more Lucia went on, unable to withstand the strength of his arm.

The flat ground ended abruptly, and they had to climb down jagged
rocks. Lucia thought that her chance of escape had come, but the
Austrian never lessened his hold on her arm.

They had traveled this far without meeting any one. The only signs of
life had been the mysterious noise underground, and the click of
Garibaldi's sharp hoofs as they hit the stone.

When they reached a certain point the soldier stopped. "If you make
any noise," he said roughly, "I will have to shoot you."

Lucia opened her mouth to scream, but before the sound came she changed
her mind. A new and splendid idea had just come to her. She stopped
holding back and walked obediently beside her guard. They did not go
very far, before he told her to lie down and crawl, and before she
realized where she was going, she was in a deep trench that ran along
the base of the rock and was completely hidden from sight.

Garibaldi followed them, picking her way daintily, and stopping every
now and then to let out a mournful "Naa!" The Austrian did not seem to
hear her. If he did, he paid no attention, but led Lucia hurriedly
along the dark passage.

They had not gone far before a sentry stopped them. Lucia's guard said
something to him that she could not understand. The sentry
disappeared, to return in a few minutes with another man. From the
respectful salutes that he received, Lucia decided he must be a very
high officer. More talk followed which she could not understand, and