Vampa measured the distance; the man was at least two hundred paces in advance of him, and there was not a chance of overtaking him.

The young shepherd stopped, as if his feet had been rooted to the ground; then he put the butt of his carbine to his shoulder, took aim at the ravisher, followed him for a second in his track, and then fired.

The ravisher stopped suddenly, his knees bent under him, and he fell with Teresa in his arms.

The young girl rose instantly, but the man lay on the earth struggling in the agonies of death.

Vampa then rushed towards Teresa; for at ten paces from the dying man her legs had failed her, and she had dropped on her knees, so that the young man feared that the ball that had brought down his enemy, had also wounded his betrothed.