.

The big, burly brigand stood before him, and eyed him from head to
foot. He was very tall, and, indeed, to David he seemed gigantic,
while his right hand held the rifle like a walking-stick. He looked
at David in silence, and scanned him curiously all over; and David's
eyes, which had at first sought those of his captor in timid
entreaty, now sank before his stern gaze.

"_Cosa volete?_" said the brigand. "_Donde venite?_" in a deep
voice.

"_Non capisco_," faltered David, bringing forth the only Italian
that he knew.

At this the brigand was silent, and again surveyed hi