It was now Ferralti's turn.He had just seated himself at the table and taken the pen when they were startled by a shrill scream from the rear of the house.It was followed by another，and another，in quick succession.
It was Tato's voice，and the duke gave an answering cryand sprang from the veranda to dart quickly around the corner of the house.Uncle John followed him，nearly as fearful as the child's father.
Tommaso seized a short rifle that stood near and ran around the house in the other direction，when Ferralti，who for a moment had seemed dazed by the interruption，followed Tommaso rather than the others.
As they came to the rear they were amazed to see the old Duchessa，whom they had known to be feeble and dependent upon her women，rush through the garden hedge with the agility of a man，bearing in her arms the struggling form of little Tato.
The child screamed pitifully，but the woman glared upon Tommaso and Ferralti，as she passed them，with the ferocitya of a tiger.
"She is mad ！"cried Ferralti."Quick，Tommaso；let usfollow her."The brigand bounded forward，with the young man scarce a pace behind him.The woman，running with wonderful speed in spite of her burden，began to ascend a narrow path leading up the face of a rugged cliff.
A yell of anguish from behind for a moment arrested Ferralti's rapid pursuit.Glancing back he saw the Duke running frantically toward them，at the same time waving his arms high above his head.
"The pit ！"he shouted."She is making for the pit.Stopher，for the love of God ！"Ferralti understood，and dashed forward again at full speed.Tommaso also understood，for his face was white and he muttered terrible oaths as he pressed on.Yet run as they might，the mad duchessa was inspired with a strength so superhuman that she kept well in advance.
But the narrow path ended half way up the cliff.It ended at a deep chasm in the rocks，the edge of which was protected by a large ?at stone，like the curb of a well.
With a final leap the old woman gained this stone，and while the dreadful pit yawneda at her feet she turned，and with a demoniacalb laugh faced her pursuers，hugging the child close to her breast.
Tommaso and Ferralti，who were nearest，paused instinctively.It was now impossible for them to prevent the tragedy about to be enacted.The Duke，spurred on by fear，was yet twenty paces in their rear，and in a moment he also stopped，clasping his hands in a gesture of vain entreatya.
"Listen，Lugui ！"his mother called to him，in a dear，high voice."This is the child that has come between us and turned you from a man into a coward.Here alone is the cause of our troubles.Behold！I will remove it forever from our path."With the words she lifted Tato high above her head and turned toward the pit—that terrible cleft in the rocks which wasbelieved to have no bottom.
At her ?rst movement Tommaso had raised his gun，and the Duke，perceiving this，called to him in an agonized voice to ?re.But either the brigand wavered between his loyalty to the Duke or the Duchessa，or he feared to injure Tato，for he hesitated to obey and the moments were precious.
The child's fate hung in the balance when Ferralti snatched the weapon from the brigand's hands and ?red it so hastily that he scarcely seemed to take aim.
A wild cry echoed the shot.The woman collapsed and fell，dropping Tato at her feet，where they both totteredb at the edge of the pit.The child，however，clung desperately to the outer edge of the ?at stone，while the Duchessa's inert form seemed to hesitate for an instant and then disappearedfrom view.
Tommaso ran forward and caught up the child，returning slowly along the path to place it in the father's arms.Ferraltiwas looking vaguely from the weapon he held to the pit，and then back again，as if not fully understanding what he had done.
"Thank you，signore，"said the Duke，brokenly，"forsaving my precious child.""But I have slaina your mother！"cried the young man，horri?ed.
"The obligation is even，"replied the duke."She was alsoyour grandmother."Ferralti stood motionless，his face working convulsivelyb，his tongue refusing to utter a sound.
"But he did not shoot my grandmother at all，"said Tato，who was sobbing against her father's breast；"for I heard the bullet strike the rock beside us.My grandmother's strength gave way，and she fainted.It was that that saved me，padre mia."