“He has come!” cried one of the men. “I think your idea of getting out of sight for a while is a good one.”
Suiting the action to the word, they hid themselves behind two of the largest trees.
Victor, with a bundle of clothing under his arm, made his way at once to the lantern, it being his idea to take it to the cave so that Vivienne could see what articles of clothing he had brought for her use, and it would also light them on their way home.
Vivienne called: “Victor! Victor!” softly, for she was afraid if the bandits knew they were discovered that she, too, would be killed, in which case Count Mont d’Oro and his hired assassins would escape the hand of justice. She would have given her own life to save Victor’s, but, if that sacrifice was impossible, she determined to avenge his death.
As Victor stooped to pick up the lantern, a gruff voice said:
“Put that down! What are you going to do with my lantern?”
Victor looked up and saw two rough-looking fellows standing before him.
“I think you have made a mistake,” he said. “I happen to know that this lantern is the property of Monsieur Julien Batistelli. That is not your name, I am sure.”
“Say, Jean,” said one of the men to his companion, “you heard him say this isn’t my lantern?”
“Of course it is,” growled the other. “I have seen you with it a dozen times. Make him give it up.”