The trio were supported by their relations, and were surrounded by friendly shepherds. But treachery, incited by a rough action, overtook them at last.
Massoni was one day visited by a friend from his own village in Balagna, who came to ask his advice and assistance regarding the revenge to be taken on a man of position who had insulted his family. Massoni, wishing to treat his guest hospitably, requested a lamb from a friendly shepherd. His request was not refused, but Massoni took offence at the leanness of the gift. "It is for a guest; I must have a fat one," said he; and without further ceremony he chose out his lamb, and, shooting it down, carried it off in his arms.
The shepherd had neither the power nor the daring to resist the bandit, or openly resent his rudeness, but he determined to pay him out for what he had done.
Soon after the departure of Massoni he left his rocky cabin among the hills, and, descending to the gendarmerie, offered to betray the hiding-place of the bandits.
Cautiously, and in great numbers, the gendarmes mounted the steep hill, until at length the shepherd paused before an almost inaccessible cave, the mouth of which was entirely hidden by the maquis. Arrighi and Massoni's brother were within, asleep; but Massoni himself kept watch at the entrance.
He had not heard the soldiers creeping noiselessly up the rocky paths, and now he was surrounded, some above, and some below. Nothing was audible, until one of the soldiers, to find out if the men were really there, threw a stone from above into the thick bushes at the cave's mouth.
Massoni sprang out to see the danger, firing off his pistol to awaken his companions, who started up from their sleep as he fell upon the cavern floor, pierced by the balls of the soldiers.
And now Massoni's brother leapt out among the rocks, bounding like a wild goat from point to point, until one of the many shots fired at him took effect, and he fell dead upon the hill-side.
Arrighi, however, remained within, and when, at length, after much hesitation, some of the gendarmes dared to enter the cave where lay hid the dreaded bandit, he was nowhere to be found.
All night was the silent watch kept; but when, early in the morning, some of the soldiers moved off to a neighbouring spring for water, two shots, fired suddenly from the mysterious cavern, struck through the heart two of their number; and the party who went to fetch in their dead bodies lost another man from the same fatal gun.