aid Numa
drily.

"Certainly," replied Lupuj, with an insolent leer; "and his she will
be who casts highest. If two, or ten, or twenty of us should cast the
same, we have an equal right to her."

"I tell you only one can have her," interrupted Numa sternly.

"Then those who win must cast again among each other."

"Casting the die will not do: we may throw all day long, and two may
remain at the end."

"Well, let us play cards for her."

"I cannot allow that: the more cunning will deceive the simpler."

"Well, write our names upon bricks, and throw them all into a barrel;
and whichever name you draw will take away the girl."

"I can say what name I please, for none of you can read."

The Wallachian shook his head impatiently.

"Well, propose something yourself, Decurio."

"I will. Let us try which of us can give the best proof of courage and
daring; and whoever can do that, shall have the girl, for he best
deserves her."

"Well said!" cried the men unanimously. "Let us each relate what we
have done, and then you can judge which among us is the boldest."

"I killed the first Bardy in the court, in sight of his family."

"I broke in the door, when that terrible man was dashing down the iron
on our heads."

"But it was I who pierced his heart."

"I mounted the stairs first."

"I fought nearly half an hour with the noble in the cloth of gold."

And thus they continued. Each man, according to his own account, was
the first and the bravest--each had performed miracles of valour.

"You have all behaved with great daring; but it is impossible now to
prove what has happened. The proof must be given here, by all of you
together, before my eyes, indisputably."

"Well, tell us how," said Lupuj impatiently, always fearing that the
Decurio was going to deceive them.

"Look here," said Numa, drawing a small cask from beneath the bed--and
in doing so he observed that the young girl half opened her eyes, as
she glanced at him, and then closed them. She was awake, and had heard
all.

As he stooped down, Numa whispered gently in her ear: "Fear nothing,"
and then drew the cask into the middle of the room.

The Wallachians stared with impatient curiosity as he knocked out the
bottom of the cask with a hatchet.

"This cask contains gunpowder," continued the Decurio. "We will light
a match and place it in the middle of the cask, and whoever remains
longest in the room is undoubtedly the most courageous; for there