red to be
terraced. On a heathery slope at the foot of the first terrace the
Corsicans set down poor Nat and spoke a word to their mistress, who
presently halted and exchanged a few sentences with them in _patois_;
whereupon they stepped back a few paces into the _macchia_, and,
having quickly cut a couple of ilex-staves, fell to plaiting them
with lentisk, to form a litter.

While this was doing I stepped back to my friend's side. His eyes
were closed; but he breathed yet, and his pulse, though faint, was
perceptible. A little blood--a very little--trickled from the corner
of his mouth. I glanced at the girl, who had drawn near and stood
close at my elbow.

"Have you a surgeon in your camp?" I asked. "I believe that a
surgeon might save him yet."

She shook her head. I could detect no pity in her eyes; only a touch
of curiosity, half haughty and in part sullen.

"I doubt," she answered, "if you will find a surgeon in all Corsica.
I do not believe in surgeons."

"Then," said I, "you have not lived always in Corsica."

Her face flushed darkly, even while the disdain in her eyes grew
colder, more guarded.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Why," said I, "you are not one, I believe, to speak so positively in
mere ignorance. But see!" I went on, pointing down upon the bay over
which this higher slope gave us a clear view, "there goes the ship
that brought us here."

She gazed at it for a while, with bent brow, evidently puzzled.

"No," said I, watching her, "I shall not tell you yet why she goes,
nor where her port lies. But I have something to propose to you."

"Say it."

"It leaves one man behind, and one only, in our camp below. He is my
father, and he has some knowledge of surgery; I believe he could save
my friend here."

She stood considering. "So much was known to me," she answered at
length; "that, after you, there would be but one left. Three of my
men have gone down to take him. He will be here before long."

"But, pardon me--for as yet I know not whether your aim is to kill us
or take us alive--"

She interrupted me with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I have no
wish to kill you. But I must know what brings you here, and the rest
can talk nothing but English. As for this one"--with a gesture of
the hand towards Nat--"he was foolish. He tried to run away and warn
you."

"Then, signorina, let me promise, who know my father, that you will
not take him alive."

"I hav