stood thus, as if determined to protect her by his side, even at the
cost of his life.

The robbers had at last quite overmatched the four outriders, and
having bound the only one of them that had sufficient life left to
make him dangerous to them, they turned their steps once more
towards the volante. There were in all some thirteen of them, but
three already lay dead in the road, and the other ten, who had some
sharp wounds distributed among them, now standing together, seemed
to be querying whether they should not revenge the death of their
comrades by killing both the occupants of the volante, or whether
they should pursue their first purpose of only robbing them of what
valuables they possessed.

Fierce oaths were reiterated, and angry words exchanged between one
and another of the robbers, as to the matter they were hastily
discussing, while the old gentleman remained firm, grasping the hilt
of his well-tempered sword, and showing to his enemies, by the
stern, deep resolve they read in his eye, that they had not yet
conquered him. Fortunately their pistols had all been discharged, or
they might have shot the brave old man without coming to closer
quarters, but now they looked with some dread upon the glittering
blade he held so firmly!

That which has required some time and space for us to describe, was,
however, the work of but a very few moments of time, and the
robbers, having evidently made up their minds to take the lives of
the two persons now in the vehicle, divided themselves into two
parties and approached the volante at the same moment on opposite
sides.