ken neck is the worst that can befall us, and I would as
lief break mine on the rocks of Sant' Angelo as have it broken by the
executioner of Babbiano."

"Bravely said, by the Virgin!" roared Ferrabraccio. "To horse, sirs!"

"But the only way is the way by which they come," Fanfulla remonstrated.
"The rest is sheer cliff."

"Why, then, my sweet seducer, we'll go to meet them," rejoined
Ferrabraccio gaily. "They are on foot, and we'll sweep over them like a
mountain torrent. Come, sirs, hasten! They draw nigh."

"We have but six horses, and we are seven," another objected.

"I have no horse," said Francesco, "I'll follow you afoot."

"What?" cried Ferrabraccio, who seemed now to have assumed command of
the enterprise. "Let our St. Michael bring up the rear! No, no. You, Da
Lodi, you are too old for this work."

"Too old?" blazed the old man, drawing himself up to the full height of
what was still a very imposing figure, and his eyes seeming to take
fire at this reflection upon his knightly worth. "Were the season other,
Ferrabraccio, I could crave leave to show you how much of youth there is
still left in me. But----" He paused. His angry eyes had alighted upon
the Count, who stood waiting by the door, and the whole expression
of his countenance changed. "You are right, Ferrabraccio, I grow old
indeed--a dotard. Take you my horse, and begone."

"But you?" quoth the Count solicitously.

"I shall remain. If you do your duty well by those hirelings they will
not trouble me. It will not occur to them that one was left behind. They
will think only of following you after you have cut through them. Go,
go, sirs, or all is lost."

They obeyed him now with a rush that seemed almost to partake of panic.
In a frenzied haste Fanfulla and another tore the tetherings loose, and
a moment later they were all mounted and ready for that fearful ride.
The night was dark, yet not too dark. The sky was cloudless and thickly
starred, whilst a minguant moon helped to illumine the way by which they
were to go. But on that broken and uncertain mountain path the shadows
lay thickly enough to make their venture desperate.

Ferrabraccio claiming a better knowledge than his comrades of the way,
placed himself at their head, with the Count beside him. Behind them,
two by two, came the four others. They stood on a small ledge in
the shadow of the great cliff that loomed on their left. Thence the
mountain-side might be scanned--as well as i