She said it lightly, but it brought all the blood back to his brow and cheek with a rush.  Not for many days did I learn the full meaning of the look he turned on her, but for dumb reproach I never saw the like of it on man’s face.

Her foot tapped the ground.  “Give him the gun,” she commanded; and Marc’antonio thrust it into my hands.  “Now turn your back and walk to that first tree yonder, very slowly, pace by pace, as you hear me count.”

Her face was set like a flint, her tone relentless.  Marc’antonio half raised his two fists, clenching them for a moment, but dropped them by his side, turned his back, and began to walk obediently towards the tree.

“One—­two—­three—­four—­five,” she counted, and paused.  “Englishman, this fellow has killed your friend, and you claim yourself worthy to be King of Corsica.  Prove it.”

“Excuse me, Princess,” said I, “but before that I have some other things to prove, of which some are easy and others may be hard and tedious.”

“Seven—­eight—­nine.”  With no answer, but a curl of the lip, she resumed her counting.

“Marc’antonio!” I called—­he had almost reached the tree.  “Come here!”

He faced about, his eyes starting, his cheeks blanched.  As he drew nearer I saw that his forehead shone with sweat.

“I have a word for you,” I said slowly.  “In the first place an Englishman does not shoot his game sitting; it is against the rules.  Secondly, he is by no means necessarily a fool, but, if it came to shooting against two, he might have sense enough to get his first shot upon the one who held the musket—­a point which your mistress overlooked perhaps.”  I bowed to her gravely.  “And thirdly,” I went on, hardening my voice, “I have to tell you, Ser Marc’antonio, that this friend of mine, whom you have killed, was not trying to escape you, but running to seek help for the Princess.”

Marc’antonio checked an exclamation.  He glanced at the girl, and she at him suspiciously, with a deepening frown.

“Help?” she echoed, turning the frown upon me, “What help, sir, should I need?”

It was my turn now to shrug the shoulders.  “Nay,” I answered, “I tell you but what he told me.  He divined, or at least he was persuaded, that you stood in need of help.”

She threw a puzzled, questioning look at the poor corpse, but lifted her eyes to find mine fixed upon them, and shrank a little as I stepped close.  Her two hands went behind her, swiftly.  I may have made a motion to grip her by the wrists; I cannot tell.  My next words surprised myself, and the tone of my voice speaking and the passion in it.