390 LIONEL LACKLAND. 



pure heart obliterated all the features of the past ; I say I remem- 

 ber that voice, but thy name at once breaks the charm — thy name 



is " " Stratton," he replied. — ** Aye, I knew it, enough, that 



word shall never pass my lips." " Come, come AUein, fool me no 

 longer j the past we cannot recover j let us forget it ; I will be a 

 friend to thee ; hut resign the paper : I have sought for you for 

 years, I wished to help you, to protect you, Allein." " Protect mej 

 aye, aye, to protect thyself rather, to secure thy fair bride without 

 fear of interruption. Man, she never shall be thine," she continued, 

 in a voice that startled even Stratton. " Who dares say thai ?" 

 *' Thy Fate." " 'Tis false j come, girl, I must away, the paper — 

 for that purpose I meet you ; if you decoyed me to this black hole 

 merely to banter me with thy croaking complaints, I will compel 

 thee to resign the paper." He seized her as he spoke — "The 

 paper." — " Take it, wretch," said Allein, holding something at her 

 arm's length, but ere he could accomplish his design, a shadow fell 

 across the entrance of the cavern, startling him from his purpose j 

 the flickerintr moonbeams fell upon the tall gaunt form of the 

 pystrior — " What, lieutenant," said he, with the utmost coolness, 

 "you are gallant to-night — you woo as you fight, close grapple 

 with her, arm to arm, and no quarter." *' Who are you ?" shouted 

 Stratton, " I should know you for that rascally cheat of the moor j 

 what do you here, fellow ?" Stratton advanced a step or two 

 forward — "Hold, lieutenant, not a step more if you value that 

 ■which is useless — your life j I have barkers here," presenting a 



pistol, " which give no quarter to . Who am I ?" he turned 



his face so that the moonlight beamed full upon him, " look at me, 

 well, lieutenant, who am 1 ? are you answered ? or must I call up 

 the name of Henry Askin, of the Penelope sloop of war ? true, 

 lieutenant, I am somewhat worn and wan since that merry morning 

 when the sun sparkled so cheerily on the green waves of the 

 Atlantic." " When you saved my life, you would say," replied 

 Stratton, " thank you Sir, I did, but you had too proud a mind to 

 endure the obligation, you acknowledged it, bravely ! bravely !" 

 " I remember that too," said Stratton, " you were flogged round 

 the fleet." — " Ah ! — and deserted — ah, ah, ah !" laughed the pys- 

 trior in hoarse and bitter tones-^"that was a worthy acknowledg- 

 ment that repaid the salvation of life, with worse than death — with 

 ruin, and years of crime and sorrow." He advanced towards 

 Stratton as he spoke — " I have sought thee, thou monster, in all 

 countries and climes, 1 longed in agony to crown thee with the 

 chaplet of ruined hopes, but 'tis woven by other hands — nay 

 start not, thou art safe from me ; thy fate is filled up, and revenge 

 will fall upon thee like the lightning's glance — thou art doomed." 

 — " Doomed," re-echoed the voices of the girl and a man, who now 

 entered the cavern. — " Yes, wretch, thou art doomed," said the 

 man who advanced, and in whom I recognised the former compa- 

 nion of the woman. I felt some dreadful act was premeditated, 

 yet to move might be fatal to both. Stratton and 1 were unarm- 

 ed — my blood thickened round my heart, my eyes seenaed bursting 



