With Mrs. Willoughby the result was different.  She burst into tears.

“Count Girasole,” she cried, “oh, spare her!  If you love her, spare her.  She is only a child.  If we opposed you, it was not from any objection to you; it was because she is such a child.”

“You mistake,” said the Count, shrugging his shoulders.  “I love her better than life.  Se love me.  It will make her happy.  You come too.  You sall see se is happy.  Come.  Be my sistaire.  It is love—­”

Mrs. Willoughby burst into fresh tears at this, and flung her arms around Minnie, and moaned and wept.

“Well, now, Kitty darling, I think it’s horrid.  You’re never satisfied.  You’re always finding fault.  I’m sure if you don’t like Rufus K. Gunn, you—­”

But Minnie’s voice was interrupted by the sound of approaching wheels.  It was the carriage of the Baron and his friend.  The Baron had feared brigands, but he was certainly not expecting to come upon them so suddenly.  The brigands had been prepared, and as the carriage turned it was suddenly stopped by the two carriages in front, and at once was surrounded.

The Baron gave one lightning glance, and surveyed the whole situation.  He did not move, but his form was rigid, and every nerve was braced, and his eyes gleamed fiercely.  He saw it all—­the crowd of women, the calm face of Minnie, and the uncontrollable agitation of Mrs. Willoughby.

“Well, by thunder!” he exclaimed.

Girasole rode up and called out: 

“Surrender!  You arra my prisoner.”

“What! it’s you, is it?” said the Baron; and he glared for a moment with a vengeful look at Girasole.

“Descend,” said Girasole.  “You mus be bound.”

“Bound?  All right.  Here, parson, you jump down, and let them tie your hands.”

The Baron stood up.  The Reverend Saul stood up too.  The Reverend Saul began to step down very carefully.  The brigands gathered around, most of them being on the side on which the two were about to descend.  The Reverend Saul had just stepped to the ground.  The Baron was just preparing to follow.  The brigands were impatient to secure them, when suddenly, with a quick movement, the Baron gave a spring out of the opposite side of the carriage, and leaped to the ground.  The brigands were taken completely by surprise, and before they could prepare to follow him, he had sprung into the forest, and, with long bounds, was rushing up the steep hill and out of sight.

One shot was fired after him, and that was the shot that Hawbury and Dacres heard.  Two men sprang after him with the hope of catching him.

In a few moments a loud cry was heard from the woods.

“MIN!”

Minnie heard it; a gleam of light flashed from her eyes, a smile of triumph came over her lips.

“Wha-a-a-a-t?” she called in reply.

“Wa-a-a-a-a-a-it!” was the cry that came back—­and this was the cry that Hawbury and Dacres had heard.