erson receiving them shall obtain a respite till next year for Peppino;
and during that year, another skilfully placed 1,000 piastres will
afford him the means of escaping from his prison."

"And do you feel sure of succeeding?"

"Pardieu!" exclaimed the man in the cloak, suddenly expressing himself
in French.

"What did your excellency say?" inquired the other.

"I said, my good fellow, that I would do more single-handed by the
means of gold than you and all your troop could effect with stilettos,
pistols, carbines, and blunderbusses included. Leave me, then, to act,
and have no fears for the result."

"At least, there can be no harm in myself and party being in readiness,
in case your excellency should fail."

"None whatever. Take what precautions you please, if it is any
satisfaction to you to do so; but rely upon my obtaining the reprieve I
seek."

"Remember, the execution is fixed for the day after tomorrow, and that
you have but one day to work in."

"And what of that? Is not a day divided into twenty-four hours, each
hour into sixty minutes, and every minute sub-divided into sixty
seconds? Now in 86,400 seconds very many things can be done."

"And how shall I know whether your excellency has succeeded or not."

"Oh, that is very easily arranged. I have engaged the three lower
windows at the Cafe Rospoli; should I have obtained the requisite pardon
for Peppino, the two outside windows will be hung with yellow damasks,
and the centre with white, having a large cross in red marked on it."

"And whom will you employ to carry the reprieve to the officer directing
the execution?"

"Send one of your men, disguised as a penitent friar, and I will give it
to him. His dress will procure him the means of approaching the scaffold
itself, and he will deliver the official order to the officer, who, in
his turn, will hand it to the executioner; in the meantime, it will be
as well to acquaint Peppino with what we have determined on, if it
be only to prevent his dying of fear or losing his senses, because in
either case a very useless expense will have been incurred."

"Your excellency," said the man, "you are fully persuaded of my entire
devotion to you, are you not?"

"Nay, I flatter myself that there can be no doubt of it," replied the
cavalier in the cloak.

"Well, then, only fulfil your promise of rescuing Peppino, and
henceforward you shall receive not only devotion, but the most absolute
obedience from m