"Only to frighten her."
But Bissula cast a reproachful glance at him.
"However that may be," the Illyrian continued, "she is my captive." His glowing eyes rested on her; the girl lowered her long lashes in embarrassment.
"No, no! I discovered her."
"But before you seized her a second time--for she was free again--I captured her. Dare to contradict it, you murderer of girls!" and he advanced threateningly toward him.
The sound of a tuba rang from the forest.
"We must return. The tuba gives a sign of warning," said Saturninus. "The first trace of the foe has been found--not only the child--a man."
Bissula looked up anxiously.
"He lay covered with skins," the other added, as they moved forward, "hidden among the rushes so that he could not be distinguished from a fallen tree. Before we could seize him--"
Bissula uttered a sigh of relief.