At long length the Lord of Lodi yielded, but with an ill grace and with certain mental reservations notwithstanding the bond drawn up by his monkish secretary. With that parchment in his pocket, Messer Beppo went gaily to breakfast with the Lord Vignate, and thereafter took his leave, and slipped out of the city to carry to the Cardinal at Desana the news of the decision and to prepare for his own part in it. It was a dazzling morning, all sign of the storm having been swept from the sky, and the air being left the cleaner for its passage. Messer Beppo smiled as he walked, presumably because on such a morning it was good to live. He was still smiling when towards noon of that same day he strode unannounced into Facino's quarters at Pavone. Facino was at dinner with his three captains, and the Countess faced her lord at the foot of the board. He looked up as the newcomer strode to the empty place at the table. 'You're late, Bellarion. We have been awaiting you and your report. Was there any attempt last night to put a victualling party across the lines?' 'There was,' said Bellarion. 'And you caught them?' 'We caught them. Yes. Nevertheless, the mule-train and the victuals won into Alessandria.' They looked at him in wonder. Carmagnola scowled upon him. 'How, sir? And this in spite of your boast that you caught them?' Bellarion fixed him with eyes that were red and rather bleary from lack of sleep. 'In spite of it,' he agreed. 'The fact is, that mule-train was conducted into Alessandria by myself.' And he sat down in the silence that followed. 'Do you say that you've been into Alessandria?' 'Into the very citadel. I had breakfast with the squat Lord of Lodi.' 'Will you explain yourself?' cried Facino. Bellarion did so. CHAPTER XV THE CAMISADE The sequel you already guess, and its telling need not keep us long. That night Vignate and six hundred men, wearing their shirts over their armour, rode into as pretty an ambush about the village of Pavone as is to be found in the history of such operations. It was a clear night, and, although there was no moon, there was just light enough from the starflecked sky to make it ideal, from the point of view of either party, for the business in hand. There was some rough fighting for perhaps a half-hour, and a good deal of blood was shed, for Vignate's men, infuriated at finding themselves trapped, fought viciously and invited hard knocks in return.