r Corsicans, "and I
have sent for him. He will come under conduct; and, meanwhile, I
have to say that any man who offers to harm this prisoner, here, will
be shot."

"But why should we harm him, principessa?" they asked; and, indeed, I
felt inclined to echo their question, seeing that she pointed at me.

"Because he has killed Giuseppe," she answered simply.

"Giuseppe? He has slain Giuseppe?" The simultaneous cry went up in
a wail, and by impulse the hand of each one moved to his knife.

"Your pardon, principessa--" began one black-avised bandit, dropping
the haft of his knife and feeling for the gun at his back.

She waived him aside and turned to me. "I should warn you, sir, that
we are of one clan here, though I may not tell you our name; and
against the slayer of one it is vendetta with us all. But I spare
you until your father arrives."

"I thank you," answered I, feeling blue, but fetching up my best bow.
(Here was a pleasant prospect!) "I only beg to observe that I killed
this man--if I have killed him--in self-defence," I added.

"Do you wish me to repeat that as your plea?" she asked, half in
scorn.

"I do not," said I, with a sudden rush of anger. "Moreover, I dare
say that these savages of yours would see no distinction."

"You are right," she replied carelessly, "they would see no
distinction."

"But excuse me, principessa," persisted the scowling man, "a feud is
a feud, and if he has slain our Giuse--"

"Attend to me, sir," I broke in. "Your Giuseppe came at me like a
hog, and I gave him his deserts. For the rest, if you move your hand
another inch towards that gun I will knock your brains out." I
clubbed my musket ready to strike.

"Gently, sir!" interposed the girl. "This is folly, as you must
see."

I shrugged my shoulders. "You will allow me, Princess. If it come
to vendetta, you have slain my friend."

She gave her back to me and faced the ring. "I tell you," she said,
"that Giuseppe's death rests on the prisoner's word alone.
Marc'antonio and Stephanu have gone down and will bring us the truth
of it. Meanwhile I say that this one is our prisoner, like as the
others. Give him room and let him wait by his friend. Does any one
say 'nay' to that?" she demanded.

The scowling man, with a glance at his comrades' faces, gave way.
I could not have told why, but from the start of the dispute I felt
that this girl held her bandits, or whatever they were, in imperfect
obedien