e of the cistern, showed that the tunnel was slightly wider
than its opening, and that by hugging the wall he was not visible to
Radicofani. The latter had heard the splash and regarded the water
dubiously.

"Have you gone to the bottom?" he shouted, but Brandilancia was wisely
silent. "If not," cried the Captain, "and you are hiding yonder within
hearing, let me tell you that you will die like a rat in a sewer unless
you give yourself up at the entrance to that tunnel, where you will find
me waiting for you."

Drenched to the skin Brandilancia's teeth chattered with the physical
cold, and fear numbed his heart. "What if Radicofani spoke the truth?"

But to carry out his threat the Captain must retrace his steps and ride
to the spot where the aqueduct entered the hill. How far he had
proceeded Brandilancia could not guess, possibly half or three-fourths
of the way. If so there was hope of reaching the opening before
Radicofani, and he hurried on with what speed he could consistent with
groping his way with hands and feet in the total darkness. The exertion
stirred his blood but the tunnel seemed to have no end. His hands were
worn and bleeding with clinging to the rough wall, and a great lassitude
was stealing over him when he caught a faint glimmer of light like that
of a star, not the lurid glow of a candle or torch but the blessed white
light of day. It was the longed-for opening, though still far away. He
thought that he had out-distanced Radicofani and stumbled on, exultation
giving him new strength when a sudden eclipse of this star of hope made
him crouch motionless, grovelling close to the earth. A man's head and
shoulders were silhouetted blackly against the brightness. The man
peered cautiously into the tunnel, and listened; but neither hearing nor
seeing anything, presently withdrew.

Was it Radicofani? Were workmen preparing to wall up the exit? Ought he
to make a sudden rush for life and liberty?

Every instinct prompted him to this resolution, and he crawled
cautiously forward to within a few feet of the opening. Again the man
appeared, with a sudden bound Brandilancia was upon him and both rolled
in a life-and-death struggle upon the ground.

So dazed was he by the glare of the full light of day, so nearly crazed
with desperation that he did not recognise the voice that implored him
to cease his blows, or realise that his supposed antagonist was the
friendly Malespini, who, on the instant that Radic