"'Here's an odd half-sovereign I've got no use for, Marco.'

"'Gracias!' muttered Marco, slipping the coin into his waistcoat pocket.

"'Now, Marco,' continued Brackenbury, 'you're a kind-hearted sort of a chap, I know.'

"'_Si, senor, hombre de chapa_.' [man of sense.]

"'Yes; well, have you heard anything about us? No preparations to hang us, or anything of that sort, is there, Marco?'

"Marco came in again, and quietly closed the door. Then he listened a moment.

"'See, geentlemans,' he said, 'I veel not tell a false-dad. You veel _die_--perhaps. Perhaps you veel not.'

"'Well,' grunted O'Brady, 'we could have guessed as much. Thank you for nothing. Give him another yellow boy, Brackenbury, I'll pay you some day--perhaps.'

"The additional coin made Marco smile.

"'Now,' he said, 'I tell you _all_ de trut'. De trut' is dis: you veel not die for two tree week. Suppose your people pay plenty _libertad_ monies for you, den you not die at all. Suppose dey not veel pay de plenty mooch _libertad_ monies, and suppose, instead, de coome and fight here, den you die ver' quick indeed.'

"'Thank you, thank you!' cried O'Brady. 'Give him one more yellow boy, Brackenbury.'

"'Dash my b.u.t.tons, sir,' said Brackenbury, 'how free you can make with other people's cash, O'Brady!'

"Marco retired, smiling sweetly on his third yellow boy, and the two officers began to think of getting up.

"'Ahem!' said Brackenbury.

"'What?' said O'Brady.

"'I'm a little shy,' said Brackenbury, 'in dressing in the same apartment with any one else. Ahem! did you ever know, O'Brady, that I wore a wig?'

"'No,' grunted O'Brady. ''Pon my soul, you're as shy as a girl, Brackenbury. I ain't shy. Now look here, did it ever strike you that I had a gla.s.s eye?'

"'Well, no--ahem!--I've noticed, though, that you squinted a bit. Fact is, to put it straight, I've observed you looking very steadily at the main-truck with one eye, and apparently looking at the compa.s.s with the other. Ha! ha! ha!'

"'Well, what does it matter?' said O'Brady. 'I'm going on for sixty years of age, man.'

"'And I,' said Brackenbury, 'am precious near fifty--'

"'Just on the other side o' the hedge, eh? Ha! ha! You gay young dog.

Look here!' he continued, 'perhaps you wouldn't believe it, but I have a cork leg!'

"'Well,' cried Brackenbury, springing out of bed and preparing to shave, 'I'm glad we've both made a clean breast of it.'

"They both laughed hearty now; fact is, they felt lighter in spirits since Marco told them there was no immediate cause for apprehension.

"And Brackenbury pulled out his false teeth, and O'Brady pulled out his, and Brackenbury threw his wig on the top of his bed, and appeared in all the beauty of his baldness, while O'Brady laid his gla.s.s eye on the table, and brandished his cork leg by way of showing the captain what he could do with it.

"Silly old fogies, weren't they? But by the time the gong went roaring and clanging through the halls they were both dressed and waiting for Marco.

"This individual glided silently on in front of them; for the carpets in the corridors were as soft as moss itself.

"'Splendid mansion it looks in daylight, don't it?' whispered O'Brady.

'What a n.o.ble corridor! Just look at those chandeliers, look at the stained windows, and those frescoes! Must have cost a power o' money, eh?'

"'Didn't cost _him_ much, I expect,' muttered his friend. 'You forget you're not in a hotel, but in the house of a robber chief.'

"'Hush, hush, hush! not so loud, please; every whisper is heard in this strange place.'

"Black servants or slaves, with white garments, squatted here and there in the hall, pulling punkah strings, and rolling chalk-white eyes at the two officers as they pa.s.sed. They came at length to an immensely tall door. At each side of it stood a sentry, dressed in blue and scarlet-- n.i.g.g.e.rs both, savage-looking, armed to the teeth, and over six feet high.

"They each pulled back a curtain, and our friends found themselves in the breakfast-room.

"Three great windows looked out upon a n.o.ble park, in which were strange and beautiful trees, marble figures, miniature lakes, gushing fountains, and many a lovely bird and curious quadruped.

"Dressed in a crimson gown, the folds of which he grasped in one hand across his chest, the count himself advanced to meet them. He stopped halfway and bowed low.

"'I hope my guests slept well?' he said.

"The breakfast was eaten in silence almost. Afterwards--

"'Gentlemen,' said the count, 'let us understand each other. You are my prisoners--'

"'_Our_ time may come,' interrupted Brackenbury.

"'You are a bold man to talk thus. I have but to hold up a finger and you would be dragged hence and strangled. But you are my guests as well as prisoners. If ransomed you will leave this house unharmed. If not--'

"'You will kill us, eh?'

"Dolosa shrugged his shoulders.

"''Tis the fortune of war,' he said.

"An hour or two after dinner on the same night Dolosa was lounging on the broad terrace along with his prisoner guests. A round moon was mirrored in a lake some distance beneath them, where antlered deer could be seen drinking; stars were shining in the sky, and on earth as well, for fireflies flitted refulgent from bush to bush.

"Hidden somewhere behind the foliage of an upper balcony was a string band that had been discoursing music of a strange, half-wild, but dreamy nature that accorded well with scene and time. The music had just died away, and there was nothing to be heard but an occasional plash in the lake, the hum of insects, and the steady hiss of the gushing fountains.

"''Pon my word,' said Brackenbury, who had dined well, 'you have a very nice little place here. Pity you're such a rase--'

"'A what--eh?' said Dolosa, quietly, interrupting him.

"'A recluse, I mean.'

"Dolosa smiled, and resumed his cigar.

"'I feel sure,' continued Brackenbury, 'that we will be ransomed, but if not you wouldn't hang us, would you? Eh, Count? No, no; I'm sure you wouldn't. You're much too good a fellow for that.'

"Dolosa laughed.