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“Look here,” said Numa, drawing a small cask from beneath the bed– and in doing so he observed that the young girl half opened her eyes, as she glanced at him, and then closed them. She was awake, and had heard all.

As he stooped down, Numa whispered gently in her ear: “Fear nothing,” and then drew the cask into the middle of the room.

The Wallachians stared with impatient curiosity as he knocked out the bottom of the cask with a hatchet.

“This cask contains gunpowder,” continued Decurio. “We will light a match and place it in the middle of the cask, and whoever remains longest in the room is undoubtedly the most courageous; for there is enough here to blow up not only this house, but the whole of the neighboring village.”

At this proposition several of the men began to murmur.

“If any are afraid they are not obliged to remain,” said the Decurio dryly.

“I agree,” said Lupey doggedly. “I will remain here; and perhaps, after all, it is poppy-seeds you have got there–it looks very much like them.”

The Decurio stooped down, and taking a small quantity between his fingers, threw it into the Wallachian’s pipe, which immediately exploded, causing him to stagger backwards, and the next instant he stood with a blackened visage, sans beard and moustache, amidst the jeers and laughter of his comrades.

This only exasperated him the more.

“I will stay for all that!” he exclaimed; and lifting up the pipe which he had dropped, he walked over and lit it at the burning match which the Decurio was placing in the cask.

Upon this, two-thirds of the men left the room.

The rest assembled around the cask with much noise and bravado, swearing by heaven and earth that they would stay until the match burned out; but the more they swore, the more they looked at the burning match, the flame of which was slowly approaching the gunpowder.

For some minutes their courage remained unshaken, but after that they ceased to boast, and began to look at each other in silent consternation, while their faces grew paler every instant. At last one or two rose and stood aloof; the others followed their example, and some grinding their teeth with rage, others chattering with terror, they all began to leave the room.

Only two remained beside the cask; Numa, who stood with his arms folded leaning against the foot of the bed; and Lupey, who was sitting on the iron of the cask with his back turned to the danger, and smoking furiously.

As soon as they were alone, the latter glanced behind him and saw the flame was within an inch of the powder.

“I’ll tell you what, Decurio,” he said, springing up, “we are only two left, don’t let us make food of each other; let us come to an understanding on this matter.”

“If you are tired of waiting, I can press the match lower.”

“This is no jest, Numa; you are risking your own life. How can you wish to send us both to hell for the sake of a pale girl? But I’ll tell you what–I’ll give her up to you if you will only promise that she shall be mine when you are tired of her.”

“Remain here and win her–if you dare.”

“To what purpose?” said the Wallachian, in a whining voice, and in his impatience he began to tear his clothes and stamp with his feet, like a petted child.

“What I have said stands good,” said the Decurio; “whoever remains longest has the sole right to the lady.”

“Well, I will stay, of course; but what do I gain by it? I know you will stay, too, and then the devil will have us both; and I speak not only for myself when I say I do not wish that.”

“If you do not wish it, you had better be gone.”

“Well, I don’t care–if you will give me a golden mark.”